Interviewing

Part of the editorial process may involve conducting interviews for the magazine. Examples of interview topics are:

• interviews with prominent people in your field
• interviews with book authors
• interviews with creators of new products or services

There is more on interviewing skills in Chapter 8.

Editing

All material which arrives for publication requires editing. Editing means reviewing and revising, where appropriate, various elements, including the following:

• Writing style (e.g. is it formal or chatty; are items written in the first person or the third person?)
• Balance of content (e.g. are differing opinions put forward; is there a mix of opinion and fact?)
• Structure of content (e.g. do items have a beginning, a middle and an end; are logical numbering systems used?)
• Length (e.g. are items too long or too short; do their length fit with other items in the same issue?)
• Clarity (e.g. are items easy to understand and follow; are concepts and issues explained simply in straightforward language?)

To edit effectively you should go through the material, considering such issues and ensuring that the style and format of the magazine as a whole is in keeping with its objectives and reasonably consistent throughout. Be careful, however, not to radically alter people’s contributions so that they simply reflect your own opinions or style of writing. Good editing is a skilled task and can make or break a publication.

Checking

• avoidance of libel
• avoidance of publication of confidential material
• avoidance of ‘embargoed’ material (material that may not be published before a particular date – usually relating to press releases)
• avoidance of copyright infringement
• accurate crediting of sources, authors and references

Proof-Reading

Proof-reading follows on from editing and is a ‘tidying-up’ stage, where such things as grammar and punctuation are checked. Some of these things may already have been checked at the editing stage, but proof-reading gives a final check on them all. This is important, not just for the sake of convention, but because grammar and punctuation are essential aids to ensuring clarity and avoiding ambiguity. Proof-reading also acts as a second-line check on additional elements, as listed below. Proof-reading is a specialist skill and trained proof-readers are worth employing if your magazine is substantial, or if it is vital that its content is correct.

Some things that proof-reading can avoid are:

• duplication of facts
• mis-spellings
• missing words
• layout inconsistencies
• typographical errors

There is more on proof-reading in Chapter 8.

Publicising

Gaining publicity for your magazine is vital, unless you have a very limited circulation to a specific interest group that is well aware of the magazine’s existence.

Some points it is worth remembering about publicity are:

• It brings your magazine to people’s attention and keeps it there
• It can be used to let people know about specific features or offers
• It can make all the difference between financial viability and insolvency

There is more on publicity in Chapter 15.

Getting Advertising

Advertising is an essential element in a commercial publication and, even in a non-commercial one, it can help to add variety and interest for your readers.

Some things to consider about advertising are:

• how to balance advertising and editorial content
• what to charge for advertising
• what policy to adopt regarding advertising that may conflict with the principles of your magazine

There is more on advertising in Chapter 9.

Briefing Production Staff

Finally, it is the job of the editorial staff to brief the production team so that it produces what is required.

Some aspects of briefing are:

• giving clear objectives
• giving adequate timescales
• communicating as necessary until the job is complete

Briefings can be carried out by having meetings, sending emails, or in other ways, but it is important that a record is kept of what is said so there is no subsequent disagreement or confusion.