All Change...
There's so much going on, I barely know where to start.
So the sad news first; just when we were all starting to get over the departure of Natalie from the site (will we ever, really?), we're now saying goodbye to everyone's favourite Assistant editor, Lil. Lil has had a number of health problems over recent months, and we were all deeply saddened when she let us know last week that she was standing down as our Poetry and Fiction Editor. I know it was a job she adored, and after two years of her pressing the wrong buttons we're all going to miss her terribly. She sends her love to you all, particularly to all the great writers who have kept her laughing and crying for so long. Terran, a long-standing friend of The Post, has kindly offered to step in for the time being, but we are looking for someone to take on the role full-time. Applications, as ever, to the Post Team email address below.
Back in 2005, The Post decided to move from publishing weekly to fortnightly on a 'temporary' basis. Over four years on, and we're still on that cycle.
But no more! We've decided to go back to producing an issue every Monday.
This will get us back in step with h2g2's Front Page, which changes every week. Each issue will be considerably smaller, and we'll be selecting articles for publication in each issue rather than just running most of the work that's sent in (our editorial policies won't change, incidentally, but it does mean that if you send something in one week, you won't necessarily see it in the next issue). It will mean no more deadlines - great news for the tardier writers among you1. It will mean we can put more of your work on the Front Page. And for us, it means that our work will be more spread out rather than everything happening in the few days just before publication.
We're going to have to work in a different way and there are bound to be teething problems, so we'd be grateful if you'd bear with us while we get to grips with how it's all going to fit together. And don't forget to have a natter about the new format over at the Post Readers' Forum, linked to from below.
One request: to make submissions clearer and to ensure we know what every column is about at a glance, could all our contributors please make sure you put the title of your column in the subject field of your email? This would be extremely helpful in the coming weeks.
I'm also hugely grateful to B'Elana for her work in putting together an AV clip to accompany the h2g2 Photographers' Newsletter article. It's a great clip, and a fitting start to the new column (written, incidentally, by the Photographers' new Moderator, Aurora). Thanks also to 2legs for coming up with some music to accompany it, literally at the eleventh hour!
We also have a winner in the long-running Stretcher competition, and I'm pleased to reveal that the winner's identity is... in the final column below.
The first issue of the new weekly Post will be on Monday 5th October 2009 - until then, enjoy this cracking issue!
Rich
