4. Knowledgeable professionals don’t always come
with the best writing skills; know that you may
have your work cut out for you.
 Recruit volunteers with the requisite knowledge
 Request recommendations from staff and
members
 Approach specific members
 Be prepared to put the time in: varies based on
writing skill**
 Paying writers

5. Choosing your words wisely: The Critique
 Special considerations: Prima donnas,
language barriers, cultural differences**
 Build trust and reassure through
communication; communicate, communicate,
communicate!
 Show respect and appreciation for their time
and effort
 Provide enough time to complete the job

6. Know what you want from the writer and clearly
communicate that
 Expectations: explain your role as editor
◦ Commitment
◦ Deadlines
◦ Editorial and peer review process
 Guidelines
◦ Topics
◦ Length
◦ Style, Tone
◦ Include/Exclude Footnotes/Endnotes
◦ Length of bio

7. Do you have any flexibility? Should you? And how
much?
 Deadlines
◦ Never give the real deadline!
◦ Plan 2 or 3 months out depending on the complexity of
the topic, maybe longer.
 Topics
◦ Editorial calendar?
◦ Timely, not time-sensitive
◦ Plan B:
 Repurposing previously written articles
 Recruiting more than one writer for a topic
 Going to press with fewer pages than planned

8. Should your association own everything that
appears in its magazine?
 Copyright policy in writing
 Assignment of ownership form in advance
 Release form for photos
 Children’s privacy
 Reprint policy

9. No surprises! Stay organized and on top of
your writers
 Tickler system: strategic reminders
◦ 30 days
◦ 2 weeks
◦ 1 week
◦ Night before
 Fake deadlines

10. The good, the bad, and the ugly: Dealing with
crappy writers for the sake of the association
 Diamond in the rough
 Document your use of the person**
 Provide feedback to the president or executive
director with evidence to make your case
 Be respectful and diplomatic but don’t change
the playbook for this one person
 Follow best practices
 Engage writer in other ways that might be more
beneficial

11. Critical part of CYA
 Substantive review of articles
 Diversity among members
 Commitment
 Constructive criticism required
 Panel members
◦ 5 or 6 members
◦ 1 or 2 members from the board of directors
 Steps to CYA
◦ At least 2 reviewers per article
◦ Submit articles anonymously
◦ Keep a paper trail or email trail
◦ Include in-house review for substantive and political
reasons

12. Something to consider
 Controversial content?
 Advertising and sponsorships?
 A generic disclaimer on all articles?
Example: “The author’s views do not
necessarily represent the views of the
association or its officers ...”

13. When it’s time for a change
 Poor quality work
 Change in focus
 False sense of ownership
 Complacency
 Procedure
 Using your peer review panel to reject or
terminate with cause
 Recruiting 2 writers for one column who will
take turns

14.  Are you motivated/committed?
 Can you adapt to the preferred writing style?
 Can you accept criticism (constructive)?
 Will you relinquish ownership?
 Can you accept editorial changes?

15. Emily Schuster
 Editor-in-chief, Dimensions magazine
 Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)
 Phone: (202) 783-7200 x130
 E-mail: eschuster@astc.org
 www.astc.org
 Twitter handle: @esschuster
Tatia L. Gordon-Troy, Esq.
 Ramses House Publishing, LLC: “So Let It Be Written … So Let It
Be Done.”
Former Editor-in-chief, Immigration Law Today magazine
 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
 Cell: 410.428.2700
 E-mail: tatiatroy@ramseshp.com
 Twitter handle: @tatia_troy