Yesterday afternoon, the Global Traveler editorial staff completed work on the January 2010 issue of the magazine. As usual, it was a fast and furious push to get the final approved files to the printer by deadline. That is not to say that we aren’t well organized, but it is the nature of the business that there may be last-minute changes to the layout due to the purchase of additional ad space and late-breaking news that requires changes to content. Generally, too, the editor’s and publisher’s letters are written close to deadline to allow for timely commentary.

Allow me to draw aside the veil on producing an issue of Global Traveler, from my somewhat limited perspective:

Sometime in early fall, editor in chief Lisa Matte produces the editorial calendar for the coming year. It outlines the proposed major features and destination articles, aiming to provide an interesting mix of subjects from around the world relevant to our readers. Nothing is set in stone, however, to accomodate events which may affect travelers. For example, late in November of 2008 Mumbai suffered attacks by terrorists on sites frequented by foreign visitors. Six weeks later, contributing writer Patrick Adams was in Mumbai, and his article in the February 2009 issue of Global Traveler described the city’s reaction to and recovery from the assault.

While Lisa and associate editor Jan Hecht may receive the raw text for articles well in advance of the deadline for the issue in which they will appear, most of the work on an issue occurs within the four weeks prior to the “files to printer” date. Plying their red pens, they address length and formatting issues, edit for clarity and focus and confirm facts and details. The text then passes on to art director Tracey Cullen, who fits the words and accompanying photos and graphics into the allotted space for each piece. Often, if the writer has not done so,  she must chase down images for obscure places and activities. I don’t pretend to know how she works her magic, but I am always impressed with the results!

Generally, Lisa or Jan look over the first pdf of the proposed article before it is presented to me. I then do my grammar-teacher bit on punctuation, spelling and sentence structure as well as checking for consistency in style and format (bold this, italicize that) and confirming facts, web addresses and the like. I send my list of edits to Tracey, and she then sends back an amended pdf reflecting those changes. We continue that dance until I send a final “No correx” message, and Lisa gives her final seal of approval for release to the printer. 

Most of this occurs via email, as each of us lives in a different city (and I live in an entirely different time zone). Although it may sound quite dry and isolated, we actually have established a very lively communication. While we debate style issues and confer on editorial content, we also share personal anecdotes and the occasional silly photo from our pasts. It makes for a friendly, fun and intellectually interesting working relationship that I very much treasure.

I will enjoy a bit of a lull now (and hopefully my co-workers will, too) before work begins on our February issue. I’ll spend the next week catching up on my Christmas to-do list, but I look forward to reading the next batch of articles coming my way — and yours –  soon!

— Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader