We don’t usually toot our own horn here at Rough Draft, but I’m making an exception in this case. Earlier this week, our daily newsletter won the 2024 Publisher Newsletter Award for “Best Local & Community Newsletter.”
The award is not only a testament to the hard work our team has put into creating the Rough Draft newsletter but also to our readers and subscribers – more than 50,000 of you! – who faithfully read it every morning.
Two of our other newsletters – Sketchbook curated by Isadora Pennington and Side Dish curated by Beth McKibben – also made the 2024 shortlist in their categories at the awards.
Along with my duties editing the print issues of Atlanta Intown and the Reporters, I co-edit the daily newsletter with my indispensable associate editor, Sammie Purcell. Newsletter copy editor Julie E. Bloemeke makes sure we haven’t misspelled anyone’s name or included a broken link to a news story.
Putting together a daily newsletter is more than just a cut-and-paste job. While you’re reading the newsletter that arrives in your inbox at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, we’re already planning the next day’s content. While we’ve already selected feature stories, the news cycle usually means updates through the evening and just before we hit send.
During Atlanta’s recent water crisis, I was up at 5 a.m. making updates and even writing new stories to keep the newsletter as timely and relevant as possible.
I’m approaching my 40th anniversary as a print journalist and I’ve been at the helm of Atlanta Intown since 2002. I still marvel every day that I’ve been able to sustain a career in journalism for this long. I think part of my staying power has been the ability to adapt.
When our publisher Keith Pepper bought us during the pandemic, I was uncertain just how many of you would want to get another email in your inbox. As I watched the subscriber count tick up and got notes and comments about how Rough Draft is your main source of local news each day, I became a believer.
Knowing that you’re sitting down with your cup of coffee and spending a few minutes to catch up on all things ATL is what keeps me motivated. If you haven’t subscribed to Rough Draft or one of our other titles, visit roughdraftatlanta.com/newsletters.