Here I am sittin’
on this stump. There’s a rabbit!
I bet he won’t jump.
I cannot find it,
That very first violet
Seen from my window.
NaHaiWriMo #25 (trader/merchant).
Six cows are grazing;
The seventh stands near a fence,
Staring into space.
Occasionally I visit the NaHaiWriMo Facebook page to see what’s happening, who’s the prompter (this month it’s RANDALL HERMAN), and what kind of daily writing themes they’re exploring.
The problem is once I read the theme, I can’t help doing a comic about it. .
The prompt for August 22 was penumbra (“during the eclipse it is the shadow on either side of the path of totality”).
Make up your mind, Snail!
You are half inside your house,
And halfway out!
In the silent forest
A woodpecker hammers at
The sound of silence.
#Haiku by Richard Wright (Haiku: This Other World), cartoon by Old Pond Comics.
If you’re a Haiku Canada member you’re familiar with trifolds since there are usually one or two included with the Haiku Canada Review.
A few years back, Michael Dylan Welch started creating his own trifolds to share his haiku with attendees at conferences.
Today, trifolds are one of the most popular freebies at haiku conferences. They’re made of one sheet of paper printed double sided, and folded like a brochure.
Letting Go: haiku & haiga (interior), by Naia
When designing a trifold, pay attention to the cover since it’s the first thing people will see. Make sure the cover has an attractive picture, a title, your name.
Letting Go: haiku & haiga (cover), by Naia
The back of the trifold usually holds bio-bibliographical and contact information.
A Common Touch (back), by Michael Dylan Welch
You can create a trifold using the theme of the conference.
Autumn Haiku, by Barbara Hay ; Autumn Madness, by Beverly Acuff Momoi ( HNA 2015)
Since trifolds are one of the most popular format, you’ll have to make sure your trifold stands out. Here are some examples of creative trifolds.
Zigzag
Here’s a trifold (by Dianne Garcia) folded in a zigzag. It’s printed on one side only. What’s great about the zigzag fold is that the trifold can stand on a table.
Trifold, by Dianne Garcia
Four-folds
Randy Brooks created a narrow four-folds brochure for HNA 2015.
Haiku with legs (cover), by Randy Brooks (HNA 2015)
Haiku with legs (interior), by Randy Brooks (HNA 2015)
Cut-out
Michael Dylan Welch always have amazing trifolds that he gives away at each haiku conference. On his website Graceguts, you’ll find the files available to download for personal use.
I especially enjoy A Common Touch with its original cut-out triangle.
A Common Touch (cover), by Michael Dylan Welch
A Common Touch (interior), by Michael Dylan Welch
If you haven’t decided what to bring at the next haiku conference, trifolds are an excellent choice since they can be done quickly, and printed at home.
You’ll find brochures templates in most software like Word, InDesign. Insert your haiku, and voilà.
HNA 2017 recently announced the number of registered attendees have reached 200. Prepare to make at least 200 copies of your brochures (which could cost around $75). If you have them done at the print shop, they can even fold them for you.
Is your freebie ready for HNA and Seabeck? Are you bringing a bookmark, postcard, trifold, something else?
Whether you’re a haiku poet, photographer or haiga artist, postcards are amazing promotional items to bring to a conference.
Format
The most common postcard sizes are:
Templates
You’ll find templates in many software like Word, Publisher, InDesign. Many printers offer templates on their website.
Cost
Postcards can be expensive to print. However, the more you print, the less it costs per unit.
At my local print shop you can get 20 postcards for $15 or 100 postcards for $35. If you want something printed on the back, there’s an extra $10 fee. Shop around to find the best deals.
Make sure to order early as delivery can take some time.
Postcards
If you’re considering making postcards for your next conference, here are some examples to get you inspired.
Postcard by Frank Carey (HNA 2015)
Postcard by Joyce Clement (HNA 2015)
Postcard by Bill Deegan (HNA 2015)
Postcard by Stevie Strang
Art postcards
This beautiful reversible postcard, handmade by Julie Bloss Kelsey, is one of my favorite freebies of all time.
It has everything I like: great haiku, nice paper, good handwriting, 3D objects. Well done!
Reversible postcard (front) by Julie Bloss Kelsey (HNA 2015)
Reversible postcard (back) by Julie Bloss Kelsey (HNA 2015)
Book postcards
If you’ve published a book, a postcard is an excellent promotional tool. I like this simple postcard by Roberta Beary because it promotes her book The Unworn Necklace simply using a beautiful photo and haiku, instead of the usual book cover, making it a beautiful keepsake.
Postcard by Roberta Beary (HNA 2015)
Photo postcards
These two postcards are actually 4×6 photographs printed via Shutterfly. On the back, photographer David Giacalone printed his contact information.
Photo postcard by David Giacalone. (HNA 2015)
Photo postcard by David Giacalone. (HNA 2015)
Souvenir postcards
At HNA 2015, Terry Ann Carter performed her beautiful Chiyo-ni tribute and distributed these postcards to commemorate her unforgettable performance.
Do-it-yourself postcards
If you’re short on time, or are budget-conscious, you can also print postcards on cardstock at home. Just be prepared to spend lots of time cutting them. In this example, Claude Rodrigue also added a touch of color by hand.
Whatever style you chose, make sure to order your postcards early if you want to receive them before the conference.
Did you ever a produce a postcard for a conference? Are you considering creating one? Share your tips.
Postcards not for you? Try a bookmark.
My next post will be about trifolds.
