Originally Posted by MichMikeM:
Allan- That December issue is always a highlight for me as the hobby, in my opinion, is so closely linked to the Christmas holiday.
On a related note, I see you also put out the annual call for photo submissions. I'm curious how your job has changed with the growth of this forum? I imagine it makes sourcing stories and connecting with readers much easier, but I suspect it also creates a huge challenge because you don't want to simply replicate the forum in print. I'm always impressed seeing new material in a printed issue. How do you find a lot of that stuff? And along the same lines, how did you find all your stuff pre-forum? Thanks.
First off, this forum predates my association with the magazine. It was already around and ever- growing since before I joined the magazine some six years ago. I was one of the early members myself, and was living and working in Virginia at the time.
Yes, I ALWAYS have a need for more good high-res or hard print photos for all sections of the magazine, but that has been the case for those who preceded me in this job, as well.
The forum does make it easier to seek-out new contributors (even our competitors use this forum for that purpose), but there are a lot of talented hobbyists out there and we have likely just scratched the surface. Keep in mind that many in the hobby, as I've often noted before, do not actively participate on this or any other online forum, although they may stop by to read things here from time to time or even on a regular basis.
I don't have an editorial or administrative assistant to help in seeking-out, contacting, and coordinating submissions, so I have to handle that myself for the most part. However, a lot of valuable assistance of that type comes from regular contributors to this forum--folks all over the country and the world--who alert me to potential candidates for feature articles, in particular. An e-mail address or inquiry is all that's required for me to get the ball moving by sending out of Author Guidelines and Photo Tips.
I try and much prefer to use material in the magazine that has not appeared on this forum or elsewhere, simply because that is the way I choose to do things. After all, our readers deserve the most fresh material I can provide them. There have been rare exceptions to that self-imposed "policy," but it is rare.
The most disappointing thing, if one can really call it disappointing, is to see so many great photos "published" in, for example, the Weekend Photo or Sunday Scenery type threads here when those same photos could have been published in the magazine and earned the contributor $50 and a couple of comp copies of the respective issue. They would then have something to share with family and friends for a lifetime, not something that quickly fades from view and memory in just a few days, if not sooner. We all tend to seek instant gratification, I suppose, but it just makes sense that $50, or a whole lot more in the case of a full feature, makes good financial sense while simultaneously giving the person a tangible record of his or her contributions to the hobby.
We even expecting Frost tonight here IL. However, after a long winter, it is hard to think about Christmas. I only have a Christmas layout and I admit I occasionally through out the year think about what I am going to do different. Our Tree usually is in the corner allowing the most space for village. Last year I had 5 loops of track....the most I have ever set-up. 2 of loops circled the room and others circled around and within the village itself. 4 trains running on the outer loops and 1 train on each of the inner loops. I will probably do something similar this year. 
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