Report on Project XYZ at Tauranga Writers AGM 1 December 2016 Presented by Gillian Cook

Project XYZ was created in April 2016 after 20 Tauranga Writers indicated a need to self-publish. The project was first going to be a process of application for funding to cover the e-publishing of 20 manuscripts. With further consideration we guessed that many writers may not have the skills required to format their manuscripts to an acceptable e-ready or print-ready standard or at all. That is, that many, like myself, had paid somebody to do that for them.

I have been driving the fund raising in consultation with our president Jenny and secretary Marcus and with Aaron McCallion of Waka Digital who has supplied photocopying services and advice during this lengthy process.

Project XYZ under the umbrella of Tauranga Writers has applied for funding to include workshops in formatting digital e-books and for hard print books, social media, marketing, a website upgrade to support the writers once they’re published, labour in the form of a website editor to bring the website up to date and to collate the tools learned giving access to lessons for all. This person was to double up as a project manager to oversee the successful completion of each manuscript and encourage the best from individuals towards the learning objectives. The term ‘enabling’ writers has been used as a thrust throughout the applications. Included also in the project overall and the most expensive part, the technical IT conversions, creations and uploading of the books, be it novels, animated pictures or audio books, onto at least three platforms (Amazon being only one) but to include multiple devices as well; such as Android and iPhone. This section was also intended to pass on knowledge to course participants – toward enablement.

As is the nature of funding applications, knock-backs happen. The largest sum applied for was for the IT, social media and marketing, to Creative NZ for nearly $29,000 – this was declined. The balance of nearly $24,000 which was for the website, labour, and workshops in formatting was spread around five other funders: Firstlight, Grassroots, Trillian, First Sovereign, and Creative BOP.

The successes have been $1,000 from Creative BOP toward the website upgrade ($4000 still required), and $5,000 from First Sovereign toward the labour ($5,000 still required).

The others have declined.

Where to from here: Now is a good time to reassess before ploughing into another round of funding applications. I have recently learnt that there are a hand-full of members who have formatting skills who have offered to share them. All we need do is come together – identify the teachers and the students, and acknowledge with gratuity or payment as required ie. self fund this knowledge transfer.

Now is a good time to assess writers’ needs and interest in: a) learning b) willingness and ability to pay to gain c) what Tauranga Writers as a collective think is suitable in the line of support and encouragement.

For me personally, I’d love to learn how to format and whatever else I can do to self publish without relying on anybody else, at all – apart from my editor and illustrator – and maybe if I’m good, they can go too, eventually. I’m asking for help. This has been a lonely time but learning time but now it’s time to be inclusive. Guidance is required. I’m not a lone-ranger.