La Leche League International Presents:

International Mastery Symposium

Washington, D.C., June 30 - July 1, 2005

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Publications

Publication Department members from the US Western Division, Eastern Division and International Division gathered together in the USWD Suite. In the morning, ALLEs, Area Communication Coordinators, and members of Publication Departments in the Western Division and International Division met. In the afternoon, editors from the Eastern Division and more members of the International Division joined the discussion. Throughout the day, 26 Leaders signed in. Besides Areas in the USA, editors were from LLLI Publications, Japan, Israel, Mexico, Mongolia, Future Areas of Asia and Great Britain.

During the morning, the discussion was led by Kathryn Major, Deirdre Knowles and Peggy Wiedmeyer, members of the USWD Publications /Online Workgroup. Deirdre had to leave after lunch to attend a Communication Skills Department meeting. Sue Ann Kendall and Nancy Jo Bykowski were there off and on when they had time to leave the Technology Room.

Kathryn distributed a seven-page handout, “Storytelling in LLL.” (Ed. Note: See the ALLEditors discussion list on the Community Network and/or ALLECats@yahoogroups.com for a copy.) Kathryn’s handout refers to a book, The Story Factor, by Annette Simmons and to her website: www.groupprocessconsulting.com. Points:

• Mothers share their stories at LLL meetings
• Leaders share their stories in articles for the ALL
• We need more writers for the ALLs
• Try the approach of asking Leaders for their stories and connect it to writing an article
• “Tell me your story” may be less intimidating than “Write an article.” Lots more information is included in the handout.

Deirdre passed out the “Appreciative Interview” handout and we divided into pairs and spent a short time in Appreciative Inquiry with each other; we then shared these key learnings from our interviews, and posted them on the sticky wall.

• Becoming a mother at a young age made us grow up faster
• LLLI should find a balance between sensitivity and structure
• More openness for LLL”USA” vs. LLLI
• How similar this kind of experience makes us—no matter where we come from.
• LLL learning makes us better able to respond to events in our lives
• Learning and experiences can be events or progressions
• Being international helps us put things in perspective
• Area work is giving and receiving
• Finding LLL made living in a foreign culture more comfortable
• LLL validated my parenting choices.

Being with Leaders and editors from LLL Areas all over the world was inspiring to me. After lunch, Rachel O’Leary (Great Britain and LLLI BOD Member) said, “Being international helps us put things into perspective.” So true! Another point: In Area work we are both receiving support from the Area Team and giving support back to Leaders—looking at the benefits that flow back and forth.

Submissions
Nancy Jo mentioned that she receives submissions for LLLI Publications with a lot of email jargon—lots of parenthesis, ellipsis, fragmented sentences, etc. Is it readable in a publication? With deadlines, it’s hard to go back to the author. Do we need guidelines for this type of situation? We want to retain the voice of the writer. Recommend that they look at the guidelines on the LLLI website.

Writing style and voice of the mother can vary from culture to culture and can be a challenge when doing translations! Content, tone and meaning of words can vary from culture to culture, country to country, even when the spoken language is the same. These situations were discussed. Try to do very little editing; only what is needed. The CN (Community Network) is for our own voices. No fear of editing. Encourage Leaders to join CN and choose a discussion. Shared stores or libraries are great resources on CN.

Types of applications for preparing an ALL
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe PageMaker were mentioned. Attributes of various versions, costs, compatibility/non-compatibility when editing were discussed. If the reviewer does not have the program you work in, she may not be able to open it and read it for review. Publisher costs less than PageMaker. MS Word has ability to track changes; this works for those who use it during review. Sending a pdf file is another possibility if you have the ability to create pdf.

Sources for PDF creation—if you don’t have that capability.
The newer versions of Word, Publisher and PageMaker usually have PDF maker built-in.
Sources shared by Kathryn Major:

createadobepdf.adobe.com $9.95/month or $99/year
www.pdf995.com (free)
www.cutepdf.com $49.95
www.pdfzone.com $39.95

More Handouts!

After lunch! The EUS shared some awesome handouts prepared by Andrea Kelly and Janice Berry Paganini for IMS 2005 for the EUS Publications Department meeting earlier in the day.

1. “Electronic Review: Using Microsoft’s Word Editing Features”
2. “The Final Stretch: Page Layout and Design” which included topics: Pre-Layout
   Typography Guidelines; Going to Layout—Decisions, Decisions. This included a list of books including: Typography and Page Layout by J. Magik, and this website: http://www.typography-1stcom/typo/txt-lay.htm and Keep Editorial Fingers Out of Your Layouts by C. Purdy, www.creativepro.com/story/feature/22704.html.
3. “Fuel for the ALLE” which listed positive comments from Leaders who responded to: “We’d like to hear specific thoughts about the function he ALL serves to keep you informed, enthusiastic, and supported.”
4. “ALL the Benefits” that contained more positive comments!
   Other resources mentioned during discussion:
   “Non-Designer Design Book” by Robin Williams
   The Gregg Reference Manual
   The Chicago Manual of Style and its website: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/. Join the site for updates! It’s fun! Join to receive regular updates via email. No fees.

Themes for Publications/ALLs
Some Areas use a theme for each issue. List of themes used for LLL of France publications:

• Tandem Nursing
• Working and Breastfeeding
• Breastfeeding the Premature Baby
• Too Strong Let-Down (Milk-Ejection Reflex)
• Mother-to-Mother Support Groups
• History of Breastfeeding; Mammary Surgery
• Breastfeeding after Cesarean Section
• Solids; Foods for the Breastfeeding Mother
• Breastfeeding and Fertility
• Breastfeeding and the Hospitalized Baby
• Jaundice
• Weaning
• Baby Carrying
• Prolonged Breastfeeding
• Positioning
• Birth Experiences
• Weight Problems
• Hypoglycemia
• When the Mother is Ill
• Breastfeeding and the Handicapped Baby
• Breastfeeding Twins
• Nights (Sleeping)

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In LLL of France, theme issues make it easier to sell them in years that follow after publication. And if popular, they may create a Volume II. Some issues have been reprinted 3-4 times. Most requested topic has been Working and Breastfeeding. The discussion on using themes for LLL publications concluded that this technique can work for some and not for others. This is a choice of the editor/Area.

Review
Each Division has their own review system. Canada has a review team. Areas in US Western Division decide if they just want to do review within their own Area or if they want someone from USWD staff to also review the ALL draft, and they decide how many ADCs are on the review team. It varies from Area to Area—what their resources are and how comfortable they are doing it.

Food for Thought, Posted on the Wall in the Room

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Focus on what matters
Contribute your thinking & experience
Listen to understand
Connect ideas
Listen together for patterns, insights and deep questions
People have the capacity to work together no matter who they are, what their IQ is, personality type, learning style, etc.
We need to depend on diversity; we each see something different because of who we are not where we’ve been.
Some people’s contribution may be to listen.
Enter the conversation with the goal of learning from each other
View different perspectives and assumptions as gifts even when they make us uncomfortable, they offer fertile ground for discovering new possibilities.
Give each person your full attention.