New Fundraising Idea - Calling all Budding Poets .......

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

This is just a quick update. So far, I have had a total of 17 poems submitted, so I only really need another 8 or so to make this a viable project.

If those that have submitted the poems can start thinking about the wording they would like to be used to introduce themsleves (around 250 words each) I would appreciate it as I have started to very basically put the poems into a word document, and having this wording will give me a better idea on the formatting and number of pages etc and then I can start to get a better idea of the cost to print it. If people would like a small photo to go with the wording, please can you format it into greyscale and send it to my e-mail address (I will provide this by PM if you ask me). It will have to be greyscale as colour is too expensive to reproduce and black and white does not come out very well. Don't worry if you can't work out how to change it to greyscale as I can do this for you once you have sent me the photo.

I would like to point out that my Dad is going into hospital for a major operation on July 2nd, so my deadline of July 1st may have to be pushed back slightly as I plan to stay with my Mum whilst he is in hospital to give her some moral support (I will also be recovering from my minor hand surgery at the same time ).

Please feel free to keep the poems coming. The more the merrier. Based on the ones that have been submitted so far, I think it will make a very nice anthology. We have some very talented members on our board .

Bye for now,

Sue.

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

Here is another quick update regarding the poetry booklet. So far I have 21 definate, and 2 possible poems so it definately looks like I will be able to go ahead with the project .

I was thinking, if anyone is unsure about submitting a poem at the moment, you can always submit it as "anonymous" so people don't know who wrote it. Please PM me if you would like to discuss your concerns about one of your poems being used and we can talk it over .

If those that have confirmed they want to go ahead with their poems could try to get the 250 word blurb about yourself and photo if you wan't one included over to me asap that would be great, that way I can start formatting the layout of the booklet and get an idea of the costs involved to print it.

My thoughts at the moment is that once I know the total cost to produce the booklet, I will be able to work out a "per poem" submission cost, and that for every poem submitted, I will send each of you a certain amopunt of booklets to sell amongst your own circle of friends and family. this would mean that the more poems you submit, the more you will be contributing to the book, but the more booklets you will have to sell, and the more funds you can raise for the charity

I am hoping that the cost per peom will be no more than £5.00 and for this I would hope to send you 5 copies of the booklet. So for example, I have written 5 poems, so my contrbution to the costs would be £25.00 and I would have 25 booklets to sell personally. If you were to sell the booklet for £5.00 each that means you could raise £125.00. I will leave it up the the individual to decide whether they want to take their own costs out of the proceeds they pass on the HMSA, therefore if money is tight, you can still feel like you are raising funds, but would not necessarily end up out of pocket yourself .

I hope people will be able to see that this is the fairest way to do this so that no-one is too much out of pocket. Please bear in mind that the example I gave is a rough guestimate and until I know exactly how much it will cost to produce the booklet, I cannot say for sure what the "per poem" cost would be.

Bye for now,

Sue.

[elliewelly]

I am definite, it is going to be next week as I imagined, due to music exams, work and now illness on top of everything else. I won't forget though.

[Sue New]

Thanks Ellie,

I look forward to seeing your poem/s.

Best wishes,

Sue.

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

It's me again

I thought I would do a quick roll call of the people who have so far submitted poems or siad they are interested in taking part, to make sure I havn't missed anyone (please bear with me folks, I tend to suffer with Fibro Fog and a bad memory, so I want to make sure I have not missed anyone out - apologies if this is the case.

So far, I have the following people down as having submitted poems (or planning to submit poems):

Sue New - 5 Poems
Karen 73 - 1 Poem (so far ....)
Loosebones - 4 Poems
MKing 30 - 1 Poem
Sez - 2 Poems (TBC)
Rosie - 1 Poem
Aquamarine Water Nymph - 1 Poem
Kit & Katie - 5 Poems altogether
Elliewelly - TBC

There are a couple of people who have submitted poems that are unsure if they want them to go in the booklet. Please remember I can always sign them as "Anonymous" if you would feel more comfortable.

Please let me know if I have missed anyone out - if I have it is nothing personal - only my stoopid "pain brain" not working as efficiently as I would like

See ya!

Sue.

[elliewelly]

I am working on one but have an idea for another, so put me down for two! I will send them to you when completed and you can decide if they are both suitable...

[mindsquatter]

Hi Sue
I'm in the process of final editing my second poem - I'm determined to get it done this week, so you can put me down for another!

Michelle

[Sue New]

Excellent news Michelle ,

I loved the first poem you submitted, so I am really looking forward to see the new one .......

If you (and everyone else who has submitted poems) could have a think about the wording for your introduction that would be great (I would say it can be upto half a page of A4 paper). As I have mentioned before, if people would like me to put in a small photo (in greyscale) I can do that too. Just let me know and I will PM you my e-mail address.

I am planning to list everyone's poems in alphabetical order by their surnames (or their usernames if you don't want your real names to be used), so please can you all let me know by PM either your full names or the name you want to sign you poem as. I thought it would be nice to introduce each poet before their poems.

I think this is going to be a great anthology folks .

Sue.

[loosebones]

Hi Sue, any ideas what to put in the intro? Am totally lost for words and seeing as I'm stuck inside for a few days, thought I might see what I can do. Was also thinking of using my real name instead of loosebone, but not sure. Think this whole thing is a fab idea, hope it raises loads of money as well as increasing awareness!

[Sue New]

Hiya Loosebones,

I would suggest you look on the back of some of the books you have in the house to see the type of things authors have written about themselves. The normal types of things are:

Name
Age
Geographical Area (you don't have to be too specific)
Diagnosis (and age of diagnosis)
Difficulty faced in getting diagnosed (if applicable)
Hobbies
What you would personally like to achieve by people seeing your poems (i.e raising awareness, making people understand etc)
Other personal achievements and ambitions
Who you would like to thank for helping and supporting you

I would suggest you write it in the 3rd person, i.e Loosebones is ? years old and lives in ? with her family/partner and 3 dogs......etc. She was diagnosed with ? when she was ? years old.

She is studying ? at ?. She likes? and her ambition is to ?

I hope this helps to give you some idea.

Bye for now.

Sue.
[/quote]

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

This is a quick reminder that the deadline for submitting poems for the booklet is fast approaching. So far there are 26 poems written by 12 different members

I think this is going to make a great tool for both raising funds and awareness about HMS/EDS

If those that have already submitted poems could get their intros to me asap I would very much appreciate it, as then I can start properly laying the pages out. My plan is for each person to have 1 page for their intro and photo (based on Arial font size 12). Also, if any of yoy sent me a poem without a title but have since thought of one, please let me know.

Don't worry folks, I will give yoy all a chance to make some last minute changes before getting anything printed

Ellie, I have not forgotten that you still plan to submit a couple of poems, and I look forward to seeing them soon (don't worry if you are a little after the deadline, as I will make sure yoy are still icluded)

Anyone else fancy getting involved at the last minute? The more the merrier

Sue

[Sez]

Sue, I am a definate for the two we discussed, and have some thoughts for a third, so I'm hoping to have three for you in total . I will get D to help me with my blurb tonight, and should (fingers crossed) have the third poem and blurb to you by the end of the weekend. Please can you PM me your email to send it all to?

[Sue New]

Hi Sez,

Here is my e-mail address:

richard.newson1@btopenworld.com

I look forward to seeing the 3rd poem....

Take care,

Sue

[Sue New]

Hi Guys,

I am back home now after spending some time at my parents for a few days.

Ellie - thank you for e-mailing me your poems - they are both excellent and will be great for the booklet.

Please can I ask people to get their intro blurb and photo (if you want to include one - it's not compulsory) to me as soon as they can so I can properly start formatting the booklet - only a couple of people have sent me their blurb so far. Also, if you have not given me a title for your poems, please let me know if you would like me to use one - if there is no title, I will just list the poem in the index as the first line of the poem in inverted commas, as is customary in poetry anthologies.

Here is a list of who has submitted what so far:

Karen 73 - 1
Elliewelly -2
Mking 30 - 2
Sue New - 6
Katie - 1
Kit - 4
Loosebones - 4
Sez - 2 (please let me know asap if you plan to submit a 3rd )
Hannah - 2
Rosie - 1
Aquamarine Water Nymph - 1
Jakerleen's son - 1
Jenny Whitmarsh - 1

That's a total of 28 poems - please get in touch asap if i have forgotten anyone.

Please note that if you do not want to include a photo, I plan to use a clip art image of a pair of masks (1 happy and 1 sad) in it's place in order to reflect the title of the booklet - "Behind The Mask" (this is the title that got the majority vote when I did the poll).

Please also let me know (if you have not already done so) whether you are happy for your real name to be used or whether you want me to use your username instead. Also, if you have made any last minute changes to the wording of the poems, please let me know that as well (before it gets printed, I will Pm you a copy of your poem/s so you can double check it reads as you want it to).

I think that covers everything at the moment.

Bye for now,

Sue.

[elliewelly]

I will try to do that tonight or tomorrow - also still going to work, looking after Kate and trying to work on my diploma, but I WILL do it!