1. EMILY NALEVANKO, BA COPY EDITOR ONCOLOGY NURSING SOCIETY What’s New With ONS Newsletters?

2. Thank You! Presenters usually save this for the end, but … Volunteers like you are the core of everything ONS does, so thank you for your time and commitment!

3. Our Goals Today What’s new with ONS newsletters? Avoid common pitfalls of online publishing. Keep the NEWS in newsletter. Connect with SIG members and get them to submit articles. SIG Newsletter “Best Article” Award Resources on the SIGs Virtual Community Questions and answers

4. What’s New With ONS Newsletters? What used to be Chapter Vision and The SIGnal have joined together to become the new ONS Leadership Update. ONS Leadership Update will be distributed to SIG leaders ONS editors Chapter leaders The Steering Council Nominating Committee The ONS Board of Directors

5. ONS Leadership Update This quarterly online newsletter will be leaders’ one-stop-shop for Updates Leadership tips and tools A way to connect with other leaders A great place to find ideas for your own newsletter.

6. ONS Leadership Update If you would like to contribute, please do! Write articles that other leaders will find useful such as o How to encourage members to get involved o Producing a quality SIG newsletter o Ideas on leadership o Updates on your SIG’s activities. This should be a top resource for idea sharing, networking, and collaboration and a great place to show off your group’s accomplishments.

7. What Else is New? After the ONS Connect Editorial Board planning meeting in August 2008, SIG leaders will receive an email with all of the topics for 2009. SIG leaders are welcome to respond with comments and suggestions for topics in their area of knowledge. Stay connected and share your expertise!

8. Avoid Common Pitfalls of Online Publishing The more things change, the more they stay the same. Good writing is still good writing. Accuracy is always vital. Be sure to cite sources both in-text and in the reference list. Know your audience. Understand why nurses read your newsletter. Just ask them.

9. Avoid Common Pitfalls of Online Publishing Keep the 4,000-word limit in mind for SIG newsletters. People read online text differently. More slowly Scanning

10. Avoid Common Pitfalls of Online Publishing Always use Shorter, more concise articles. Shorter, more concise paragraphs. Shorter, more concise sentences. (You get the idea.)

11. Avoid Common Pitfalls of Online Publishing Use visual points of entry. Subheads Bulleted lists Figures and tables Bolded key phrases

12. Avoid Common Pitfalls of Online Publishing You can still run in-depth articles! Use links when possible. Links keep your newsletter shorter and more manageable plus avoid sticky permission issues. Break long articles into parts. Adopt this old trick from print publications and keep readers hungry for more.

13. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Aim to make your SIG newsletter one of the first places nurses go to get news and information on your special topic. This will take time and effort, but it is a worthwhile goal.

14. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter You are surrounded by article ideas here, at work, and at home. Any time you see something NEW, that’s NEWS.

15. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter A new drug Perform a literature search and write a summary of what you’ve found. A new device or tool Try it in your practice and write about your experiences. A new trial Write a short summary of the trial’s goals. A new journal article, book, CD-ROM, etc. Write a review or summary.

16. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Feature and welcome new members of your SIG. Highlight innovative programs at workplaces. Write about other organizations related to your SIG. Publish tools they provide. Review their Web sites. Highlight their guidelines.

17. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Complementary Care Corner Self-Care Corner Do-It-Yourself: How to search the literature, establish evidence-based practice, meditate, hold a journal club, etc. ______ Awareness Month: www.whathealth.com/awareness/may.html

18. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Conferences Announce upcoming events of interest. Review one or more sessions relevant to your audience. o Start right now with the list of Congress sessions.

19. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter ONS values and how they relate to your SIG (a six- part series) Your experience using one of the ONS Putting Evidence Into Practice ® cards Grass-roots efforts by nurses in your field

20. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Google it! Type your special interest into Google and see what comes up. Sign up to receive exclusive email alerts on late- breaking news, reports, and special offers. FDA: http://xsuite.thompson.com/SF_Module/webforms/sub scribe_emailnews.cfm National Cancer Institute: www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/alerts/ American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/NWS_0.asp Alerts from other similar associations (e.g., APHON)

21. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Avoid writing with clichés, including articles that rely on seasonal or holiday themes. Put your best foot forward: Run your best article first. Don’t begin with the editor’s message just because you always have. It’s important to thank people and to review SIG business, but don’t make that the bulk of your content.

22. Keep the NEWS in Newsletter Search clinical trials: http://clinicaltrials.gov/http://clinicaltrials.gov/ Find articles and ideas in the ONS Leadership Update, ONS Connect, the Oncology Nursing Forum, and the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. One of your best resources is each other!

23. Connect With SIG Members Reach out to other SIG leaders. For example, the Ethics SIG requested articles from other SIGs on ethical issues in their subspecialties. Teaming up to produce articles relevant to more than one SIG can be very beneficial to all SIGs involved.

24. Connect With SIG Members Think about why you volunteer, then tell others what you gain from it. Networking Professional development Building your resume Extra oomph in your annual evaluation Points toward certification renewal

25. Connect With SIG Members Don’t just ask for help. Instead, list a few specific story ideas in every issue and ask for volunteers. Tell people how many words you need (remember, short and concise) and how long it likely will take to write an article. They may be surprised at how easy it can be.

26. Connect With SIG Members As a SIG coordinator, supporting the SIG editor is crucial. You can help them by Sticking to deadlines Providing articles and content. You also can appoint “associate editors” to be responsible for one article per issue, perhaps a regular feature (e.g., Self-Care Corner, Member Spotlight).

27. SIG Newsletter “Best Article” Award Purpose To encourage SIG members to contribute articles to their newsletters. To promote newsletters as a means of communication for SIG members. To foster the collegial exchange of information.

28. SIG Newsletter “Best Article” Award Relevant to SIG members Supports the SIG’s mission Has an affect on the reader (understands and addresses reader needs) Is well-written (clear, concise, readable, and grammatically correct) Demonstrates a creative or fresh approach to the subject matter. Articles must have appeared in a SIG newsletter and have been authored by a SIG member. The SIG must have met all requirements of publishing SIG newsletters.

29. SIG Newsletter “Best Article” Award Complete the entry form. Entries may be submitted by coordinators, coordinator- elects, newsletter editors, or authors. Attach one copy of the 2008 issue of your newsletter highlighting the article of your choice. Send newsletters to Carol DeMarco, Membership and Leadership Administrative Assistant, at the National Office by January 24, 2009. Entries will not be returned.

30. SIG Newsletter “Best Article” Award “Best Article” author will receive one-year ONS national membership & a certificate. 2 Honorable Mentions will receive one-year SIG membership & a certificate. SIG Newsletter Editor will be presented with a certificate of recognition.

31. Resources SIGs Virtual Community: http://sig.vc.ons.org/ Step-by-Step Guide for Publishing a SIG Newsletter Oncology Publishing Division Style Guide Best Article Award nomination form SIG Leadership Benefits Your copy editor at ONS.

32. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS What’s New With ONS Newsletters?

33. EMILY NALEVANKO ENALEVANKO@ONS.ORG Thanks Again!