Managing Editor, Dori Kleber, Signs Off

Managing Editor, Dori Kleber, Signs Off

With sadness and excitement, I’m ending my tenure as managing editor of our semi-annual newsletter, the Southern Breeze News.

Sadness, because it’s been rewarding to see the quality of work our members produce for SBN, and to help bring that work together into a publication that delivers value to our membership. Over the few years I’ve worked on the newsletter, first as a copyeditor and then as managing editor, I’ve watched SBN become a highly polished and professional publication, visibly stunning thanks to our art director, Prescott Hill. I’ve also seen it expand to include more point-of-view responses to conferences and events, as well as book reviews. More of you are contributing to the newsletter, and I hope more of you are benefiting from the added content.

Nevertheless, I am excited to go, because I’m leaving this job to prepare for the release of my first book, which is due out next May. I’m not sure exactly what to expect, but I imagine I’ll need all the spare time I can find.

My departure means there’s an opportunity for someone new to step into the managing editor role. The ideal person would probably have a journalism background, but the most critical skills needed are organization and attention to detail. I’ve often described the job as “keeping the trains running on time” – making sure everything happens in accordance with the production schedule and nothing slips through the cracks.

The managing editor recruits writers, giving them ample lead time to conduct interviews and write their articles. She coaches the writers as needed, gathers and reviews submissions, and makes sure everything is edited before giving it to Prescott to work his magic on the design and layout. Finally, she works with a team of volunteer proofreaders to ensure the text is accurate and error-free.

If you’d like to become our next managing editor, contact Claudia Pearson for more details.

Big thanks to everyone who has contributed to SBN, whether through writing, illustration, or simple encouragement. Together, we make our newsletter – and our region – something amazing.

- Dori Kleber