Editor's Note The In-plant Family

But that's not exactly how it went.

Fairly early in the game I realized that in-plants were not like commercial printers. They were friendlier, more tight-knit—almost like a family. What's more, after a while they accepted me into that family.

This changed my whole outlook. I began to view my articles as not just a part of the job, but as a way to give in-plants a little respect and credit for the work they had been quietly doing for years. In-plant managers became not just sources but friends whom I wanted to help out through my articles.