Intercom Magazine Editor Request for Proposals

Deadline for Submissions: 1 June

The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is soliciting proposals for the editorship of Intercom magazine for a one-year, renewable commitment to begin with the January 2023 issue (submitted to production by November 2022). The new editor should be an accomplished technical communication professional with magazine editing or other extensive editorial experience, and ideally is a Senior Member of STC who is conversant with and committed to the Society’s goals. A successful proposal must demonstrate both the prospective editor’s credentials and proposed financial support for editing the magazine.

About the Magazine

Intercom is a monthly membership magazine published by the Society for Technical Communication (STC). It is aimed at an audience of Society members and technical communication practitioners. The magazine’s goal is to contribute to the body of knowledge of the field of technical communication from a multidisciplinary perspective, with special emphasis on practical examples and applications of technical communication that will promote its readers’ professional development.

Intercom is currently published six times per year by the Society for Technical Communication. The magazine is also published online on STC’s website (https://www.stc.org/intercom/).

Intercom currently publishes articles and guest-edited content in five categories:

Feature Articles—1500-2000-word articles on section topics, such as: Writing & Editing; Tools of the Trade; Your Career; For Students, Managers, Consultants; Teaching & Training; International Tech Comm; Ask the Gurus; Usability; Theory & Research; Visual Design; Multimedia; Standards

Themed Articles—1500-2000-word articles on issue themes, for example: International & Global Technical Communication; Core Competencies; Writing & Editing: Fundamentals, Resources, New Trends; Document Design; Research in Technical Communication: Approaches, Models, Applications; The Business of Technical Communication

Columns—regular columns (published 2-4/year) on popular topics, such as: Ask a Tech Comm Manager, Meet the Change Agents, The Academic Conversation, Emerging Trends and Technologies, Standard Deviation, Metrics, All Access, Ethics, Student Perspectives, Communicating Globally, Trends in Usability

Society Pages—articles on Society-related topics and news

Departments—one-page backmatter content, such as My Job, Off Hours, FYI, Witful Thinking, Spotlights 

Responsibilities of the Editor

The editor works with the CEO and Board of Directors to determine the purpose of the publication. The editor will be charged with responsibility for the direction and all content of the magazine, which includes the sections listed above as well as soliciting, reviewing, and accepting manuscripts for publication, and reviewing potential contributions and managing contributing editors and columnists. The editor will also assist with promoting the magazine in collaboration with the STC staff.

The prospective editor will solicit articles, provide feedback to authors, and deliver manuscripts to STC and its vendors according to set schedules and deadlines. The editor will provide an annual report of the state of the magazine, organize and select the members of an Intercom Editorial Advisory Panel, organize and select the members of an Intercom Awards Committee, and meet as requested with the STC Board of Directors or STC CEO.

Scope of Editorial Services

  • Research and develop content for six 32- to 64-page publications, not to exceed a total of 300 pages per year. Each issue focuses on a specific theme; the editor works on several issues simultaneously.
  • Interview technical communicators and others to develop content and solicit authors. Review and edit articles in coordination with authors, ensuring that the tone and technical content is consistent and reflects the target audience’s level of knowledge.
  • Maintain editorial balance and quality to ensure content is relevant and make numerous editorial decisions.
  • Adhere to a production schedule and meet deadlines. Coordinate with STC’s staff, vendors, and graphic designers for design and printing of magazine.
  • Perform other duties as needed to produce the publication.

Proposal Submissions

Full publication proposals from prospective editors should be submitted by 1 June 2022 and should include the following:

  1. Statement of Editorial Policy. Considering the content published in Intercom in the past, describe the editorial scope and policies to be pursued under your editorship. This should be a reflective statement that serves to show familiarity with the important issues confronting technical communication and how Intercom will continue to serve the field.
  2. Statement of Required ResourcesIntercom’s editor may receive annual financial support for the magazine in the form of a stipend. STC also produces, promotes, and distributes the magazine and thus is responsible for subscriptions, marketing, and advertising. The new editor will work with STC’s staff editor to ensure the high quality of final articles. Successful RFPs will provide a description of the level of support required from STC for these editorial services.
  3. Resume/Curriculum Vitae. Please enclose a current CV/resume.

Selection Details

All proposals will be reviewed by an advisory committee comprised of STC’s CEO, Senior Members, and/or a representative sample of the Intercom Editorial Advisory Panel. The advisory committee will interview qualified candidates and make a recommendation to STC’s Board of Directors, who will make the final decision concerning appointment of the new editor.

Proposals for the editorship will be judged on several areas. The statement of editorial policy is critical, as it must reflect and understanding of the field of technical communication and the role that the journal plays in shaping the field. Each proposal must also articulate a vision for the magazine’s future. Each proposal will be evaluated in terms of the proposed editor’s qualifications, publishing experience, dedication to the Society, and overall ability to work with a diverse group of authors dedicated to editorial rigor and practical relevance.

Terms 

The new editor’s term will begin with preparations for the January 2023 issue to overlap with the 2022 editorial calendar and will continue for one year.

Submission Process 

Proposals should be sent to STC Chief Executive Officer Liz Pohland by 1 June 2022. Following discussion and consideration with the STC Board of Directors, the announcement of the editor will be made by July 2022. For more information and to submit a proposal, contact Liz Pohland at liz.pohland@stc.org or 571-366-1901.

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