| How do editors budget their time to ensure that | | | | major story written in a couple of hours? But |
| all deadlines get met and the publication comes | | | | don't allow deadlines to be broken in the first |
| out when it should? | | | | place. And always have backup material. |
| I am a former editor, chief sub-editor, sports | | | | There will be deadlines which have to be met and |
| editor, news editor, chief of reporting staff, | | | | deadlines which are set for those who are unable |
| publisher etc of various magazines and | | | | to meet deadlines. Telling a writer "You are too |
| newspapers, and the prime technique I have seen | | | | late; we may use it next issue," usually works at |
| is to ensure that the person outsiders are happy | | | | least for a while. |
| to deal with as the senior person is not the one | | | | The most difficult situation is when you are editor |
| who has responsibility for production and meeting | | | | publisher/owner and the only staff writer on a |
| deadlines. | | | | weekly newspaper. To help overcome that I had |
| Hence the many terms - managing editor, | | | | two offices - the second one with entrances |
| production editor, senior editor, editor in chief, and | | | | from back and front of the building. |
| the sometimes junior position of just plain editor. | | | | For the editor to have a second desk in the main |
| Then of course there are the positions which | | | | editorial production area was another trick I |
| relate to the actual job being done, so, while I | | | | learned from the editor of a major daily and it |
| have been night editor on a morning newspaper, I | | | | can be easier to work in a busy, noisy office than |
| was that for several hours on certain nights only. | | | | in the quiet of the management offices where |
| Thus, the main technique is to not have the | | | | receptionists are loathe to tell anyone that you |
| person responsible for deadlines being in a position | | | | are in, but can't see anyone. When I was at my |
| to have time stolen. This can be just as important | | | | desk in the main open office they could look in |
| for a small publication as for a large one. | | | | my other office and truthfully say "he's not in his |
| When someone gets through those barriers, what | | | | office". |
| is the next protection? As a normally quiet | | | | On another paper, a long time ago, one of the |
| person, I have found shouting quite effective. | | | | linotype operators was infallible in knowing when I |
| Plan for disasters, then only the details are | | | | was in their area for a legitimate reason or when |
| "unforeseen". For example, on the production side, | | | | to say "Who are you hiding from?" |
| know who you can call at another newspaper or | | | | I love Douglas Adams' comment (you know the |
| printer to say -- "I need our paper printed | | | | one: "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound |
| tonight". | | | | they make as they fly by"), but unfortunately it |
| When someone else misses a deadline, you need | | | | doesn't work. |
| to know which writers you can ask to get a | | | | |