The British Fantasy Society Yearbook 2009

[iamacanadian]

(Although I'm utterly ignorant of the economics of this sort of thing, so it's equally possible that it might not, and that that is a terrible idea...)

Me too Natt.

I was only thinking that some kind of special members only edition would be more of an incentive for folks to join.

Somewhere waaaaay back in this discussion one suggested that the answer to the production costs was to charge BFS Members a base rate to cover the per unit value of making the book (say, £3–£5) and then charge a proper shop-rate to 'the unwashed masses' of something like a similar hardback anthology might go for (say £15–£20, depending on heft of volume).

So: join the BFS and save a tenner or more, plus all the other perks, or spend the extra Browny or Wicker Basket and be happy with a new book. Either way, the BFS covers its costs.

[Stephen Theaker]

My feeling in general with our publications is that we should print just enough for our members and make them available more widely via POD. I'd prefer our admin staff to concentrate on looking after members, rather than selling books to non-members. This is a bit of a different project, though, because the whole point was to have an exclusive book that you could only get if you joined the society.

But it seems to have cost something approaching three thousand pounds... The question is whether the special publications budget can cover that. The other issue is that if we keep on doing yearbooks, it makes it hard to do anything else.

[David A. Riley]

Would it have saved much if the Yearbook had been done as a softcover?

The book is impressive - very impressive, in fact - but when it comes down to pounds and pence, perhaps this is something to think about, especially if it is seriously considered as an addition to our annual list of publications.

I have endeavoured to save some money by moving away from colour covers for Prism, which I think is well suited for black and white drawings.

David

[allybird]

It is hard for me to comment because I'm in the book but (leaving me out of it) I have to say, many, many people have commented to me about how beautiful the book is and the quality of the writing is wonderful...I've written to Stephen Volk, Suzie Feay, Steve Lockley, Daniel O'Mahoney and others about how wonderful their stories are...couldn't write to all...obviously but honestly, if we don't go forward with this publication it will be a step backwards. I like all the publications but this is stand out...

[Stephen Theaker]

When you're approaching the cliff edge, a step back is the way to go!

It's been hard assessing the BFS finances, because I don't have much information to go on, and the way money shifts back and forth between the two accounts is quite confusing. But moving the figures from the financial report to the AGM into my own spreadsheet (here's a pdf), you can see at the bottom that, totalling the Special Publications and BFS accounts, there was an overall fall from £12,734.30 in September 2008 to £7,814.00 in September 2009 - a fall of almost £5,000.

A similar fall this year would leave us in great difficulty!

That spending included £1,386.80 for printing Houses on the Borderland, £851 for printing In Conversation and the Yearbook (which I don't think can have been the entire bill for those books, unless we got a really good deal), £900 to the writers included in the Yearbook, and £350 for non-printing work on In Conversation, a total of £3,487.80. In Conversation and Houses on the Borderland are on sale to the public, so the money spent on those was in the way of an investment, but they've still had a powerful impact on the coffers.

Having said that, it seems likely that money for Houses on the Borderland was left in the special publications account from the previous year specifically to pay for that late-running book, so that makes the drop-off look a bit worse than it actually was.

As a rough estimate, I think the BFS can afford to spend about £6 per member on special publications, if we want to keep the accounts even. Obviously we spent a lot more than that last year, and I think, although I'm not yet sure, that we've already spent more than that this year on last year's books (on additional printing costs, editorial fees, and postage costs for the yearbook), meaning the entire cost of a new yearbook would have to come out of the special publications account. I think it would be irresponsible of me to do that. It was one thing for Guy to take a calculated gamble, with the backing of the members, and with plenty of money in the bank, but it's another thing for me to do it, as temporary chair, knowing that last time the gamble didn't pay off.

I do think that a version of the yearbook could be done for £6 per member (I'd estimate last year's cost about £10) - as a paperback, slightly fewer stories, selling it also to non-members to offset costs, all those things people have suggested. But I increasingly don't think it can be this year, when the £6 has, as far as I can tell, already been spent.

Whether it happens next year will be up to whoever comes in as chair, and whoever comes in as special publications editor. If I do end up hanging on as chair, I have to be honest and say I wouldn't tie the hands of the special publications editor by insisting they produce this particular publication. If that provokes someone who really enjoyed the yearbook to step forward for either position, all the better!

[allybird]

If only more people would join. The society would be able to get the yearbook out or one for the society's 40th birthday next year.

[Stephen Theaker]

Having new members join wouldn't make a yearbook any more feasible this year. What might help is if everyone buys lots of our books at WHC...

[Colin (Black Abyss)]

I appreciate the difficult position the society is in with this and certainly appreciate the honest and open information you are giving us Stephen. I will certainly support any decision you make but will be keeping my fingers crossed for a new edition in the future (the 50th Anniversary one will be a doosay!!)

[allybird]

I hope things work out Stephen... thanks to all for all the hard work!

[David A. Riley]

Having new members join wouldn't make a yearbook any more feasible this year. What might help is if everyone buys lots of our books at WHC...

Let's hope WHC does result in some significant growth for the BFS. It's the best venue available to us this year - and if there's anything I can do to help, I'll be there anyway.

Perhaps copies of some of the BFS's publications for anyone who joins up at the WHC will prove a good incentive - instant gratification, so to speak, with the latest Dark Horizons, Prism, perhaps copies of the Yearbook, Houses, etc., which will show just how serious an organisation the BFS is.

Now that the organisation is approaching its fortieth birthday in the near future, it is time to take stock of how its membership numbers stand. I would have hoped, after all this time, we would have had far more members than we have, but perhaps there is an upper limit, and with attrition and new members it will never vary very much from this. That said, it would perhaps be useful to have a target figure of perhaps 300 to aim for, and maybe make this year one of a recruitment drive, so that when the BFS does reach its anniversary it has maximised its potential.

Personally I believe, with the high quality of publications available to members as part of their membership, especially the Yearbook, Dark Horizons, and New Horizons, the BFS has a much higher potential than three hundred. It's just reaching these new members - and having the ability to hold onto those we already have.

David

[allybird]

Good idea David!

Have a sample pack on the registration desk (boxes of books can be under the desk) tied together but books visible with a £10 off Fantasycon between books...a note pinned to the desk saying WHC special offer listing the books and what you get if you join the society....BFS short story entrants have to be members, I think. £30 with £10 off for Fantasycon is good value.

There are many benefits within a society that can work together. I notice the small press section is building up nicely...you have to be a member to join that.
The TTA Board used to have author boards...that would attract people to this forum. I know writers who would give it a go. Launch a dozen writers at the same time and build it up....all members. I found Conrad Williams through the old TTA author spots.

Ask Ramsey to do a Q and A occasionally. Ask Simon Clark. Ask James Barclay. Ask Lisa Tuttle....in fact ask the Master of Ceremonies/Guests of Honours for Fantasycon to do a live Q and A with their fans....or a session over one week when they can pop in and answer questions from readers, here on the forum. Give the time and date out on the newsfeed/FB wherever you can think of and then make sure you have BFS membership information visible......also...use the newsfeed to say we need more new members.

A membership drive would help. Yes. There were a few problems with publications not getting out on time but Stephen has drawn up a timetable for getting work to printers etc. Notification of when each membership expires would be good...nobody ever remembers unless you are told by email or letter in the mail outs. Having said that...more volunteers are neeeded to get books to and from WHC (if that idea is taken up) Helen and Martin always take books around the country and perhaps they need a little help from someone else with a car? Someone willing to pick the books up and drop them off later........hopefully a lot less of them. I'm going by train or I'd offer to do that.


Advertising revenue is coming in but there needs to be much more of that. 

 

[David A. Riley]

We're driving to Brighton and are already taking some boxes of Charles Black's Black Books of Horror, including the latest volume, number six, as he is travelling by train. If it is at all feasable we would be more than willing to take other material too.

I like your idea, Ally, for a live Q and A session on the BFS site. It sounds worth looking into.

With the professionalism of the BFS these days, including an excellent website and some truly excellent publications, it is the best of all times to try and enlarge the membership.

David

[allybird]

Thanks David!

'There are many benefits within a society that can work together. I notice the small press section is building up nicely...you have to be a member to join that.
The TTA Board used to have author boards...that would attract people to this forum. I know writers who would give it a go. Launch a dozen writers at the same time and build it up....all members. I found Conrad Williams through the old TTA author spots..'

Stephen....can we have that section for member/authors please?

Stephen Volk
Gary McMahon
Simon Kurt Unsworth....

have just agreed (the first three I asked and it took 5 minutes). Author threads get people popping in to see what their favourite authors are up to and there is lots of news bouncing around about them on FB which could be on here that they can discuss etc. If you are in agreement - Gary and Simon will start posting straight away. I'm sure that more will follow....I'll ask more, too.

[Colin (Black Abyss)]

Excellent idea Ally, I will make sure I flag it up on the Abyss. I was also planning to do some kind of mass bloggers Mailshot but it would be nice to have some kind of hook to hang it on, perhaps a period of discounted membership?

Stephen, is there a direct debit option for members in the offing? I find they are great as folk always forget to cancel so stay members for much longer

[AdrianF]

I've been giving the whole membership thing some thought.  I've even been critical in the past  (although if it ever gets published, I co-wrote a very positive report of Fantasycon for the BSFA's Prism) and I appreciate that currently there are very few hands doing a LOT of work.  Let me say that I appreciate this, and the following isn't a criticsm of anyone or anything the society has done

Target Audience
Any new influx of people is going to change things, and there's always the risk that new people coming in = old people coming out.  To be fair the BFS is quite open to the idea of new people, just doesn't always get it right in practise.  But is the primary audience writers or fans?  Aside from the money that the membership brings in, how would the society feel if it was overrun by Twilight fans?  What about World of Waracrft players? It needs to be considered truthfully and honestly.

Identity Crisis
Yes, the whole 'broad church' is argued to death, but understand how it plays a part.  Putting things in neat boxes that do not exist in real life but make it easier to describe, the Horror crowd don't want to join because it says Fantasy in the name, and the Fantasy lot don't want to join because the majority of people are horror.  So we have this whole identity crisis because the horror crowd, to their very great credit, try desperately not to let things get too horror.  but the result is that things can seem a little passive for the newcomer
I think this is the wrong way to go (and I speak as a Fantasy person).  What I think the BFS needs, in some abstract way, two champions:  One for Horror, one for Fantasy. - not to compete but to try and ensure that whether you are a Fantasy person or a Horror Person, or whatever form of Hybrid, the society 'talks' to you.  Now these champions don't need to be individuals, they could be teams but they should be solely focused on their chosen genre, in much the same way as the Sports journalists on a newspaper don't get involved in the politics reporting.  Each champion should strive to make their contributions rival anything else in their genre.  However, it needs both sides to be equal (to almost compete) for it not to over-balance and fall over.
Just as we need to make sure that everything we do is representative of women, so we should also ensure that panels, guests, content is representative to both Fantasy AND Horror, not by walking the middle ground but by trying to include both extremes.  It's not going to be perfect and shouldn't necessarily be a 50/50 split, but we have to ensure that someone who is purely a horror fan and hates fantasy (and vice versa) feels that the BFS is... what is it Neil Gaiman called it... their tribe.
The diversity will be good for the organisation, the two champions will bring a kineticism.  If you think this idea has merit (and I'm not talking out my backside as always) I can describe it in more detail.  The last time I had an idea like this it took 10 years of my life and became one of the most successful geek websites

PDF Sampler
Let's see if we can put one story (maybe not each issue, maybe not even each year) from DH or NH online as a free PDF sample.  The publications are one of the feathers in the society's cap, and a potential major selling point.