This weekend, the Valley lost a sharp journalist and a good man. Bill Goggins, a former editor at Wired Magazine, died while running the San Francisco Marathon this Sunday.
Goggins worked behind the scenes of Wired. In addition to editing, he composed many of Wired’s headlines, cover lines, and pull quotes. His skill earned him the highest respect of the magazine’s best writers. Contributing editor Steve Silberman says, “He used to give our features their last look, catching things everyone else had missed — I used to call Bill’s edit ‘the beauty pass.'” Silberman calls Goggins “the wit in the mix” at Wired.
Wired contributor Paul Boutin writes on his blog:
I’ll remember him most for his dryly pointed wit around the office. When Chris Anderson’s first Wired cover, “Is Japan Still the Future?” was punched up by Cond Nast’s editorial director to “Japan Rocks!” Bill protested by posting a note above his desk in the same font, “If Japan’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’.”
Wired writer Xeni Jardin calls Goggins “a kind man and a masterly editor.” Boutin praises his “meticulous yet hilarious verbal skills.” Silberman calls him “charming, witty, elegant, and wonderfully idiosyncratic.”
Anyone wishing to write (or link to) memories of Goggins here can contact tips@valleywag.com.
Bill Goggins [Paul Boutin’s blog]
In memoriam: Bill Goggins, formerly of Wired Magazine [Boing Boing]
15,000 go all out in marathon [SF Chronicle]
Photo by Joe Jarrell [Mediabistro]
READ MORE: obits, wired magazine
*Originally published at Valleywag.
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Nick Douglas writes the Silicon Valley gossip rag Valleywag. On the side, he writes Fibonacci poetry and short stories about net-saturated life.
