An Ode To Print Media
Like many other greats, 850 moves into the Digiverse
After 17 years of production as a print magazine, our business journal will be predominately online. We will remain in print as special sections inside Tallahassee Magazine and Emerald Coast Magazine, as well as an annual release in winter.
As my final letter as editor of 850 Business Magazine in its current form, I would like to thank all who have contributed to sharing ideas and quotes to this title, trusting me to tell and edit your stories. As a spinner of tales, I have always sought to find the heart in each story and provide the technical and scientific expertise enjoyed by our readers.
Though I have only been in the editor’s role at this magazine for two years, it has been my greatest pleasure to serve Northwest Florida in this capacity.
Like many writers, I am high on the spectrum of hyperphantasia, meaning I see vivid imagery inside my mind. Often sparked by a single word or phrase, I can become fully immersed in a world that only exists in my imagination, which I am compelled to put into words. This characteristic has led me to a career in writing that I cherish.
In addition to articles and editing, my novels have reached thousands of readers worldwide. I have written in science and business journals, health care and medical communications, and educational materials. I am also a teacher of mathematics, storyteller, and cancer researcher.
Each outlet carries its own challenges and rewards.
Whether fiction or nonfiction, business or lifestyle, education or pleasure, I believe that writing is the purest form of creativity. Great literary works can forge an instant connection between reader
and writer through the shared experience of an idea or story crafted from a blank page. This is why
I believe human-written stories will persist, despite the rise of artificially constructed articles and books pervading our society.
Without the human element, stories become a manufactured product with no heart. AI-produced passion is as dismal as the growth curve of print media over the last two decades. Anyone watching these trends might believe that print journalism is in its death throws, but as stated in my letter in Spring 2025, evidence suggests print is better than digital media for human cognition.
However, there are clear contractions in the market that have affected how we deliver stories to you.
This is not goodbye. We will continue to produce quality, technical articles, curated for our loyal readers, and our work will still be published online and folded into our other titles. Please continue to reach out to us with your stories and your passion projects, so we can continue to celebrate news and growth across the Panhandle and Big Bend.
Photo by Saige Roberts
