Burlington Writers Workshop Leadership Team Meeting, 11/13/22, approved 12-11-22

(Specific to-do items underlined and bolded.)

Attendance: Janet Mckeehan-Medina (Co-Chair), Katie Lazarus (Co-Chair), Dick Matheson
(Treasurer), Millie Eidson (Secretary), Sam Fenner (Managing Director), Jon Fenner (Comms
Team), Mike Magluilo (workshop host), Skip Keith (member)

Meeting convened at 6:05
Minutes from the previous meeting: Approved.

Scheduling of workshops

• Most doing 1st and 3rd or 2nd or 4th weeks, and this reduces extra programming work; or every week with same day; or once a month always the same week and day; Motion approved(after discussion below) that all workshops will now follow this schedule.
• Some workshops have been doing every other week and switching will reduce number of workshops from 26 to 24 per year and opportunities for critique
• If some workshops can’t meet the standard BWW schedule, they will need to withdraw from BWW and meet on their own.
• Having extra occasional ones on the 5-week months might be a possibility but then would be only a week apart.

Keeping track of active members for grants and programs

• Previous grants have not required details; some, just round number of members
• BWW still has Burlington VT as its base and can continue to have that its primary focus
• 25% of members are not in VT
• May need to distinguish data more finely depending on aim of funding source

Eventbrite options

• EB sends notifications when registered
• Host can put link in notice to help them get access to it quicker
• Sam will get Mike M. on EB and give him admin rights to set it up for Novel workshop
• Workshop participants are confused because some are using EB and others aren’t
  Sam can train and provide videos about EB
• Having uniform procedures allows BWW to be more professional
  • Having all workshops use EB fully will make uniform procedures and save time
  • But using it for hosts can be challenging even with training
  • Some workshops are not taking new members and EB is extra work for them that’s not
    essential for workshop process
  • We also need to make sure people don’t sign up if the workshop is full
  • We need to provide google or Zoom link by email (not EB) to those who are qualified (if
    special qualifications) or who are eligible to participate because they are regulars and
    approved to attend; also send readings by email to that group only
  • Confusing and upsetting when there are different procedures for different workshops
  • Analytics about participants can be helpful
  • Those who advocated for EB may not be hosting current workshops and some current
  • workshops are struggling with EB, so perhaps time to evaluate the change
• Alternatives: Zoom Events for groups and OnZoom geared more at individuals in beta testing
  and only for U.S. members; may be costs associated
• WP PlugIn experience would be helpful
• Jon has video about how to create EB account, how to sign-up for workshops
• Motion: All classes must now use EB for registration and reporting of participation;
  majority passed

CLA Reminder

• All members are qualified to submit stories and poems until submissions full or deadline,
  whichever comes first
• Print only
• Hosts should remind members of this opportunity

Survey – what it means and what to do

• See results on website for details
• EB performance: 75% 3 stars or better
• Use something besides: 65% said no change but some don’t love it
• Some interested in running workshops
• Some volunteers for community

What’s Happening?

• Page – change it from events only to all things in the literary/artistic world?
• Currently: events outside community that we’d like our members to know about
• Consider: expand beyond events, if related; make sure music workshop is included

Master Classes/Retreats – who can lead them?

• Originally: those outside BWW; if done by members, they’re called host classes
• Host series classes can do six in a row; but need to be hosts already to qualify
• Current members could present a special one-time workshop for no fee without previous
• hosting experience
• Master classes are usually only one, not a series
• Dialog with potential presenter on how material will be presented; interest and benefit to significant number of members
• Ask COI to evaluate these issues

Author’s Page

• Starting to put up this week
• Need to be active member: 6 events in last twelve months
• Should we add previous members who went to significant workshops in the past, no longer in BWW, but getting book published
  • Yes, can list them

COI Meetings 10/10 and 10/27

• Motions are on Works on Progress page Leadership Team Work In Progress – Burlington
  Writers Workshop
• Will postpone so LT members can review and vote next time

Comms Team Update

• Few software integration glitches being worked on

Meeting Adjourned 7:53
Date for next LT meeting: Dec 11, 2022, 6 PM