Angela Fiebelkorn, VP Communications, Generations Interim Editor
My Last Generations Issue
It is with mixed feelings that I am stepping down as Interim editor of the Generations journal. It has been a year already (how time flies) and with my other MGS duties, I feel it is time for someone else to step up and do this task.
The good part of this for an incoming editor is that our ongoing solicitation for content has been bringing in a steady flow of new articles. Thank you to everyone who has contributed this past year. I will ensure our solicitation continues on social media, our monthly newsletter and our MGS website.
The purpose of the Generations Chair is to ensure the publication of a quarterly journal for the Society. The MGS uses a Microsoft Word document as a template with regular articles by the MGS Executive and sometimes Council Chairs, and articles from both MGS members and non-members.
The process is that when an article is submitted, the Generations Chair will format the article as per our requirements in a MS Word document. It is then checked using the MS Word Spelling & Grammar check under the Review tab. Once edits are made, then it is sent to a proof reader for any changes. Most articles are submitted with few changes required beyond typos, an extra period, or other small changes.
The new article (say the President’s Message) then replaces the last President’s Message in the template. We like to have a photo of the author of each article to make it more personal.
We usually publish a 40 page journal, but it can be 36, or 32, or 28 (etc.) page journal depending upon the amount of content that has been submitted. The table of contents is created using the Table of Contents button on the MS Word Reference tab. This usually needs to be edited down a bit so it fits one page.
We have full written instructions on how to do the journal. We have two past editors available to train and assist. I love making images/graphics (I do all the images on our website) so if you aren’t too keen on that, tell me what you want and I can make them for the journal, or you can view our training videos and do them yourself.
The Generations editor also makes the monthly newsletter that goes out when the journal is not published. It usually references the MGS website News items and notifies members of upcoming events or new MGS things. This is a standard template in MailChimp and is easy to do. Training is available.
The Generations journal editor gets their own MGS email where all Generations content is sent to. The editor is the Generations Chair, is a council member, and attends all council meetings.
If you are at all interested, we urge you to try it out. Just email volunteer@mbgenealogy.com.
For more information about the journal and journal exchanges, visit our website page Generations – MGS Journal.