FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS COMMITTEE MEETING:TUESDAY 30th AUGUST 2005.

FELIXSTOWE SCRIBBLERS COMMITTEE MEETING

TUESDAY 30^th AUGUST 200S

Present : Dave Feakes [secretary],
Caz Wilkinson [treasurer], Morag Clarke, Dick Bradshaw and Alex Price
[website]

Thanks :

Special thanks go to Liliane for collecting the keys and opening up early and helping, along with Alex and Scott, to set up the Library for the meetings. Also to Caz for arranging the Social despite all the personal concerns. To Alex for his undying efforts with the website and for arranging refreshments. To Jan for getting the Online Jotters up and running. To Gordon and Diane for their offers of help.

Attendances :

Everyone very pleased with the growth in membership despite some earlier reservations from one or two members about the length of meetings. Theoretically we are able to use Felixstowe Library between 7.30 and 10.00pm
and our objective is to finish the meetings by 10.00pm. Careful time management has alleviated the need for any drastic action following this welcome growth in membership. Unanimous decision to retain present format. Plans are in place to meet any future changes in circumstance. It was observed that the average age of the group has dropped significantly whilst the quality of writing from new members has been staggeringly high. All Scribblers work seems to go from strength to strength thanks partially to our diverse homework themes.

As far as criticism and comment is concerned, there are options available - either to allow the work to be posted on the website for general comment, or to provide copies to be taken home by 'volunteers' for more of an in depth
feedback.

Treasurer's Report : The Scribblers are in profit and have covered all bills and expenses to date. There are still some anthologies at Magpie Books which need to be paid for. Our stock is down to 10 copies [can be purchased for £3] Our regular but modest source of income is from refreshments/donations, the coffee fund proving a real boon to deal with the
overheads.

Website :Alex is doing a really good job with the weblog and ensuring two fresh postings a week. Very soon we will have a new website 'FelixstoweScribblers.com' and details will follow shortly.

We aim to cannibalise Debbie's former site to include old newsletters etc in an 'archive' section. There will be clear instructions on how to post a comment. Separate areas/pages for both Jotters and Scribblers will be provided. There will be a Showcase of published authors and their work and also a special pen picture gallery which we hope will include all members. A short questionnaire will be provided and these will be used as a basis of information for the pen pictures. Photos can be included if required. Photos from social events will be included as well. Alex hopes to give a Power Point presentation to members to demonstrate all features of the website to the Scribblers.

Website newsletter. A Scribblers online newsletter was discussed and is a possibility but a decision still has to be made, It is possible to include a selection of various homework themes in a newsletter - but this should not be a distraction from the new anthology [see below]. Only publish with permission of the authors who retain copyright. The Online Jotters already have plans for a newsletter.

Online Jotters :

Initial membership is up to 11 and includes writers from Germany and also France [Denise from UNESCO] which is far better than anticipated. Jan has done her first posting on the weblog. There were some technical difficulties over posting but these should soon be remedied.

Business Cards, Letter Heads, Compliment Slips, Libraries Posters:

We are hoping to provide 'business cards' to provide basic details of meeting days times, website address, and contact details etc. These would serve as 'membership cards' for all new Scribblers and handed to interested people at opportune times. Cards could be marked 'presented by'.

Socials :

After another great social at the Grosvenor, the date has been pencilled in for the winter social on Tuesday 31^st January at the same venue. A suggestion for a beach 'party' was suggested by Ellen, this to be of approximately an hour's duration to read a selection of work followed by refreshment in a local hostelry. Too late for this year but 27^th June 2006 has been pencilled in already. There are after meeting drinks at the Alex to wind down and chat. An idea has been formulated for a special Halloween night at our November 1^st meeting that will be held by 'torchlight' [no naked lights] with a Halloween/ghostly theme.

Felixstowe TV and the mini serial

: Was a brilliant writing project which is currently being filmed complete with some Scribblers in acting roles and others appearing as extras. A new request for writing historical features [up to 800 words in length] together with personally taken photographs brought cautionary thoughts after earlier bad experiences with a local 'businessman'.

2006 project - a new anthology?

Definite decision made against organising another 'Culturama' type event. We are simply a writers group but would be happy to participate in other organisations events. Possibly to arrange a Sunday display in the Library or take part in their official re-opening once the refurbishment is completed.

General agreement to go ahead with a new Anthology but this time do a 50-50 with a charity, possibly Macmillan Nurses, St Elizabeth Hospice or Cancer Research? Macmillan perhaps could help with publishing/publisher? Further ideas are welcome from the membership. The layout and binding must be improved from our first attempt Looking for around 100 pages to include all Scribblers and Online Jotters work.

10.Any Other Business : None