Job Description - Editor, The Echo magazine

The main responsibilities of the editor are:

Commission articles for The Echo, in collaboration with the ASD chair.
Seek advertising
Chase contributors
Edit and proof articles
Seek photos and graphics for accompanying articles
Send finalised content to our graphic designer

Some articles follow a formula (such as our Mini-Profiles and Favourite Things, so just require finding a respondent each issue); whereas others require developing original ideas and finding the best person to write the piece. The Echo tries to distinguish itself from other trade publications by trying to avoid focusing too much on equipment used, but looking more at process, art, business, and then perhaps at why and how certain equipment might be used. The Echo tends to contain less time-sensitive information, and hopefully consistutes a resource that members may want to keep and refer to in the future. (Our online monthly e-newsletter, The Herald, distributes time-senstivie information, and has a more equipment focused outlook, detailing product releases and updates).

We aim to publish 2 issues per year, with each issue taking approximately 6 months to produce:

Publication date minus 2 weeks: finished PDF to Premier Print for print and distribution
Publication date minus 4 weeks: all copy to Andrew Sidford for layout.
Publication date minus 6 weeks: finished articles require proofing
Publication date minus 8 weeks: 1st draft articles require editing. Mini-profiles commissioned.
Publication date minus 6 months: plan issue and commission articles

We pay writers (but not interviewees) 20p per commissioned word for their contributions, which works out at £400 for a 2000 word feature.

The editor is a paid job, with a salary to be negotiated in relation to the time you have available to do it. The ideal candidate should have a good knowledge of theatre sound practise, people and equipment, so as to be able to adequately edit and proof articles.

An example of how we co-ordinate the publication of an issue is here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cPLpAsQPFXe6tVgxhANwLRWqV_rgZuUij06vBZyUoXs/edit?usp=sharing

Back issues of the The Echo can be viewed here: http://www.associationofsounddesigners.com/echoarchive

If you're interested in applying for this role, please email us as admin@associationofsounddesigners.com