The editors have to keep juggling their desire for perfection with their consideration for the team
When the editorial team comes in on a closing day, we arrive with two goals: putting out a great magazine and getting the staff home at a reasonable time.
“Reasonable” is relative, of course. The closing process is long and detailed, and our workday stretches long past typical business hours. By the time every page has been approved by the printers (this magazine is printed in multiple locations by several different printing companies, so that’s a lot of approvals), the traffic in the streets below has eased, people are scurrying to and from the wedding halls near the office, and our little ones are already in bed.
On a week where there is breaking news such as the petirah of a gadol, some sort of tragedy or disaster, or l’havdil an important election or government shakeup, the long day becomes longer. Our staff gears up for a late night, making new plans for child care or supper or simchahs. That’s part of the job, and we’re blessed with a team that meets the challenge with understanding and grace.
But on a regular week, even without breaking news, closing days always bring an extra drive for quality. Somehow the adrenaline of that truly final deadline heightens our perception — everything feels sharper and clearer, unseen mistakes jump at us with new clarity — and we grab that last chance to tweak and fix and perfect.
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