A to Z Blogging Challenge "Not Quite Finished"

"Not Quite Finished"

It’s what I refer to as “paper week,” the week I “put the paper together”—find and write all the articles that will be printed in the next issue of the Nebraska Family Times. I’ve been the editor and publisher of the paper for 3 ½ years; it was started by a lady in Norfolk who became ill and could not continue publishing.

One of the reasons I love being the editor and publisher of the Nebraska Family Times is that I enjoy the wide variety of tasks involved. I especially enjoy doing research and finding new websites or authors whose work I can print in the paper. Every month as I begin looking for articles, I pray that I will find articles that will touch the hearts of readers, encourage them, teach them something they’ve wanted to learn about, and bring them closer to the Lord.

In every issue I try to print a variety of articles about Bible Study, families, finance, marriage, and issues parents face when their kids are at different ages and stages. One of my goals is to find and print articles that give readers a different way to view a problem or a solution, other than what they’ve probably read or heard before. I also print news from Nebraska and nationally, from a Christian point of view. I get e-mails daily or weekly from several organizations, websites, and blogs. If I think I might be able to use them in the paper I put them in an e-mail folder for that month; during “putting the paper together” week I decide which ones I’d like to use and request permission as necessary.

Before I print articles I request permission from the author. It’s usually fairly easy to find their contact information but once in awhile it’s impossible to. That’s especially disappointing when it’s an article I really want to print. Several authors have given me permission to reprint anything they write. I try to “discover” a few new authors/blogs/websites every month to keep the material in the paper fresh and interesting. It’s amazing how much great information there is on the internet!

I try to find articles of varying lengths; I was surprised to find that it’s a lot easier to find long articles than short ones. I have several columnists who write for the paper every month or almost every month; I’m blessed to be able to count on them for good material every month.

One of the most challenging articles to find is the main one on the front page. The title of that article is the first thing that people see when they see the paper. The lady who owned the paper before I did gave me some good advice; “Picture the front page of the paper in your head as you’re choosing the articles. Will people see the titles and be interested enough to pick the paper up and read it? How will the graphics look?”  I always know when I’ve found an article that would work for the front page; I get a gut feeling of excitement. It’s a great feeling, especially if I’ve been looking for awhile!

These pictures and the ones below show
printing at the Wayne Herald.

For the first year or so that I published the paper, it took me 4 or 5 days, with late nights, to get everything put together. After the first few months I made myself a checksheet to better keep track of what articles I need. After 3 ½ years I’ve realized that I need to plan about three full days to find and write all of the articles needed each month. Those days are long but fulfilling.

The lady who does the layout of the paper lives in Pierce, NE. I e-mail her the articles as I find them, and then she does the layout of the articles and ads. She also finds the graphics that go with the articles. I’ve tried to find graphics but I’m not very good at it; Jennifer always finds ones that are perfect for the articles.

I think I’ve found all the articles needed to fill the May issue of the Nebraska Family Times, and Jennifer is in the midst of putting everything together and laying it out. She will let me know if she needs more articles to fill the space given, but I usually send her a few extra just to be sure. Tonight or early tomorrow she will e-mail me the layout to proofread. I’m always excited as I wait for the file to open; how will everything look all put together as it will look in the paper? I proofread the articles and make sure that I’ve remembered to include the names and contact information for authors. Then I give Jennifer the “OK” to send it—again via e-mail—to the Wayne Herald, where it will be printed next week.

The paper isn’t quite done as I’m waiting to hear from Jennifer…keep a look-out for the May issue of the Nebraska Family Times next week! If you would like a FREE sample copy, or know someone who would, please e-mail shelly@shellyburke.net with the address you’d like it sent to.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

I'm also blogging at Home is Where the Mom Is 

Check there for my post titled "Some Days I just want to Quit"

Getting it Together

Last week was "putting the paper together" week--finding and writing all of the articles and features for the October issue of the Nebraska Family Times.

I really enjoy finding and writing articles for the paper. I begin every month's search for articles with prayer; a prayer that I will find articles that will touch the hearts of readers and, in some way, bring something positive to their lives and cause them to act, whether that action is life-changing or just thinking more about an issue. The mission of the Nebraska Family Times is "to inspire, encourage, and motivate you on your Christian walk," and I keep that mission in mind as I look for articles.

Although I'm on the lookout for articles all month (through e-mail newsletters, newspapers, various magazines, and suggestions from readers) I don't make any final decisions about articles until the Monday of "paper week," so I can include articles about recent news events.

Every month I try to find articles that cover a wide variety of issues; finances, family, parenting, marriage, health, devotions, Bible study, education, and so on. I always include some fun articles, and I also keep local and national (and sometimes international) events in mind and search for articles that explore these issues from a Christian viewpoint.

I have a list of websites that are my "go to" sources for articles, and many times articles on these websites lead me to other sources. Some websites have granted me permission to reprint any of their articles, but for many articles I e-mail the author directly to see if she or he will allow me to reprint their articles. I have been very blessed that in almost every case, the author generously grants me permission to do so. It's fun to get to know other Christian authors as we communicate about articles. I'm always happy to send authors the issue of the paper in which their article appears, and  I hope they enjoy seeing a slice of life in Nebraska (most of the authors don't live in Nebraska).

I'm also fortunate to have several authors who write for the paper every month or almost every month. I eagerly watch for their articles to appear in my in-box. 

I try to find articles of varying lengths, knowing that readers might just have a few minutes to quickly skim an article, or might have the time to read a longer article. I also put together a list of Bible verses and quotes that are used to fill bits of space left after everything else is in the paper. It's like to find thought-provoking quotes for the paper, and the Bible verses I include are those that have meant something to me in the past month. The very last thing I do for the paper every month is write the Editor's Letter.


When I have proofread an article and am satisfied it's ready to print, I send it to an e-mail address that Jennifer Gleason (the lady who does the paper layout; her business is Gleames Creative Design) and I share. Then she takes the article from the e-mail in box, and, using a computer program, fits all of the articles, advertisements, announcements, cartoons, and so on, into the space we have for the paper.

After Jennifer has the layout completed, she e-mails it to me. It's exciting to open that email; I never get tired of seeing the "new" issue of the paper, even if just on my computer screen. Jennifer chooses most of the graphics (pictures) that go with the articles, and I'm amazed that she always seems to finds graphics that perfectly fit the articles. I go through the paper to see how it looks overall, to proofread things one more time, and to make sure articles give credit to the authors as that author requested. I e-mail any changes to Jennifer, who makes them and then sends the e-mail file of the paper to me to check over one more time.

Then, through the miracles of modern technology, Jennifer e-mails the paper to the Wayne Herald, where the paper is printed the next week.

After I have spent several days focused on finding, writing, and editing articles for the paper, and proofreading the paper, I'm ready to be away from the computer for a few days! That's a good thing, as I generally need to do laundry, cook (tasks I ignore while I'm getting the paper together), and clean off my desk, which is always buried under a mound of notes and papers by the time the paper is done!

The October issue of the Nebraska Family Times will be printed, delivered, and mailed next week! And guess what? I already have notes for the November issue.

If you ever read an article you think would fit in the Nebraska Family Times, or have suggestions for issues you'd like to see covered in the paper, please let me know! You can e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net or call (402) 993-2467.

Behind the Scenes at the Wayne Herald--How the Nebraska Family Times is Printed

I'm always interested in what goes on "behind the scenes." In May, Tracy (who writes for the paper and helps me deliver it sometimes) and I got to the Wayne Herald while the paper was still being printed. Al Pippitt, the Press Foreman who has worked for the Wayne Herald for 35 years, showed us how he made plates (like negatives) of each page of the paper and inserted them in the press so the paper could be printed. He made adjustments on the press throughout the process to make the words darker, lighter, or clearer. On one end of the press was a large roll of blank newsprint, and as the paper went through the pages were printed. It was fascinating to watch the paper get printed, cut, and folded. Here are some photos of the process. Thanks, Al, for showing us the press and answering all of our questions! 

The paper "starts" at the far end of the press and is completed by the time it gets to the closest part of the press.

Al Pippitt sets up one of the page plates.

A partially printed page--a colored page--goes through the press.

A partially printed page.

April Paper is Complete!

WHEW--the April paper is at the Wayne Herald, where it will be printed.

I had most of the articles done and to Jennifer on Wednesday, but I needed a little more time to complete my Editor's Letter. It's the last thing I do every month. I had the editor's letter and a few fillers (short articles to fill any extra space in the paper) by Thursday afternoon.

First thing Friday morning I checked my e-mail for the proof of the paper. It's always amazing to me to see all the articles I've gathered, together in newspaper form. When I send articles to Jennifer I indicate which page they should appear on (some can go wherever they fit) but she arranges them, chooses the font for the titles, and picks out pictures and graphics.

The proof is kind of confusing. Pull out a full sheet of a newspaper, and you'll see that the page numbers on the left side and the right side are not consecutive. Jennifer sends me the proof with the pages laid out like they'll be printed, so, for example, the back page and the front page are on the same computer screen.

I enjoy seeing how all of the articles come together. I proofread the titles and the articles I've written, and make sure that longer articles are continued on the page indicated. I also check to make sure all the advertisements that should appear, are in the paper. Once in awhile I ask Jennifer to find a different graphic, if the one she used isn't what I had in mind. (Last time I did that she said she hadn't been happy with the graphic either, so we both looked for one we liked better).

It's great to work with Jennifer--we've worked together long enough that she knows how I like things set up, and she's always willing to make any changes I ask. She also remembers all the details like making sure the Volume and Issue number are changed each month.

If there are corrections, I e-mail Jennifer and she makes them, e-mails the corrected proof back, and, if there are no more corrections, I give her the "OK" to send the paper to the printer. I'm a perfectionist, so check everything on the proof several times. I know that once I give the "OK" to send the proof to the printer, no more changes can be made! (Once in awhile, when I read the printed paper, I find an error I missed during proof reading...but I'm not going to tell you what mistake I missed or what issue it's in!)

Once I give the OK to send the paper to the printer, I breathe a big sigh of relief---and start to clear off my desk, which is usually buried under a pile of papers by the time I finish the paper!

Working on April Paper

The last few days I've been doing one of the things I enjoy the most--gathering articles for the paper.

Several columnists write for the Nebraska Family Times almost every month, and I look forward to reading their columns.

We have several new advertisers this month, so I've been working with them to get the information I need to have Tracy or Jennifer set up their ads. Please patronize the businesses of those who advertise in the Nebraska Family Times--they are a valuable part of my business--and let them know you saw their ad in the Nebraska Family Times.

Every month I look ahead to the holidays that will occur in the coming month, and find appropriate articles. In April the most important holiday, of course, is Easter. But April also marks National Organ Donor Month and the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible. I've compiled the info for the article about organ donation, and am searcing for a good article about the King James Bible.

The National Day of Prayer if May 5th. I plan to have the May issue of the paper out before that date, but am including the information in this issue, so readers can plan ahead and attend events on that date.

I also look for articles about local and area events or issues. I found a great article that looks into the case of the male wrestler in Iowa who forfeited a match in which he was scheduled to wrestle against a female. The article looks at the issue from a values point of view vs. the "human" point of view and is very interesting.

I'm writing three articles for this issue; one about the Habitat for Humanity, which plans to build a home in Columbus, NE, starting in May; one about Heart Hero Capes, and one about local author and speaker Deb Burma.

If you have not seen the Nebraska Family Times but would like a FREE sample issue, e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net or call (402) 993-2467.

April Issue Preview

One of the reasons I enjoy publishing the Nebraska Family Times is that there are different things to do every week, and even every day.

Next week is put-the-paper-together week, which includes finding articles (mostly from various websites), getting and editing columns and articles from readers, writing articles, and contacting advertisers. By the middle of next week I should have gathered all of the articles that will appear in the paper, and then Jennifer Gleason (of Gleames Creative Design www.gleames.com) will get them laid out so I can see how they'll look when the paper comes out (more about this process in a future post).

Since next week is "put-the-paper-together week", this week is planning week. Today I'll send out reminders to regular columnists, asking them to have their articles e-mailed to me by next Monday or Tuesday. I'm blessed because all of the columnists are very punctual in getting their articles to me on time! It's fun to read their articles every month as they come in.

I also contact several organizations for information about upcoming events. I'll publish these events in the paper space permitting. (If there is an upcoming Christian event you would like publicized, e-mail it to shelly@shellyburke.net. Space permitting, it will be published in the papaer).

One of my favorite things to do it interview people for articles that I'll write for the paper.

Last week I met with and interviewed Deb Burma. She's the author of several devotion books, "Treasured" and "Beautiful Feet," which were reviewed in the last issue of the NFT. (See the reviews at http://nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com/2011/03/fantastic-devotion-books.html)

During the interview Deb said that since she was a little girl she "always liked words." (She even enjoyed diagramming sentences!) Her love of words took her from speaking on live radio when she was on the South Dakota State 4-H Council when she was a teenager, to sharing her faith in front of live audiences. In June she will speak in front of her largest audience yet, as the keynote speaker at the LWML (Lutheran Women's Missionary League) National Convention in Peoria, IL. Read more about her journey in the April issue of the NFT.

I was thrilled to get back in touch with a high-school friend for an article about a cause that's important to her and the more than 40,000 kids (including Sondra and Tim's daughter Ashely) who are born every year with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Sondra and I talked for over an hour yesterday about Heart Hero Capes, an organization that provides capes for children with CHD. The kids wear the capes when they're headed to a doctor's appointment or for tests or surgery, to give them courage in a situation that can be very scary. The full article will appear in the April issue of the paper as well.

We also talked about the book Sondra is also planning to write, documenting the challenges she and her family have faced during Ashley's life with CHD. Ashely has had countless doctor's appointments and tests, and several surgeries (with serious complications following one surgery) to treat her CHD. Sondra is at the beginning of the book-writing process, and I'm already excited to read the book! Look for updates on the book here and in the NFT.

Habitat for Humanity is coming to Columbus, NE! The first Habitat house is scheduled to be built starting in May. Read more about what Habitat for Humanity is, how it works, and how you can help, in the April issue of the paper.

Now that I've done the interviews, it's time to write the articles! I'm looking forward to re-reading my notes and putting the articles together.

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If you have an idea for an article for the NFT, please e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net. I'm always looking for leads to articles that readers would enjoy.

If you are a subscriber, you'll receive the April issue of the NFT the first week in April. If you're not a subscriber but would like to see what the NFT is all about, e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net, or call (402) 993-2467 to receive a FREE issue.

June Paper

It’s paper time again! Even though I know exactly what will be in the paper (I either pick out, approve, or write every article), it’s always fun to see how it turns out. The process goes like this. I also get to pick the accent color for the paper. Some months there’s a good reason for a certain color--May is pink, in honor of Mother’s Day, June will be pink for Father’s Day—but often I pick the color for the month . . . just because.

I pick out, write (the articles I write have either my name by them, or [NFT]—denoting “Nebraska Family Times”—in front of them), or approve (by other writers, usually Marcie Sextro, who writes the “Open Door” and “Upcoming Christian Events” columns) the articles for the paper, and e-mail them to an account that the lady who does the layout, Jennifer Gleames, has access to.

I also e-mail information for new ads to Jennifer, and let her know where certain articles should appear in the paper, and if I have any suggestions for how they should be arranged (usually I don’t—she does a better job than I ever could!).

Jennifer arranges the articles in the paper according to what fits where and looks good, and she also fits the ads in. Jennifer also picks out the graphics—the pictures that go along with some of the articles. She does a great job of finding graphics that compliment the articles and add to the look of the paper.

When she’s done doing that, she emails me a file of the paper for proofreading. It’s neat to see the paper in semi-finished form on the computer. The way the pages of the paper are layed out for printing, on one computer screen I see the front and back page of the paper, on the next screen I see pages 6 and 11, and so on, so it’s not in order or the order in which it will appear. If there are any corrections or changes, I e-mail Jennifer about them and she makes the corrections or changes. She then e-mails the file to the Wayne Herald, where it is printed.

Marcie’s husband works in Wayne, so he now picks up the paper at the Wayne Herald and Marcie and I meet somewhere in between our homes (usually in Madison), and once the 16 or so boxes of papers are in my vehicle, I get my first look at it in “real life”!

Finishing up Another Issue!

I'm just finishing up the December issue of the Nebraska Family Times! I think it will be a great issue, and hope readers agree. It was fun to search for articles related to the Christmas season--the paper will contain articles about unique ways of celebrating Advent and Christmas, a challenge to read the whole Bible in 2009 (with suggestions for how to go about doing so), and suggestions for capturing information about a relative or friend's life during a Family Day of Remembering, issues to discuss with your daughter if she is reading the Twilight series of books--and much, much more!

I enjoy researching, writing, and finding articles for all of the different subjects the paper covers. I always learn something and get new ideas when I'm working on the paper. (I'm glad Vyckie is available for questions; I am definitely confident about what I'm doing but it's nice to have her to bounce questions off of. Her experience is more than valuable to me!)

I choose the articles with you--the readers--in mind. In my mind, every article should have a purpose--to provide you with information, teach you something new, give you something to think about, or provide you with a reason to laugh.

Jennifer will get the paper all layed out tomorrow or Thursday and email it to me; I'll proofread it by Friday around noon. She will make any changes and send it on to the printer. It will be printed Monday, and I'll pick the papers up at Vyckie's house on Tuesday. All copies should be mailed out and delivered by the end of next week.

I want to learn more about the readers of the Nebraska Family Times. In January, there will be a short survey in the paper and on the website. There will be questions asking basic information (your age range, number of children in the home, etc.) and ask what you would like to see more (or less!) of in the paper. You won't have to give your name . . . unless you want to qualify for one of the prizes I'll be giving away to several people who fill out the survey. During the next month, jot down your thoughts about what the paper should contain; I appreciate any and all suggestions.

December Nebraska Family Times

It's hard to believe another month is almost over and articles for the December issue of the paper are due next week!

When I put together "my" first issue of the newspaper, the task seemed almost overwhelming. As with most seemingly overwhelming tasks, however, when I was able to break it down into smaller tasks it was "doable."

This week I will e-mail regular columnists, reminding them of a Monday deadline. I talked with several people/businesses about advertising, so will also remind them of the deadline. Over the weekend I will start researching articles to include in the paper. I really enjoy searching different websites for information that I anticipate readers will enjoy and that will benefit them in their lives.

One of my goals is to give you information that you probably won't find in any regular, mainstream publication. I also want to provide information that you can apply to your life, your family, immediately.

Friends who know me well will not be surprised to learn that I have a detailed checklist (although not color-coded, as some of my lists are!) of articles needed and things I need to do to complete the paper.

This month also marks the debut of a new column, "Stupidity 4 Dummies." You'll laugh, or just shake your head, when you read of the antics of some people!

The paper will be printed Monday, Dec. 8th, and mailed out that week.

If you would like to see articles on a certain subject, please let me know! The paper is for you!

November Issue

The November issue is done! I did it all myself this issue . . . with a little bit of advice from Vyckie on the front page articles. She liked my ideas and I really value her opinion, and I felt good that she liked the articles I picked.

The process goes like this. I pick out and write articles that I want in the paper, and post them to an e-mail account. Jennifer, the lady who does the layout, then puts the articles and ads in "newspaper" format, fitting everything in, getting graphics and pictures, etc. When she's done with that, she (somehow!) e-mails a file that includes the paper, to me.

I then look it over, proofread it, and e-mail any corrections back to Jennifer. I can also see if there are any spaces for which I need to find more articles. Last night I e-mailed Jennifer just a few corrections, and then looked for a several more short articles, which I found very quickly.

By the time I e-mailed Jennifer the articles, she'd already made the corrections! It's neat to get that "sneak peek" of the paper on the computer screen, although there's nothing like holding the "real" paper in my hands. One of the articles in the paper is about a newspaper that is no longer going to be published in print form, only on the Internet. While it's nice to be able to do research and read papers online, I still enjoy reading a "paper" copy of the local newspapers!

I'm very happy with the November issue; I think it contains a nice mix of articles that will inform, educate, and entertain readers. (My mom and dad, grandpa, and sister don't know it, but there are photos of them from last Thanksgiving with the Editor's letter!)

Jennifer e-mailed/uploaded/downloaded (I'm not sure quite which one, but somehow the paper got there!) to the place where it's printed. The actual printing will take place in Wayne, NE, on Monday. Monday afternoon it will be delivered to Norfolk, where I will pick it up on Tuesday!

It will be mailed out/delivered to sponsors next week. And then we'll start all over again!

If you would like a sample copy of the paper, or would like one sent to someone, please e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net.

As always, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please e-mail me at shelly@shellyburke.net. I love hearing from you!