# WIFS 29 - November



## sigmadog (Nov 30, 2016)

The latest Writing Forums Newsletter is here.
This issue takes aim at the environment.
Wait! That came out wrong…
What I mean is, this issue focuses on
Environmental Literature, or Eco-Lit (that's what
all the cool hipsters call it).
So sit back, pour a cup of your favorite
sustainable, organic, non-GMO beverage, and 
enjoy your November WIFS.

*WIFS 29

*

​


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## The Fantastical (Nov 30, 2016)

But it is December?.... Isn't it?


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## sigmadog (Nov 30, 2016)

Hey, there are still a few hours left of November here in the U.S, so it's still the November issue.


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## Cran (Nov 30, 2016)

sigmadog said:


> Hey, there are still a few hours left of November here in the U.S, so it's still the November issue.


That's not the point. The issue is current through December 2016, or until the next issue is released. All journals, newspapers and magazines contain material from the time before their date or time of release, but the date or time of the issue is the read or active time.


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## sigmadog (Dec 1, 2016)

I used to receive a design magazine that was always dated two months in advance. I always felt I was staying ahead of trends that way, like I was getting tips from The Future.


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## The Fantastical (Dec 1, 2016)

sigmadog said:


> I used to receive a design magazine that was always dated two months in advance. I always felt I was staying ahead of trends that way, like I was getting tips from The Future.



Or in this case... The Past! Which is a little less exiting


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## LeeC (Dec 1, 2016)

And we wonder why no intelligent life in the universe will contact us 

On a serious note:

My sincere appreciation to all that contributed to make this newsletter so well rounded, engaging, and meaningful. Your writing skills and insights are top-notch. 

And to Sig for the exceptional job you did in presenting the material. 

And to PiP and Cran for your prodding, guidance, and oversight. May you reign long :smile:



“_What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” ~ Chris Maser_


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## aj47 (Dec 1, 2016)

Niiice!  Most excellent job; everyone involved did wonderfully.


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## Deleted member 56686 (Dec 1, 2016)

November, December, May 1954, it doesn't matter. WIF 29 is out! Time to do some reading. I'm sure I'll like it like all the other issues.


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## rcallaci (Dec 1, 2016)

I'm simply amazed that month by month the quality of this newsletter gets better and better. Simply a joy to see and read. I know how demanding and time-consuming it is to do this newsletter but  those involved need to know they are our WF heroes. The WF newsletter I believe is one of the top newsletters in internet writing community. I know it takes sacrifice and dedication to do but I urge you to keep this going side by side with that other jewel 'The Showcase'. They serve different needs and show that WF is indeed a special and outstanding writing site.

Kudos to all involved and a special thank-you to Pip and sigmadog- the newsletters heart and soul...


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## PiP (Dec 1, 2016)

Credit goes to LeeC who was EIC this month and worked tirelessly to bring all the 'green' content together. Thank you LeeC for your hard work. My thanks also goes to Sigma  - I was chewing my nails over the Haiku, and how that would all come together on one page.  *sigh* I should have known better than to worry. Amazing sigs... truly amazing!


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## Cran (Dec 1, 2016)

Lee did a great job, stepping up to the plate to chief edit this special "green" edition. Just a pity the slippery bugger managed to escape the custom chains I'd installed to stop him getting away afterwards.

Sigma, as always, choice artwork, fantastic layout and bedwork. 

Thank you both.


PiP (and her pointy stick) kept us prodded without mercy so that this issue was ready on time and on budget. <pokes tongue at PiP>

And the contributions from members and guests were top class. Luckily, I knew this before I read the magazine ... something I must get to some time soon.


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## TKent (Dec 1, 2016)

Fantastic newsletter!!


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## sigmadog (Dec 1, 2016)

Cran said:


> Sigma, as always, choice artwork, fantastic layout and *bedwork*.



I'm going to assume that is a misspelling or metaphor. That or I need to start looking for a hidden camera.

Thanks either way.


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## Cran (Dec 1, 2016)

sigmadog said:


> I'm going to assume that is a misspelling or metaphor. That or I need to start looking for a hidden camera.
> 
> Thanks either way.



In the days before digital printing, pages were laid out as plates, and the parts that go to make up a plate were "bedded in" so that they didn't slide around and make a mess of the printing - didn't always work, especially with overprints (colour on colour, for instance). Once all of the plates were ready for their print runs, we would say that the issue is "put to bed". This is when the writers, editors, and graphics teams went down to their local and drank, smoked (both kinds) and talked until either they'd spent all they could of their pay or closing time, whichever came first. 

The raw prints were very large sheets cut from even larger larger rolls of paper. Each sheet contained some multiple of the plate or plates, and when one plate set on one printer was finished, we "changed the sheets" and started on the next plate run.


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## sigmadog (Dec 1, 2016)

Cran said:


> In the days before digital printing, pages were laid out as plates, and the parts that go to make up a plate were "bedded in" so that they didn't slide around and make a mess of the printing - didn't always work, especially with overprints (colour on colour, for instance). Once all of the plates were ready for their print runs, we would say that the issue is "put to bed". This is when the writers, editors, and graphics teams went down to their local and drank, smoked (both kinds) and talked until either they'd spent all they could of their pay or closing time, whichever came first.
> 
> The raw prints were very large sheets cut from even larger larger rolls of paper. Each sheet contained some multiple of the plate or plates, and when one plate set on one printer was finished, we "changed the sheets" and started on the next plate run.



I've been in the graphic and printing industry since the early 80's and never heard the phrase. When I started out, most of our pre-press work was photographic – we were no longer dealing with lead type and such – mostly paste-ups, waxers and PMT's (Photo-Mechanical Transfers is what I think it stood for, it's been sooo long). Our type was sent out in pages with notations as to font and size, and returned as galleys that we cut up and pasted down on the layout boards along with For Position Only (FPO) images. Once everything was finalized we sent it off to the printer with marked-up overlays indicating colors, and color slides with scaled percentages and placement noted. The pre-press folks would shoot negatives of each layout and a "stripper" would place the various negative strips in place for each color plate – a very specialized skill. Then as now, good strippers were hard to find.

The industry has changed a lot in my 30+ years.


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## TKent (Dec 1, 2016)

Is this a contest to see who is oldest?? I wanna play 



sigmadog said:


> I've been in the graphic and printing industry since the early 80's and never heard the phrase. When I started out, most of our pre-press work was photographic – we were no longer dealing with lead type and such – mostly paste-ups, waxers and PMT's (Photo-Mechanical Transfers is what I think it stood for, it's been sooo long). Our type was sent out in pages with notations as to font and size, and returned as galleys that we cut up and pasted down on the layout boards along with For Position Only (FPO) images. Once everything was finalized we sent it off to the printer with marked-up overlays indicating colors, and color slides with scaled percentages and placement noted. The pre-press folks would shoot negatives of each layout and a "stripper" would place the various negative strips in place for each color plate – a very specialized skill. Then as now, good strippers were hard to find.
> 
> The industry has changed a lot in my 30+ years.


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## LeeC (Dec 2, 2016)

Well, with the desk top publishing nowadays you certainly excel *Steve*. In my last couple Twitter two step sessions I've been swamped with retweets of the NL #29 post I put up, and my DM notices keep dinging about how professional the newsletter looks. So even if it is "just another" newsletter to some here, there's a lot of people beyond that are very impressed. It caught peoples eye, and hopefully a good number clicked through. I'm obliged to you for the superior job.

Actually *Cran* I'm a bit curious if we have any spike in hits over say a week's time on the Showcase site since the newsletter was posted. I know there's more than a bit of blind Twitter two step, as I do myself with posts I'm not really interested in but retweet out of politeness, so hit numbers might be a vague indication of followers that pay attention. 

Once again, thank you to all for an outstanding team effort  The wife is hollering at me to turn out the lights and get some rest, so I guess I better sign off.


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## PiP (Dec 2, 2016)

LeeC said:


> Actually *Cran* I'm a bit curious if we have any spike in hits over say a week's time on the Showcase site since the newsletter was posted. I know there's more than a bit of blind Twitter two step, as I do myself with posts I'm not really interested in but retweet out of politeness, so hit numbers might be a vague indication of followers that pay attention.



Lee, I keep a watchful eye on the Showcase stats, as you can imagine. Fortunately, I can filter the visitors and know which URLs they originate from. aka Hootsuite, WF, FB, Pinterest or wherever so yes, I will let you know if you are talking to yourself on Twitter. Sometimes I wonder....  Thanks for all your help it IS appreciated. I just wish more of our WF members on Twitter would get behind us. I'll dig out the stats later and send you a PM.


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## WildPolitics (Dec 2, 2016)

I'm onto it PiP and LeeC, will be posting a series of tweets and facebook posts over the next week. First ones went out not more than 5 minutes ago


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## Harper J. Cole (Dec 2, 2016)

Nice work as always, gang! 8)


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## Cran (Dec 2, 2016)

sigmadog said:


> I've been in the graphic and printing industry since the early 80's and never heard the phrase. When I started out, most of our pre-press work was photographic – we were no longer dealing with lead type and such – mostly paste-ups, waxers and PMT's (Photo-Mechanical Transfers is what I think it stood for, it's been sooo long). Our type was sent out in pages with notations as to font and size, and returned as galleys that we cut up and pasted down on the layout boards along with For Position Only (FPO) images. Once everything was finalized we sent it off to the printer with marked-up overlays indicating colors, and color slides with scaled percentages and placement noted. The pre-press folks would shoot negatives of each layout and a "stripper" would place the various negative strips in place for each color plate – a very specialized skill. Then as now, good strippers were hard to find.
> 
> The industry has changed a lot in my 30+ years.


Sure has. 

I started in the late '70s at the printing end, newspapers and magazines, that's where I picked up the jargon and it stuck with me ever since. It might also be a regional difference in jargon as much as the change in technology through that period.



TKent said:


> Is this a contest to see who is oldest?? I wanna play


You're always welcome to join in our games, TK.



WildPolitics said:


> I'm onto it PiP and LeeC, will be posting a series of tweets and facebook posts over the next week. First ones went out not more than 5 minutes ago


Another Aussie! Hey! Welcome to WF. 

Must rush - have a beautiful lady waiting. Later, people.


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## Neetu (Dec 3, 2016)

This is great to curl up with over the weekend! Not that you can actually curl up with a piece made of metal parts and a keyboard, but all the same.  Lots of good stuff to read.


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## LeeC (Dec 3, 2016)

Thought you all would be interested in some external feedback. I received the following from Ron Harton of NatureWriting(dot)com. As different from WF in helping writers develop, his site publishes Nature related pieces. A lot of good pieces there as well as ideas ;-)


Thanks Leighton. It looks great! A beautiful magazine to look at as well as read. I added a link on NatureWriting in the Connections section at the bottom of the Home Page.​​I subscribed so I'll receive future issues. There's a lot of good things on many topics in the WritingForum.​​Ron​


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## PiP (Dec 3, 2016)

LeeC said:


> Thought you all would be interested in some external feedback. I received the following from Ron Harton of NatureWriting(dot)com. As different from WF in helping writers develop, his site publishes Nature related pieces. A lot of good pieces there as well as ideas ;-)
> 
> Thanks Leighton. It looks great! A beautiful magazine to look at as well as read. I added a link on NatureWriting in the Connections section at the bottom of the Home Page.​​I subscribed so I'll receive future issues. There's a lot of good things on many topics in the WritingForum.​​Ron​




Thanks Lee, 

For anyone who has not visited Ron's online magazine, NatureWriting.com, it has an amazing array of nature related content. How kind of him to include a link to WiFs 29 on his 'Connections' section. That is really supportive. Please thank him.


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