[TheForge] Re: The Hammer's Blow, ABANA publications (long)

Sun Jul 7 16:09:01 2002

Everyone:

The Hammer's Blow (and Anvils Ring) is made up entirely of member
submissions... neither publication pays for articles. Also, it's very true
that the budget does not allow for me or Rob to travel to do interviews or
get articles. I am able to go to a few conferences, but that's on my own, I
pay for those. Neither publication is a big budget operation.

I'd like to ask EVERYONE to consider submitting articles to the Hammer's
Blow. If anyone has an article idea, I'll work with you to develop it,
drawings, photos, whatever you need. Of course, it's easiest if I just come
by your place and start taking pictures, but unless you live in east
Tennessee, I can't afford the travel. But I'm sure through email, faxes, and
phones, we can come up with something good.

I need everyone's help to make the HB a useful, high quality publication.
Right now, I've got three weeks to finish the next issue, and I've received
one submission. (I'll probably put a lot about the Conference demos that I
saw)

Also, against my better judgement, I'm going to make one (and only one)
comment on the recent email debate about ABANA publication finances.  I
don't know if $25,000.00 was saved by switching editors from Jim to Rob.
But what I DO know is that our publications have greatly improved over the
last three years, and you need to make sure you're not comparing apples to
oranges.

For example, take The Anvil's Ring. Vol28, #1. Summer of 2000. Edited by
Jim. Sixty pages, all black and white, with a color cover. Vol 28#2, same
thing. If I remember correctly, that was pretty much the standard format.

Now let's jump ahead to the most recent Anvil's Ring, Vol 30#3. First off,
it's larger, at sixty-four pages rather than sixty. Twenty-four pages are in
full color. In the publishing world, that's a HUGE difference, since color
is MUCH lore expensive to print. Yet Rob was able to have this printed for
LESS than what we were paying for our old magazines.

And what about the Hammer's Blow? It used to be 20 pages long, with no
advertising. Now it's 28 pages long. Of course, we now have ads in the HB,
usually a little over four pages. Still, that's five additional pages of
content for the membership.

Things like this don't just happen, folks. It takes a lot of work. Rob
Edwards and the Publications committee have put in long hours to make these
improvements... I've seen this on a weekly basis. And he's made my life much
easier by handling all the technical aspects of printing and advertising,
which frees me up to work on content. There's more, but you get the picture.

Don't get me wrong, I have the deepest admiration and respect for Jim
McCarty. I'd never have been able to become the editor of the HB if it
wasn't for him, and I was greatly saddened when his contract wasn't renewed.
BUT... that doesn't change the fact that giving the contract to Rob was the
right thing to do for ABANA. The improvement in quality is obvious, and the
costs are significantly lower.

I would encourage anyone who thinks the ABANA board is "up to no good" or is
otherwise less than dedicated to this organization to come and attend an
ABANA board meeting. They are open to the public, and meetings are conducted
in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. I have attended the last three
as a result of my position, (and I've often been the only non-board member
there) and I can assure you that everyone there gives 110% of their energies
and efforts to this organization. I can't speak for every member of the
board... one member has never attended a meeting that I've been present at,
but those who are there work hard. They bust their ass, folks, and they
don't get much in return.

Folks on the board aren't likely to engage in email debates on the forge for
the same reasons that I don't... it takes too much time and energy, and
you're rarely able to change people's minds. It's not a productive use of my
time. I don't like to speak for others, but I'd be willing to bet that most
of the board members will take the time to speak with any member by phone,
or will talk to you face-to-face about any ABANA related subject... but not
emails on theforge or other BBS. Email is convenient, but resolving
conflicts takes face-to-face communication.

So don't think that "the ball is in The Board's court..." The board doesn't
play this game. If you have a grievance, put it in writing and submit it to
the central office to be included in the next board meeting agenda. If you
want extensive details, then present your petition in person.

I hope this helps
BG

Brian Gilbert
Editor, The Hammer's Blow
-- 

> From: [email protected]
> Reply-To: [email protected]
> Date: Sun,  7 Jul 2002 11:20:01 -0400 (EDT)
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: TheForge digest, Vol 1 #464 - 14 msgs
> 
> Yes I agree with you.  I know what Bruce used to go through to
> get issues out, and I'm sure you're experiencing the same thing.
> 
> I just had a little exchange with another member of this forum
> who shall remain anonymous unless he chooses to ID himself.  He
> also pointed out to me that perhaps the submissions are not
> coming in.  I don't recall precisely, but my vague notion of the
> budget for the Ring is that it's not what I would call "large"
> (of course I no longer consider $20M development projects large
> either, so perhaps the flaw lay in my skull).  I doubt the
> editors of the Ring have the funds to fly all over the USA to
> conduct interviews with smiths here and there.  I don't know
> where they are getting their material from, but perhaps the
> membership needs to belly up to the bar and start contributing
> a bit more to the production.  Please take this as no criticism.
> I am speaking purely speculatively here as I have NO idea what
> criteria are used to determine content or how many of us might
> be sending in material for the Ring.  But if by chance that
> content is not hitting the mark, it is up to  us to let the
> editors know what's up.  I can only assume they would be
> pleased    to make any changes they can to suit our desires.
> 
> ABANA is an association, not a taxpayer funded affair, meaning
> that the content source is US and not some mysterious grey
> cloud out of which the goodies miraculously pop.  We've been
> complaining about the board, and it seems rightly so in some
> measure, because they are responsible to the membership.
> Likewise, we also have to act to keep things interesting if
> the association is to add value to our lives as blacksmiths.
> Content that is of interest and value to us may not keep coming
> if we do not throw in a little something here and there.  This
> is an association OF US, ABOUT US, FOR US, and not the least of
> which BY US.  
> 
> Remember that we are all mere mortals here and I believe
> that we all may have something to contribute.  I'm no Peter Ross, but
> I do decent work now and again.  Why can I not take a few photos and
> send them in?  I suspect I'm not the only one who has been remiss in
> not giving something to share with my fellow black smiths. It's nothing
> of the bad, but usually of short time or not thinking one's work is
> good enough.  I'm sure it would be a hoot to see something of one's own
> hand appearing, as if by magic, in the pages of the Ring.
> 
> Just my plugged kopek's worth.
> 
> --__--__--