Ned Fritz Legacy: An Online Biography is essentially a book, but online so that it can be free for anyone to read. The online format allows for more photos than a print book, and even videos, plus links for further information.
Writing a full-length book involving a long and active life like Ned’s, full of complicated endeavors such as national lawsuits and federal policies, is a major endeavor for the author. The need to incorporate links, photos, and videos further adds to the responsibilities.
Turning this material into an easy to use and navigate website with plentiful photos that is adaptable and readable on computers, tablets, and phones, entails another significant series of tasks. Finally, keeping a project this large on track, plus raising funds for it, requires active management and outreach.
Here is what’s entailed.
Tasks handled by our author, Amy Martin:
Research
• Determine best research publications and websites
• Read, analyze, copy excerpts, and take notes
• Solicit, edit, and file tributes about Ned
• Create extensive digital text and photo files
• Create extensive bookmark URL files
• Write detailed outline of book
• Have outline reviewed by experts and integrate changes
Interview
• Research and create list of potential interviewees
• Contact and set up interviews, either Zoom or in person
• Research interview subjects, formulate questions, conduct and record interview
• Run recording through transcription software (Otter), repair transcription errors by checking against recording, trim unneeded segments, export finished text
• Create document (Word) of interview, make content outline (if needed), boldface important sections
Writing
• Write materials for landing page and interim web pages
• Write book material using research material, tributes, and interview transcriptions
• Edit initial drafts (usually more than 5)
• Email communications and phone calls with subjects to clarify details
Editing
• Verify all facts and claims
• Verify all names, proper nouns, and legal and technical terms
• Run copy through grammar checking software (Grammarly)
• Copy review by 2nd-party readers and integrate changes
• Red-pen edits of copy on paper and integrate changes
• Send copy to be proofed by experts and integrate changes
Communications
• Send and answer emails about project
• Emails, phone calls, and texts with team
Writing Administration
• Keep track of hours and expenses
• Maintain extensive paper and digital files
• Send, receive, and file permission forms for quotes, excerpts, and photos
• Back up files frequently
• Perform regular maintenance on computer and printer
Promotions
• Write and create website blog posts apprising interested parties of progress on project
• Research and create list of those potentially interested in project such as colleagues and those inspired by the Ned and Genie
• Create emails announcing project and soliciting information and tributes
• Send emails to list and answer responses
• Incorporate into files any responses useful to project
• Make social media posts announcing project and soliciting information and tributes
Content Expenses
• Travel to archives and libraries
• Travel to interviews and site explorations
• Grammarly, Otter, and Zoom subscriptions
Tasks handled by our webmaster, Scooter Smith:
Initialization
• Purchase and register the domain name.
• Purchase a hosting plan at an Internet Service Provider.
• Establish the domain at the ISP.
• Upload and install WordPress to the ISP.
• Activate site backups.
• Install software that protects the site from hackers, bots, and malware.
• Purchase, upload and install the theme* (site architecture) to the ISP.
• Purchase, upload and install plug-ins (specialized functions) to the theme.
• Activate and program the plug-ins for the functions they will perform.
• Set up authorized site administrators, editors, and authors.
• Set up email addresses for team members.
Design
• Design the overall organization of information in conjunction with the writer.
• *Select the theme. This requires researching sites and themes to determine what architecture will best meet the project’s needs.
• Create the look and feel. This entails choosing the fonts, establishing the palette, and styling other design elements that best relate the subconscious message of the site.
Site Construction
• Building (often via programming) the header, footer, menu, home page, blog page, post pages, contact page, sidebar, and other pages necessary to the project.
• Create link buttons and other original art elements.
• Fine tune the behavior and timing of animated elements.
Content
• Gather and catalog photographs, scanning into the computer those that are not digital.
• Gather and catalog video and audio files.
• Process photographs. This involves cropping, image adjustment, and sometimes special filtering to reduce noise and/or sharpen.
• Edit and process video into the correct form for viewing on web.
• Edit and process audio files.
• Gather, enter, and style copy from the writer into each relevant section on each page of the site.
• Upload photo, video and and audio files to the site, add them to the pertinent pages, and style them to enhance the copy.
• Program links and anchors in the copy.
• Link and style payment gateway.
Testing, Changes, Updates and Maintenance
• Test all page, link, media and animation behaviors. Fix as necessary.
• Add new or revised copy, media, and other materials.
• Monitor reports from the protection software daily. Take action as needed: this can simply mean reviewing and deleting captured files up to having to recover and reprogram hacked pages or the entire site.
• Update WordPress, the protection software, the theme and its plugins as needed.
• Annual renewal of the domain name and hosting by the ISP.
Expenses
• Purchase domain, hosting, theme and plug-ins.
• Renew domain and hosting.
• Maintain production software subscription for photo, audio, and video work: currently $648.00 per year.
• Computer, monitor, scanner, and printer depreciation.
• Coffee.
Tasks handled by our project manager, Kristi Kerr Leonard:
Project Creation
• Gather team for project
• Obtain written permission from family
• Create milestones with team and communicate to all
Project Finances
• Assumed name set-up
• Chase bank set-up
• Keep team on track with time and expense invoicing
• Pay invoices
• Keep Jeanne Kuehn, volunteer CPA, updated
• Answer family or others questions regarding time and expenses
• Obtain W-9’s, create contractor’s 1099 and 1096 for IRS in 2023
Fundraising
• Gather data base of funders
• Send batch emails – from Ned Fritz email and from MailChimp
• Phone calls, tea/coffee meetings/lunches with funders (in person limited in pandemic)
• Thank you notes with Fritz family
Communications
• Send and answer emails about project
• Emails, phone calls, and texts with team
• Keep Eileen Fritz McKee and Genie Fritz updated
Team Support
• When requested, track down art or photography
• Brainstorm, proof, review, write copy as requested
Promotions
• Create social media campaign with writer
Administration
• Keep track of hours and expenses
Expenses
• Bank fees if applicable
• Thank you Note Cards
• Level gifts
• Postage
• Notary
• Maintain Office 365 subscription
• Computer, monitor, scanner, and printer depreciation
• Tea
