I am now in the last week prior to publishing the Aug 2010 Issue 173, which means intense activity to finalize the editorials, research updates, book reviews, short features and brief takes, as well as the advertising, which pays for everything these days.
Of course, it is always at the last minute that the most up-to-date material is finalized. Stressful or what? Talk about priorities!! It is an impossibility to decide what to do first and next and after that. Just a question of keeping one's nose to the grindstone until the one moment of respite when the Issue is published and it all starts all over again.
As with the entire online universe, the exponential rise in emails and online information has rocketed steadily throughout the first decade of the 21st century. This has facilitated later deadlines and contributors and staff (and me) working from home; however there was probably a greater sense of cohesion and camaraderie when everyone worked in one office.
But it is impossible to go backwards regarding technology. Our workforce is totally and genuinely international: our web developers are in Inda, our designer lives in Somerset, our advertising sales person lives in Portsmouth. The authors for PH Online are, and have always been from every continent on the planet. And, with the wonders of Skype, broadband, even social networking sites, it is possible to stay in touch and publish 12 issues of PH Online.
Will I survive 17 years? Check this space!
