Promoting Yorkshire Authors

Brief Notes from PYA Quality Subcommittee Meeting of 13th February

Priorities

Priority tasks identified after a 'vote' of members of the PYA Quality Subcommittee from those raised by the group after earlier discussions were finalised as:

1. Facilitate a Beta-Reading scheme for PYA Members
2. Implement an 'Improve Quality Group'
3. Collate available information to provide guidance to members on, in priority order: Self Publishing, Marketing including social media, Avoiding publishing scams, Book illustration, Becoming a best seller.

Beta Reading Scheme

It was agreed that PYA should set up - using whatever technology is appropriate - a self sustaining beta reading scheme based upon introducing members to each other so that they can assist each other with beta-reading and proofing. Members introduced by the scheme would manage book exchanges, mutual reading, communication, etc themselves.

However, PYA will provide some beta-reading guidelines to assist in the process and the form of this guidance (blog posting, documents, podcasts, YouTube or something else) should be decided by the implementation team.

Jane Clack was volunteered to lead this task.

Improve Quality Group

It was agreed that PYA will create an 'Improve Quality Group' run along the lines of the Writers' Support and Children's Author groups but - for the moment - limited to inviting speakers to present to members on subjects that would help participants to improve the quality of their work.

At the meeting we agreed to trial a single session of the Improve Quality Group and to identify a suitable topic and speaker for that presentation. After holding this session we will decide whether to continue with the group, change it or abandon the idea.

Pam Golden was volunteered to lead this task.

Collate Information to Provide Member Guidance

This is a large task that will be ongoing for some time with a target of providing easily accessible guidance to members on the topics identified by our priorities, possibly expanded later.

The task also involves identifying the best way of delivering guidelines - e.g. via a blog, documents, podcasts, YouTube, Presentations, etc.

Paul Smith volunteered to start this task.

Ongoing

One item from the initial priorities remains outstanding and will be addressed later: Creating a list of External or Professional Bodies to assist members to interact with the broader writing community.