Alternatives to NMS

[Deborah Sweet]

It was written:
>>How do the East and Middle do this?  No maps.  Minimal wasted space.  
>>Small (but readable) fonts. Regular paper stock covers.  Some Kingdoms 
>>could save more than others, but every bit helps, yes?

>I'm not sure about this. I'd rather pay more for a quality newsletter
>than have to squint, wonder where I'm going for an event (!), or have it
>be too cluttered. (There is a reason places hire professionals to do
>newsletters.) And yes, I like the card stock for covers, and our local
>Barony newsletter uses it whenever it is not exactly 6 or 12 sheets.

No maps does not mean no directions to the event! Instead of a poorly 
drawn map, the East & West kingdoms (& probably others) provide 
*written* directions to the event. (Like: Make your best route to 
Stillwater, OK. From the west: Highway 51/6th St east to Duck St, turn 
right/south onto Duck. From the east: Highway 51/6th west to Duck St, 
turn left/south. All: Take Duck to 9th St, turn left/east. The site is 
the Stillwater Community Center which is the entire block between Duck & 
Duncan, and 8th & 9th.)

While their newsletters won't win any awards for best artwork (which 
consists of Warthaven for the most part), they have to include a lot of 
information, the *same* information, in each newsletter. Right now the 
BS has 4 (or 6?) pages of information that must appear in every 
newsletter. These other kingdoms listed had twice the number of groups 
that Ansteorra has (and they have principalities & all those officers, 
as well to list), and some of them include more info than just the local 
seneschal's name & number & the chroniclers'. Like when & where all the 
local practices are (fighters', dancers', any A&S meetings, business 
meetings, etc). Then after deducting the pages for the officers' 
reports, that doesn't leave much space for the event announcements. 
There is no intrinsic reason to have a two-page spread announcing what's 
going to be happening at your event, with a fancy border & interior 
artwork when a well worded paragraph or three can convey the information 
necessary. And frequently I know the East Kingdom would have an A&S 
article or two included in each newsletter.

>I think so. I'm not sure why I keep getting the stupid description of
>the SCA and what terms mean. After all I'm renewing and not a new
>member. All I need is a form and when it is I need to have it back to
>them.

I agree!!!

Estrill 
Mooneschadoweshire