Once again, thanks to our talented writers, we have a (to corn a phrase) "crackerjack" issue. Recently, I've had very little of the washing of bottles to do, primarily because of some new editing tools which make the lives of Don and myself so much easier.
We're getting mean, too. Used to be we'd just take whatever we were sent and print it. Then we started rejecting. Now, when we get something that has the potential to be something special, we bounce it back to writer with some suggestions. The writer doesn't even have to follow our suggestions, but sometimes they send him on a course to tighten up, expand, clarify, or just make it better.
And that is great, because it is a four-fold blessing. The writer gets to hone his skills, the editors get to edit, nurture, and improve, the magazine gets a brighter reputation, and more than anything else, you the reader get a better story. We all win. This is not only mondo cool, it is fun and a refreshment to the soul.
Jerry. The Semi-Retired Bottle Washer