Blog #18: The Product

Last year's Editor-in-Chief used to turn to me at random times and give me words of advice, something that happened more and more often as the year drew to a close.

"I want to pass on all of the knowledge I can to you before I leave," she would say. "I don't want this to be for nothing. We won't get an award this year, and we may not get an award next year, but the year that we do -- well, we can say that we were sort of the 'Founding Fathers' of that book. We contributed to it, too. We want to make sure that this book only gets better until we reach that point."

Now that this book is wrapping up, I'm realizing exactly how she felt. I have recently been doing the same exact thing, randomly spitting out words of wisdom to whichever Junior will listen. It has gotten to the point where I have actually started to write down my words of advice to next year's Editor-in-Chief.

It started out as a few tips, random solutions to problems as I stumbled upon them. But the list has been growing. And growing. Now it's three pages long, and has 36 (rather lengthy) bits of advice. How to work better with your editors, strategies for getting pages in on time, strategies for getting your staff to work with you. I have the full document on my computer, and if you would like I can send it to you, or show you tomorrow (Friday) during research check. It does, however, have some personal stuff on it. Here's some previews:

9) For every recommendation you give, give at least one commendation. The more, the better.

15) After every deadline, check in with the other editors. Ask, “What could go better? What can you/I do to make this run more smoothly/make you feel more comfortable?”

17) Keep up the listography, or something like it. If there is only one thing you are organized about, this is it. Embrace your inner obsessive-compulsive here.

32) Seek inspiration. Have an inspiration folder. Encourage junior designers to have inspiration folders as well.

The other product I will be contributing, besides this advice, is the yearbook itself. The book improves every year, and I can say with confidence that this year is no exception.

I feel fulfilled in the knowledge that in twenty years, my classmates will consult the book I facilitated to take a trip down memory lane.