Contributed by:
Kristin Morin/YourHub.com
Article Contributed on: 3/25/2009 12:43:33 PM
When writing my page 2 columns every week for the print edition, I often draw inspiration from things happening in my life, events going on locally and around the world or things our readers need to know.
Like all writers, however, I occasionally get writer's block. That incredibly annoying lapse in creative juices that leaves me staring at the blank computer screen with nothing but the echoing chirping of crickets in my apparently empty and cavernous head.
So this week, I decided to do a little experiment. I didn't tell him why, but I asked my deskmate,
Simon, to say a word, any word. I decided to write my column about whatever he said and make it relevant to
YourHub.com.
He said, "design."
I was hoping for something a little more exciting like "kumquat" or "tartar control," but it's my challenge to myself, so here we go.
Relating design to YourHub.com really isn't difficult, since it's part of our daily work. But, as non-thrilling as talking about design might be, it is a good opportunity to let readers know about our timeline.
I often get calls about how to get stories or events in our print edition. Many times, there is a problem, because their work is time sensitive and we've already designed the week's papers.
So here is how to give yourself the best chance to be considered for print.
Yes, we are delivered on Thursdays, but we send our papers to the printing press on Tuesdays.
The size of our papers depends on advertising sales. We find out how many pages are in each section on Fridays and decide what stories will fit in the paper. Since we do all our own layout, Fridays and Mondays are dedicated to design. Our calendars are actually designed before this on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
This means, we're almost always working one week in advance. The best thing for you to do then, is post stories and events at least two weeks in advance (or as soon as possible for follow-up stories) so we can consider your work for print in a timely fashion.
Tada! A boring, but informative, column about "design."
The more I'm thinking about this though, the more I like the idea.
I'm asking you readers to help me out. Write me a word, any word (with a PG-13 or cleaner rating, please), in the comments section below and I'll pick one (maybe more if I'm really clever) to use in my column next week.