[ZuluHotel]

Hi Boys:

Zach Harvey here. I'll ignore the whole idea that I'm a piss-poor editor--though the verdict's still out on that--but would add that until you'veput together nearly 250 consecutive issues of a mag, rain or shine, flu, funerals, weddings or even moving into a new house), you might tread a little lightly--especially when you're typing with your middle finger from the anonymity of you living room. What I can tell you is that there are three main forces at work, especially in this week's issue.

The first, most major and most confusing factor is that this issue (#3, dated Thursday, Jan. 18) had our annual free-standing special issur stapled into the regular issue. This annual we put out is printed ahead of time due to our printing process, and is subsequently stapled into issue #3--the most effective means of getting it out to subscribers). Thus there are two page 15s two page 5s and so forth. Simplify the process and just pull the insert issue out. It will be like a normal issue.

Second: The Reports Section used to run at the back of the book because the entire mag was printed in one run. It was all black and white then. The advent of color layouts, which are pretty useful for overall look and say, articles about plug color or reading offshore eddies, meant that the feature (outside) section had to be printed on a separate press run. The only way to allow lasat-minute insertion of the black-and-white reports in the eleventh hour (Monday 5 a.m., reports due Sunday night by 3 a.m.) was to print the reports as a separate run and staple into the center fold. I don't love the arrangement either, because the continuations are a pain sometimes to follow. On the other hand, I wouldn't give up color layouts, nor would I push back the Reports deadline, making information way outdated.

Third: Running longer, more comprehensive articles means--to the chagrin of every editor--the possibility of continuations. I have the option of running 500- to 700-word little snippit articles which lay out nicely in one neat page sequence, but I've always felt providing slightly longer, more detailed, better illustrated (photo, sidebar or illustration-wise) pieces was doing a better service to my readers. An awful lot of mags these days are starting to look like what Barry Gibson recently called "Maxim," crossbred with "Highlights For Children." A lot of the stuff in many mags (not just fishing) is so brief and so choppy a la the video game generation that it's hardly worth reading anyway.

Sorry for the confusing issue. There are a number of very good articles in #3, and if you can get past the irritating pagination, there's some good info I think. And by the way, I was not pleased to see a cod editorioal I wrote cut into three pieces, but that's life.

And to my friends Dave, Joe and Andy who backed me up here, I appreciate it. As many hours and as much anguish as I endure trying to put together a good issue every week, I tend to take the potshots pretty personally. Must be winter. Maybe we should all brave it and go cod fishing.

AND TO ANYONE ELSE STILL READING THIS LITTLE DIATRIBE:

You're all welcome to fire away withany suggestions--topics you'd like to see addressed, comments about layouts, gripes with the piss-poor editor--or better still, why don't you have a crack at writing an article or two. I'll be happy to send submission guidelines or talk to any one of you. You can get me by e-mail (zharvey@thefisherman.com) or give me a call at the office in Mystic (860-572-0564). It may take a bit to get response as I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger, but I would like to hear from you.

Come talk to me in person at one of the shows, introduce yourself, and let's chat about something good. There's something reassuring about knowing guys by face, not just anonynous rantings.

Best to all,

Zach Harvey,
Managing (barely at points) Editor,
Contributing Writer, Offshore Columnist,
Part-Time Receptionist, Illustrator, Photographer, Memo-Writer,
Promotions Coordinator, Budget Manager, Trade-Show Guy, Dishwasher, and occasional delivery guy.

The Fisherman, New England Edition