Back to Aging  Page

Red means you need to look at it.

Schedule

Blue is All Group Meetings.

We will work on the agreements and try to have them ready by February 1

Emails. Please do not share or use these emails for anything except this project. They are to be used to communicate with your assigned partners and share your work with the group. Our commitment is to lift each other up, have fun and create art! Please see our ACW rules of engagement. https://www.arttochangetheworld.org/communications-and-conflict-resolution-protocols

January 11  All

Introductions   Meeting Sundays from 4-6

½ hour overview from Barbara regarding overarching goals

• Do we want to publish this as an ebook? Yes
• Do we want to make the print version available for sale on online retailers? Proceeds go to ACW
• Do we want to make it available for local bookstores to order? Yes
• What is the timeframe over which ACW can continue to sell this book? A grant of rights usually has a limited time frame: 2 years,
• Contractual language: Bree advises that ACW be granted non-exclusive first publication rights in digital and print. Practically this means that no one can publish their story anywhere else before the ACW book releases, but they will have the right to publish their story and artwork on their own in other formats or on other websites after a certain agreed upon waiting period. 2 months

It was voted to have the book be 6 x 9 with a dust cover.  The writing credits will be:   Front Cover: Curated by Barbara Rogers Bridges , PhD, Founder and Artistic Director of Art To Change the World.  Contributors go inside with short bio and picture.

We will try to print 100 books. Any profits will go to ACW.  They will be distributed to at least 25 elder communities  and local book stores.  Each Author will get two free books and can buy other copies at cost. Plan for $20 a book to print.

Week of Jan 18 All

Topic: GOWTE

Zoom:  Time: Jan 18, 2026 04:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88688324032?pwd=5dbV7xeR9xwaGMU0UErXO9dzte8bo4.1      Meeting ID: 886 8832 4032    Passcode: 210094

After consideration… we have decided to  expand the word count up to 1500 – optional.

Discuss  Comedic Writing:

Prompt: (See choices below)  Share if moved to.

Define Creative Non-Fiction. Think of it as turning your real life, or a true event you’ve not been able to forget into a story that the reader cannot put down because they feel the emotion of the recounting as if they were there. Use elements like character, setting, and mood, and possibly dialogue, keeping everything real.   Use of language, which ranges from vernacular speech to puns and wordplay, its use of taboo subjects, and its use of incongruence and juxtaposition

Guidelines for  illustrations.  No boundaries.

DRAFT: Suggested Feedback Guidelines:

PUT YOUR FEEDBACK DIRECTIVE ON THE TOP OF  THE PAGE  FOR YOUR READERS.

#1 whole non sugar-coated feedback on content, impact, writing style
#2 just structural feedback or grammar corrections,
#3 specific requested question feedback
#4 feedback on illustration integration with essay
#5 (Kind, considerate, specific – addressing writing not writer)
#6 Did you feel engaged by the story? Why/why not?
#7 What do you feel is particularly well done in this draft. Identify at least two moments/images/lines, etc.
#8 Is there anything you wanted to see more of? Any themes you think should be expanded?
#9 Does the piece raise any questions for you? Is anything unclear or confusing

Week of Jan 25
Read Resources which will be deposited on our Project Page.
Work on the DRAFT  1 of your essay.

Week of February 1

Work week.  WRITE!   Feedback to your writing partner.

Week of February 8
#1 Level Alike Pair Groups meet. They choose the day, venue and time.  Share documents and get on the phone?  Put your own zoom up?  Pairs choose.Participants
Holly Tappen, Bree Bridges
Kelly Frankenberg, Linda Fox,
Craig Harris, Barbara Bridges,
Liisa Le, Pat Rogers
Freya Hanson, Karen McDonald,Each group chooses one piece to share with group, even if it’s something found that might inspire others.

Week of February 15
Whole Group Meets
Prompt?  Choose from Below

Everyone shares their working title and their elevator pitch. (Think: if you were in an elevator with someone and had to convince them to read your story before they reach their floor, what would you tell them it’s about?)

Week of February  22

#1 Mentor Pairs Meet. Share DRAFT works and give feedback.  They choose.  Share documents and get on the phone?  Put your own zoom up?  Pairs choose.

Holly Tappen, Craig Harris
Bree Bridges,  Karen McDonald
Linda Fox, Pat Rogers,
Freya Hanson , Barbara Bridges,
Kelly Frankenberg, Liisa Le,

Week of March 1
Whole Group Meets
Everyone shares summary of their progress. Illustration ideas.
Vote on title ideas.

Week of March 8
Work Week – Illustration final drafts
Level Alike Pairs Share final Essays and give feedback to each other .
Attach and email their final essay to the group.

Week of March 15
Whole Group Sends “Final” copy  to all participants.  Share illustrations and final essays digitally  All read essays and give feedback?

Guidelines for illustration rubric. Hire an outsider for a review?
1. Composition: Does it look artistically designed and pleasing on the page?

2. Comprehension: Does the illustration illustrate/relate to/help explain the essay theme?
3. Quality: Does it look professional to be in a book?
4. Color balance: Do the colors create the correct mood of the intention of the illustration?

Week of March  22
Work on writing.

Week of March 29
Whole Group Meets
Group discusses  final book layout.

Title

Aging as an Art Form:  Notes from the Far Side of Youth
An illustrated inspirational anthology edited by  Barbara Bridges, PhD  Vote 2 to 6

Introduction  Barbara

Size?     6”  x  9 “ Text larger  7 yes

How many? 48

Hard Cover  7 yes

Table of Contents   Add images

Dust Jacket  Yes

Spine    Name  and logo?

Back Cover Summary of Contents   Barbara Draft
Last ACW promo page
ACW logo – Mike Vennewitz mentioned

Cover Book itself
Back Book itself
Collage of all images in book?
Secret messages?
ACW and Copyright page. Credit Artists. Cover artist?

Less is more.  Optional to include in editor review. Highly suggested.
Author Section 500 words MAX ?
Bio and picture  250 words max?
Group discussion guidance  Suggested Questions for your story – Educational Work  2-questions max. In story  Also Compilation  at the end. Including generals questions about the project and topic.

Authors Notes info (optional)Audio Book?  Illustrations?  Soundscape?   Investigate. You Tube Content?

Promo!!!??

Scroll down and see following for prices etc.

April 5
Barbara creates contract for authors.
Work on Final Copy and your Illustration (s)

April 12
Give a deep dive review to your partner. “Meet” to dialogue?

Holly Tappen, Linda Fox
Kelly Frankenberg Craig Harris
Pat Rogers Karen McDonald
Barbara Bridges Liisa le
Freya Hanson   Bree Bridges

April 19  Meet Online
Re-Visit March 29 Outcomes
Review the Contract. Ask Freya to look at it.
Create Cover Jacket etc sub-committee.  Barbara, Kelly, Karen, Liisa

May 1
Send  your text to Bree on a Word doc with the images where you want them by May 1? The sooner the better.

Bree will review and send them  back to you by May 10

By May 9 Cover Design sub-committee meets.

May 24   
Authors send the final edit with high resolution pictures to Bree.

Complete the designs and copy draft for all the book cover, back, spine and dust jacket.
Ideas?

Ingram Spark.  Print your own books.

June 7 Meet Online  Postponed

June 16

I have attached the cover we voted on.  Hope this works.  If you still have input, send it to me.

Bree is currently working on the internal layouts.  She is going above and beyond.  Contact her directly with questions.

Important dates:

I have attached our brochure copy for the Lyngblomsten reading on September  21.  Please email if you would like to attend.  If we had 2-3 readers at each event… I think that would be great.    I have also pasted  our promo Newsletter/facebook etc  article  below. Jillian or Layl, could you get this up on NEEMA when we get closer? Please confirm.

Please Note: Typo on the Install date. Open Book July 30. Only need a few people.

Here is our updated project page: https://www.arttochangetheworld.org/growing-old-with-the-elderly/

Introducing Satish.  He is a new ACW member who will be helping me with the Aging project. He will be collecting the artWORK statements.   authors.p.jayaraj@gmail.com  This is about the art. Your personal bio is already with your story.  Review how to write an artwork statement. https://www.arttochangetheworld.org/how-to-write-artwork/

Re: The page that precedes your story.  Bree and Bryce are working together to use the aesthetic of the cover to create a custom page which will precede your story.  Thanks, Bryce!

July 16  Deliver your framed image to Headquarters -699 Lowry Ave NE. between  12 and 3.

Linda… I hear you want to use a picture of your grandmother.  Brilliant.  Please send it to me in the highest resolution possible. I will get it printed and framed for you.

July 30 We will be hanging at Open Book on July  30. Time to be announced.  Kelly is in charge of this activity.  We do not have that many works but I am sure she could use help.  Reach out to her.
Helpers:  Karen  Liisa

September 3.  Our Exhibition and Reading  – We are planning food and beverages and activities in the lobby.  Planning music and readings in the auditorium.  Details to below.  Please arrive at 4:30 to help set up. Prepare to represent ACW as well as yourself.  Bring business cards or handouts for the swag table but please do not press them into people’s hands unless they ask. Please plan to stay and clean up.
Readers:  Holly Tappen, Liisa, Karen

September  21.  We are invited to read at : Lyngblomsten in Lino Lakes – September 21, 2026 from 10-11:00 a.m.   Details to follow

Readers:  Holly Tappen, Liisa

October 2.  De-Install Open Book Exhibition.  You should plan to pick up your work.  Details to Follow.

From Bree:  However, since this is a group of artists, you have the option of designing a piece of art to serve as the full cover wrap (that means the front, spine, and back) that incorporates the title and some form of credit, and then works the various writer names into it.

 Book Design and Layout

Bree will donate her time to doing final cover preparation and interior layout design for the book. Because of this the layout can be extremely flexible, with multiple images interspersed with text.

Here is some information on terms used with print books.

Recommendation on sizing:

• After doing some research on recommended sizes for image-heavy books, I recommend 8.5”x8.5” as the trim size. Because the stories are comparatively short, we can still use a larger print to make it accessible for tired eyes. The goal would for each story + images + front page + author bio to cover between 6-12 pages per writer, resulting in a book that is hopefully 100-150 pages long. That will be thick enough to make it feel solid, but still have enough room on the pages for flexible art.
• I recommend publishing the print version through IngramSpark, which will allow local bookstores to order copies, as well as allowing ACW to order copies at cost in bulk.

Costs:

There are 3 color qualities available at IngramSpark. Matte & gloss covers cost the same, and are a matter of preference. Gloss will make your colors pop more, matte can feel more professional sometimes but it also dulls the color somewhat. I would likely recommend glossy!

Standard Color: $12.27/book for 100 pages, $15.13/book for 150 pages

Premium Color: $16.72/book for 100 pages, $21.74/book for 150 pages

Ultra Premium Color: $18.31/book for 100 pages, $23.62/book for 150 pages

(I have not seen anyone say that Ultra Premium is enough of an improvement to be worth the additional cost!)

Book Distribution:
Nicole Buchholz
Director of Lifelong Learning & the Arts
Lyngblomsten  651.632.5459
nbuchholz@lyngblomsten.org
www.lyngblomsten.org

PROMPT IDEAS
1. Write a list of people or memories you might want to expand on.

2. List some funny moments or a few sentences about them.
3. Make a timeline of events and try moving them around.
4. Fear of growing older? Health worries? What’s joyful, funny, inspiring?
5. How do you feel when you walk into a nursing home or an elder’s house? Use the senses, smell, touch, taste, feel, see, hear.
6. Take something you’ve written and replace “being” verbs. She was sad. (she felt sad). They were hungry. (they needed food). She was pretty. (Her looks turned heads).
7. As I look back at the period of life I’m writing about, I now realize that..
8. Ponder where, in your account, you reveal qualities of self compassion or tenderness.
9. You can look back and laugh, but what emotions underlay your initial reaction in the scenes you’re writing about?
10. Write about how your visual illustration contributes to the reader’s understanding of your story.
11. Tell about any ways in which your response to the event or situation spurred expansion or change in you.
12. MAKE YOUR OWN.
13. Tell about any ways in which your response to the event or situation spurred expansion or change in you.