This section deserves a preface that a lot of the information gleaned over the last five years is dramatically different from the way we communicated about CCs when the original Yahoo group was formed. 1998-2003, email was a thing, and it was pretty much the ONLY thing we had. Just five years earlier, we had CompuServ, 1200 baud modems, and the US Postal Service.
Not everyone had a computer, let alone easy access to the internet.
CC publications cover much more than just the Program Book and the Future Fashion Folio, but they may no longer all be on paper. The principal purpose of these publications hasn’t changed, though: To disseminate the plans your concom have for the weekend, and what folks will do while they’re there and how to get there in the first place.
For now, this space will talk about how it used to be. We will add the way it should be now, going forward, as we can. If you’re an expert in search engine optimization and marketing, this is a perfect opportunity to ring in, because we’ll be talking about social media, using your website, and which publications need to go to actual press (and what to expect when you assemble them).
Scheduling
Progress Reports
This was, until CC14, the ONLY way members knew in advance of the con what to expect for competition rules, stage dimensions, tours and excursions, programming plans, and who would be attending. Throughout the Data Archive you will find lists of the table of contents for the PRs we have in the CC Archives. This should give you some idea for the topics each PR covered.
That information is just as valuable if you post it on your website. Waiting too long to add it means you may give your members the impression that you haven’t done a good job of planning in advance of the con, so the sooner you get your information out there, the better off you will be, especially for getting folks to join the con early.
From CC16:
What I did right:
Reviewed the progress reports for prior CC’s and determined what had to be included in each issue-the first had to be a general discussion of our plans, the second had to have hotel information and general masquerade guidelines, the third needed to have directions for getting to the hotel, and so on.
Worked on getting the department heads enough time to give me the articles I needed–and nagged when I had to.
Set realistic deadlines so that everyone (CC staff and attendees) would have a fair idea of when the reports would come out.
I tried to give the content a friendly, breezy feeling that would make it more enjoyable to read.
I suggested “theme covers” to Nora to give the attendees a “taste of St. Louis”.
Frankly, I did a damned great job on the third progress report. It looks GOOD. What I could have done better:
I set realistic deadlines … and blew every single one of ’em. Partly this was because on the second and final ones we didn’t have enough new information to make it worth going to press. Partly it was because I didn’t crack the whip enough to get people to provide me information when I needed it.
The cover on the second progress report was scanned … and came out poorly. I should have gone back to normal paste-up but time constraints kept me from doing so. I think scanning is a viable approach (especially given what Steve did with the Folio), but I need to have more of a handle on the process … and it wouldn’t hurt to have a scanner of my own.
I missed putting the special CC ballot in the third progress report. I should have a) double-checked with Nora and Bruce about what had to go in the third issue and b) had Bruce and Nora proof the progress report prior to going to press.
I could have worked harder on selling advertising for the progress reports.
What I wasn’t expecting to do:
The CC 17 ad. Pat Ritter wasn’t able to send me the full-format ad in time, so she sent the text and left it up to me. I figured that, it being Philadelphia and a “Costuming Revolution”, a patriotic, 1770- style theme would be perfect and I was frankly impressed with the results–especially with it being done at the last minute. Imagine my surprise when I saw their actual ad–which incorporated none of those themes. Frankly, I still think my ad was the better of the two.
–Jeff Morris, CC16
Fashion Folio
There’s a lot here and as with everything else, a lot has changed.
Pocket Program
Program Book
What I did right:
- The paper doll theme. It came off perfectly in concept and execution.
- The articles. I figured Pierre could do a great job on a history of the CC’s (since we were going to have a lot of first-timers, I thought it’d be a good thing to have in there), and I wasn’t disappointed. Steve’s report on how the medallions were made (as well as his “care and feeding” instructions) gave him deserved credit for a great job. My own contribution was an optional item–I wrote it up on the proviso that I wouldn’t use it unless I had to. I’m still astonished that people liked it.
- The style. I deliberately stayed away (again) from stiff and formal. That’s not the way this group operates, and to be honest, I don’t think I could stand writing that way for very long. I wanted it to be informative and fun to read.
- The “award” on the back cover. Again, I thought it’d be fun to put in.
- The fonts. I knew I’d use Times New Roman for the text, but it took a few days to decide on the heading fonts. Believe it or not. 🙂
What I could have done better:
- Time. I let things slide way too long in getting everything put together. Then it came together in a week, culminating in one long night of layout, punctuated by the printer’s ink cartridge dying. Didn’t need to be that hurried.
- Typos. One in particular. Fortunately, I don’t think anyone’s noticed yet, which means either they weren’t looking closely or they didn’t read the damned thing. I probably should have let someone like Bruce and/or Nora (outsider) proof it before taking it to press, but again, I was pressed for time.
- Advertising. I wanted to sell some local ads, especially to the St. Charles businesses, but I let things slip. In retrospect, though, it’s just as well since the trip to the riverfront got rained out anyway.
What I wasn’t expecting:
- The Costume and Dressmaker ad coming out as well as it did. Mary and I were convinced it’d come out as a blur.
- The utter lack of feedback from attendees. Kind of disappointing, though to be honest I wasn’t expecting much. But I was hoping for at least a few giggles about the back cover. Sigh.
–Jeff Morris, CC16
At-con Newsletter
Whole Costumers’ Catalogue
The Whole Costumers’ Catalogue was a regular publication of resources assembled by Kelly Turner and Karen Schnaubelt. The last edition to be circulated as part of CC membership was the ___ Edition. The Web has taken over as a resource, making the WCC largely redundant. The book source is now on the Costume-ConNections Resources space. You will hear the WCC mentioned elsewhere. Just know that this fabulous resource is no longer published and that budgeting for print and distribution is no longer necessary.