Don’t worry, you haven’t clicked on an old Editor’s Diary — it’s still only October!
But in the magazine world, that means we have to start planning for Christmas.
So I returned from my fabulous holiday to Shanghai and plunged right in to the get-ahead-for-Christmas schedule.
“What is that?” I hear you asking!
I’ll explain.
Every year, in order for the “Friend” team to enjoy a few days off over Christmas and New Year, we have to get ahead with the production of the magazine.
Although we plan issues and commission content many months ahead of when it will actually be published, the production process of each weekly “Friend” is completed in just five days.
It’s a weekly magazine, so we have to produce one issue a week or we’re in big trouble.
Don’t miss out
But over the festive season, the office closes for a few days. In order to ensure copies are still on sale at the expected time, we have to advance production by one day a week over a period of five weeks.
That means producing an issue in four days instead of five, which gets a bit hectic! And because of the deadlines at our printers, it starts in October.
The whole process is masterminded by Production Editor Judey, who keeps us all on track.
At the same time, we’re busy proof-reading our fabulous Christmas Special No. 183.
It goes to press later this month, and is on sale November 13. It’s our most popular Special of the year, so make sure you buy yours early or risk missing out.
That’s one of the quirks of this job — you never know the actual date, because you’re always working about six weeks ahead.
But it’s all part of the busy world of magazines!
For more from Angela’s Editor’s Diary, click the tag below.
Make sure you don’t miss our Christmas Special — click here to take out a Special subscription today.
Angela Gilchrist I am the former Editor-in-Chief of “The People’s Friend” magazine. My passions include cats, Highland ponies, good books, vegetarian food and long walks in the Scottish countryside. My favourite place to get away from it all is the magical Isle of Skye.
