A new marketing intern joined us this week at Tucker Publishing Group. Welcome, Cole Schafer! During his interview, Cole had a great question: “How do you manage all the details? Who keeps up with everything?”
It occurred to me, as I talked through our processes, that the methods “for keeping up with the details” of publications have changed little since I served as editor of the Western Kentucky University Talisman yearbook in 1984-85. Then, I used folders to keep together every detail for a story. In a story about the history of WKU’s “Big Red,” for example, every note, phone number, and scrap of paper went into a folder. That folder was managed by the features editor, who would work with the writer on all the details.
Today it is much the same, but we are aided by technology. Our folders exist on our server — a folder for each magazine, each issue, each section, and each story. Into those folders go all the details: notes, photographs, cutlines, story drafts, and the final story, marked with an “F” for “final.” Just like my old yearbook days, it is people who manage the folders. Managing Editor Nathan Blackford, Creative Director Heather Gray, and Staff Writer Emily Patton each manage specific aspects of the folders. Emily, in addition to story details, keeps up with all the specifics for the Guide event calendar, along with Marketing Manager Katelyn Phillips. Heather, and Art Director Hannah Jay, keep tabs on photography and art.
Advertising, too, has many details to manage. Graphic Artist Julie Hope keeps up with the logos, copy, and photos relating to the ads she is creating — all stored in the relevant folder on the server.
It takes quite a few people — look at the “masthead” of our magazines where staff members and titles are listed — to produce city magazines. And the details certainly are important.
