I find the emphasis you place on 'product' rather disturbing. 'Creative' product sounds like an oxymoron (although there are many creative enterprises that DO manage to stick to a schedule, at least most of the time.) If it didn't cost the volunteer-staffed magazines (or your employer) any money to delay things, they might be less punctual. And I'll bet none of your volunteer-staffed print magazines has people scattered across three countries and even more time zones. We don't have coordination meetings -- it would be tough to set a time when everybody would be awake and available to visit the chatroom.
Well, don't get hung up on the word 'product'. I myself am not a big fan of calling magazines products instead of magazines, but there is a logic to the 'everything is a product' line of reasoning that the suits use.
A sermon or service in a church can be considered a product, one which the parishioners frequently 'donate' to receive, from a certain line of thinking. The ultimate goal of almost every writer is to be paid to write professionally. At that point, your 'creative' work is a product, which consumers buy. At least, the IRS (or whatever the Canadian equivalent) will consider it such. In Aphelion's case, the 'consuming' is reading, for free, but you still vie for their time and attention to get them to do so.
Maybe YOU should start a zine. I'm sure it would come out on time, every month, if nothing else.
It's been discussed. However, Dan has talked about Aphelion costing about $1000 per year to operate. Any extra grand I scratch up puts clothes on my kids' backs or gets set aside with the rest of the pitifully small amount I have for eventual retirement.
Moreover, it would be morally wrong for me to do so. Creation of a new zine would compete in the marketplace for resources
against Aphelion. Resources in this case would be the writers who contribute to Aphelion, as well as the attention of the readership. Since Aphelion is what I'm trying to help safeguard, stealing the writers and readers seems a pretty rotten way to do it.
Or, hey, Jeff was sort of supposed to be in charge of cracking the whip to get people to conform to deadlines -- maybe you could take over THAT job (I have never received an e-mail or lettercol Private Message asking where the hell the stories are). No reading of slush required -- just an eye on the calendar and enough time to badger -- er, remind -- people about deadlines. Jeff, Dan -- what do you think? Would it help us to have a calendar-conscious person keeping us on track?
If someone wants me to do that, sure, I can swing it. I do make a living by planning work and not by being everybody's friend. (Though it is pretty friendly at work.) However, I have to say that there seems to be a simple solution:
publish whether or not people are ready. If Jeff, hypothetically, doesn't have the serials ready, just put a line in the zine that they were not submitted in time and leave them out that month. If Jeff (again,
hypothetically) cares enough about the job, he'll be on time for the next issue. If a person routinely can't hit deadlines, well, then it's pretty obvious who needs to be replaced.
I'd also that add it
looks like there is a clear need for someone to be able to do Rob Wynne's bit when he's not able, if there isn't already. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed that this issue was held up by lack of a cover and folder, and not Dan as he himself claimed. If this really was the case, it seems silly to hold up a magazine because the person who makes the cover and a new folder is on vacation. I believe folder creation is easy with Moderator status, according to the help file, and (speaking
without knowing the actual process) the cover looks like quick work with some photoshop and web tools, since NASA provides the artwork for free. Everyone knew Bill's part 2 was going to be running, and Robert had his posted by the 22nd, and Iain by the 23rd. That's all the stories to pick names for the cover from, although the cover for this issue works fine without names. I think Dan had his page made (without the updated link to Bill's story) around the same time. Bill's story was there, what, the 3rd?, but not formatted correctly. Public date was a week later, I believe. (Hey, it's not my fault none of these pages are hidden. Anyone can see the next issue if they look in the right place.)
I don't like blame. I'd rather fix a problem than blame someone, but this seems like something that needs fixing. In any small creative organization, everybody has got to be able to double-up on jobs and fill in.
If it's true that only Rob can flip the issue, then that's a big weakness. What if he got hit by a bus tomorrow? (While I do actually know a number of bus drivers, they don't seem the type to go that far to make a hit. :))
Nothing personal against Rob, or Dan, for that matter. If I'm wrong, then I apologize completely to both of them, and their families, and shall undertake never to utter such statements ever again.
(BTW, howcum it's bitching when I complain ONCE about your complaints? What does that make your complaints (repeated multiple times over the past six months or so)? 'Whingeing'?)
Robert 'I do NOT bitch' (stamps foot and pouts) M.
I had to look up 'whingeing', but fine, if you want to call it that.
Actually, I was referring to your message
complaining that no one had posted and we all should if we wanted an issue to come out in February, and not your distaste for my post.
Nate