Hi, Keith -
        It's been my experience that it IS like that everywhere! the problem is
that the newsletter is not #1 priority for the others as it is for you.
We all spend time on what WE think is the most important.
        Can you engage your supervisor in this? He/She is the one who should be
dealing with the slowpokes; if they work for a different supervisor,
he/she will need to work with the other supervisor(s) to help establish
timelines & compliance ...all so you aren't the bad guy all of the time.
        Do you have clear, written timelines? Are they realistic? Are the
articles requested too long, too complicated for otherwise busy staffers
to fit into their work schedules?
        One way of dealing with the slowpokes is to work up a little sketch of
what you will publish in their space if they don't come up with their
articles. The director of the zoo I work (freelance) with was always
late with his articles (which, of course, HAD to be in every issue); his
section was entitled "Director's Log", so i drew a real log and
threatened to publish that sketch in his spot if he didn't get his
article in. The articles were more timely after that - at least it
helped, and the bit of humor took the edge off of my temper.
        Have some generic backup articles or larger illustrations ready to fill
a spot and go with that...maybe if someone doesn't get their work
published, they'll realize that they are missing deadlines.
        if the problem continues, you will need to question the newsletter
project altogether. If the whole staff isn't committed, you are banging
your head against a brick wall and will be endlessly frustrated.
        Good luck!

Been there,
Gail
--
Gail W. Guth
Guth Illustration & Design
139 Lathrop Avenue
Battle Creek, MI  49014-5076
616/963-1311  FAX: 616/969-0652
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"Cave ab homine unius libri"....("Beware the man of one book.")....Anon.