Distance Makes the Writer Grow Fonder of Editors—Or, Bringing It Home with the TZ Advantage

UTC_hue4map_ATAFor millennia, members of families—blood and work—lived mostly in the same area and were impacted considerably when one of their own struck out for distant pastures. But now that we’ve become wedged in the ethereal arms of technology, distance is a snap to negotiate. Electronic devices make it almost too convenient to move all forms of documents and stay in touch, and employees need not cast off their employers simply because they must move to follow their hearts, their health, or their long-held geographically anchored dreams.

In fact, sometimes the distance is not only problem-free—it can provide a huge benefit. Content Bureau writers have come to realize the advantages of a continental jump while working with me—their out-of-town-in-a-major-way editor. Is it the image of me trotting around in my adopted 12th-century, 50-inhabitant, French hamlet that sustains them as they navigate endless rivers of Bay Area traffic?

I’m sure they toy with this vision. But I know the truth: forget the bass—it’s all about the time zones!

Our writers know that when push comes to shove, they can send me whatever they’re working on—be it white paper, eBook, speech, PowerPoint presentation—as late as they want, and when they awaken to the chirps of little blue birds with gauzy dressing gowns wedged delicately in their beaks, their edited projects will be waiting patiently in their inboxes.

The benefits to this cannot be overstated. The Content Bureau maps out projects with precision, allowing ample time for writers, editors, and graphic designers to work comfortably and creatively with clients who also need time to comment and review. But emergencies happen: Kids vomit throughout entire households. Computers commit hari-kari. And clients sometimes receive last-minute, game-changing info that calls for entire project overhauls.

And that’s when the TZ advantage provides welcome relief. With a nine-hour Time Zone difference, the Content Bureau can conceivably do three emergency turnarounds in an overnight fourteen-hour period. Yes, we’d need massages afterwards—and rush fees, for sure—but thanks to the TZ difference it can be done.

Find yourself up against a wall with a short deadline on your hands? Contact us! We might be able to make the CB TZ advantage your next greatest discovery!

By Lucy Anderton