The purpose of every yearbook should be to tell the complete story of one year at one school through words, photos and design. Your coverage plan is the framework that drives the telling of your story from your cover to the last page of the book. Make sure that plan leads you to focus on PEOPLE.
Sure, a major part of your school focuses on events that everyone will remember, like football games, homecoming and rallies, but dig deeper and focus on the people who make those events come to life. People are the heart of your school year. Find their stories that need to be told.
Think of your coverage process as a treasure hunt where we as yearbook journalists are all miners on a quest to find the hidden gold, jewels and gems of people’s stories that will never be uncovered unless we dig deep for them.
At Walsworth Yearbooks we have a multitude of coverage resources to help you uncover all the treasures of your year. Make 2020 the year you Level Up your coverage.
Resources
Yearbook Suite – “Coverage: The Heart of the Yearbook”
This one was written by me! It’s part of the Walsworth Yearbook Suite curriculum that will provide you and your staff a great foundation of yearbook information to get you started on the path to create an outstanding scholastic yearbook.
“Deciding what to cover and how to cover it in your yearbook is one of the most important decisions you will make. This unit will guide your staff through the process of mapping out coverage.”
“Structure book for better coverage” podcast
Check out all our “Ask Mike” and “Yearbook Chat with Jim” podcasts on the Walsworth Podcast Network. This episode of “Ask Mike” show how to increase your coverage by considering all the options for setting up your yearbook structure.
We have a variety of great blog posts on coverage. Here are a few that are worth a read.
“Spicy sides for your yearbook coverage.” by Gracie MacDonell
“You can add flavor to your yearbook coverage by using different ways to serve up the information.”
“Meat and potatoes are satisfying, but vegetables and fruits are essential, and appetizers and dessert are fun. When you think of how to present a story, think about a meal. Does it need a filling feature story with a sweet pull quote? Or maybe a veggie plate of charts will suffice.”
“Let your theme inspire your coverage.” By Susan Massy
“A good theme never shuts up.
While theme shows up loudest on the pages dedicated to its explanation (opening spreads) and continuation (division pages), it should not fall silent in the rest of the book. Instead, theme should delicately permeate the entire book, like a whiff of perfume that you notice only as something pleasant rather than as a distinct smell. In that regard, theme should not influence what you cover, but how you cover it.”
“Holidays, Winter Break provide plenty of coverage opportunities for yearbook staffs.” By Evan Blackwell, CJE
“The holidays and winter break are likely a time for most yearbook staffs to pause, regroup and get ready for the second semester. A week or two off to recharge is great for all involved, but it’s also good to keep in mind that this time of year is also filled with story possibilities.”
“More Kids More Coverage Per Yearbook Spread” By Mike Taylor, CJE
“How do we overcome having a yearbook spread filled with just a few individuals, even in those sports mentioned?
Here are two ways to overcome that. First, photographers need to think about the composition of their photos. Second, photographers and designers need to think about the three types of photos needed for spreads.”
Have questions on coverage? Leave a comment or drop us an email at marketingyearbooks@walsworth.com and we’ll help.
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