Organizing and Creating Ultra-Creative Family Newsletters

It's that time of year to start sending out newsletters! But instead of sending out the usual one-page summary of what's going on, why not create something that's a step beyond and that will bring delight to your friends as they experience your creation?

We've sent out our "newsletter" repackaged in interesting ways. Over the years, these have created a loyal mailing list of people who ask to be kept on. They can't wait to open the package to see what surprise awaits!

We've sent the newsletter as:

• an annual report
• a stamp collection
• a portfolio
• a travel guide
• a Star Trek manual (complete with husband's photo doctored up to be a Ferengi, Vulcan and Klingon)

This year I'm working on a map collection!

Here are some suggestions if you'd like to put together something creative.

1. Decide on content. What do you want to include? There are a multitude of subjects you can include:

• review of events
• photographs
• quotes
• family statistics
• interests (books, movies, hobbies)
• travel

2. Collect information. Go through the calendar and recall what happened last year. Write down notes. Ask family members what they'd like to include. Go through your photos and pick the best ones. I like to put the information into a Word document as a big list of things that might be included.

3. Select a theme. Think about what might make your newsletter more creative. The best source I find is to keep your eyes open for something you might create a spoof out of. You can change your newsletter to just about anything!

• magazine
• newspaper
• brochure
• tickets/movie promotion

4. Figure out your budget. Putting these creations together requires a budget because most likely you will need to get something that's beyond your usual Christmas paper. Estimate how much you might need for:

• paper
• envelopes
• postage
• printer toner or ink/cost of copies
• artistic supplies such as ribbons, fasteners, stickers
• basic office supplies such as tape, glue

5. Purchase supplies. Look for sales or order online. One of my favorite vendors for reasonably priced paper supplies is http://www.marcopaper.com.

6. Lay out your newsletter. Using Word or another publishing program, put your information in order. Try to group similar things together. Think of a layout as a stranger would read it. Are things in logical order? Is it easy to find things? Try to prevent jumping around.

7. Produce your newsletter. Print, copy, cut, assemble. If you have children, this is a good time to put them to work! Then it's time to send them out and relax after all your work!