Should you launch your magazine independently or with a publisher?
By Bob Schustedt

Steve Cooper, in an Entrepreneur magazine article titled “Mags to Riches”  found in the June 2006 issue, writes, “People love magazines.  They’re personal, visually appealing, offer a unique voice and address subjects of individual interest.  Research institute MRI reports that 84 percent of adults read magazines.  Plus, magazines are an incredibly lucrative cash business once yours is profitable.  According to Husni (chair of the journalism department at the University of Mississippi), average profit margins for magazine businesses range from 10 percent to 30 percent.” 

Arianna Huffington shares insights about magazine media in an article leading up to her speaking engagement at the annual conference of the American Society of Magazine Editors in New York.

With magazine subscriptions and newsstand sales going south, and more and more readers turning to the Internet as their primary source of news, opinion, information, and entertainment, this is more than a theoretical debate.

The number one rule of being successful in the world of publicity
(or in just about any other field, for that matter): Don't
sabotage your efforts with dumb -- and easily correctable --
mistakes. Here then are the dumb things that publicity seekers
do. Avoid them, and you'll be well on your way to scoring great
coverage!

It’s the dirty word that creeps in the way of some of our most brilliant shots. The perfect suit making the deal at the Commodities Exchange, Shamu midair or your moment of glory holding an Oscar or Emmy– only to find out: infringement! Most of us are game, sure we’ll play by the rules – but just what are those rules exactly and where exactly can you find them? After hours, days and weeks it only leads to finding out it’s a never-ending battle and search. Despite this little world of the web, there’s yet to be a concise place where you can fill your brain with the rights and wrongs. It’s forever changing, and this article may become out of date by the time it’s published, but before time's up we’ll work to fill in some blanks – so read quickly before this expires.

Washington Gardener Magazine

Startup Case Study

Editor & Publisher Kathy Jentz magazine startup Q & A. 

After working for 15 years in association publishing (both trade and professional organizations), I was looking for an opportunity to strike out on my own. In my previous jobs, I had revamped a few magazines, launched several newsletters (both print and online), and oversaw web site designs.

Cooking with Paula Deen

Like the lady herself, Cooking with Paula Deen is not at all run-of-the-mill.The magazine combines the refinement of a lifestyle magazine with the delicious recipes, Southern hospitality and spunky personality of Paula Deen.

Due to arrive on newsstands in mid-November, this bi-monthly magazine focuses on restaurateur, author and TV personality Paula Deen, her lifestyle and her sought-after recipes.Paula never meets a stranger and her warm and unaffected manner will have readers feeling like they’ve known her all their lives.

Are you ready to print your magazine?  For new publishers not familiar with magazine printers and the mammoth iron presses used in commercial print operations we hope this overview and photo tour helps to spark some creative ideas and/or questions for you to discuss as you plan and interact with your magazine printing vendor.

All this talk of rate cases and postal reform is a reminder that budgeting is just around the corner. To make that task easier, you should have a budget model ready so that you can input the data as soon as it is available. Another advantage is to be able to input new rates if necessary and even compare the old and the new.

As a new publication, there are several things you will want to do in order to establish your magazine in the marketplace. Managing your clients (subscribers) and tracking your circulation revenue and expenses are certainly already part of your business objectives.

Recording your progress diligently will get you everywhere when preparing for circulation auditing, while at the same time maximizing your profitability. As you read through the following basic requirements for a successful audit, you should recognize that circulation auditing is little more than an extra set of practiced, verifying eyes upon the foundation question which you already want to establish as true:

Is my house in order?

For years, I never really understood what an acre was. You could tell me an acre is 43,560 square feet, or that it equals 1/640th of a square mile. But then if you told me your house sat on a _ acre lot, I still wouldn't know whether to envy or pity you.

This could be a short article. The secret to attracting the best writers? Pay the best bucks.

The End.

But wait! What’s that you say? You can’t afford to pay $5 per word? Well, okay, then you might need a few other attractive qualities to get writers on your side.

There’s a hierarchy of factors that experienced writers will consider before pitching their services to a new magazine. Here are my top picks.

I frequently meet people who are thinking of starting a new newsletter or magazine. Often such people spend most of their time worrying about how their publication will LOOK, not how it will SELL. Sadly, more than two-thirds of new publications started by first-time publishers flop within a few months. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to increase the odds that your own publishing ideas will succeed.

Many people have a "Great Idea" for a magazine but before you begin a magazine launch there is a lot you need to know and plenty of financial support will be required...

Since Fall I've noticed many of the requests that come in for sample newsletters are from people either thinking about or actually getting started in magazine publishing. The most frequent comment they make is there isn't much information available on running a magazine, and they want advice, so this seemed like a good time to touch on periodicals again.

Publishing a magazine is a very different animal than publishing books, though they can easily go hand in hand. Books can be compiled from the magazine, and the magazine can support the books, bringing in not only a consistent revenue, but keeping you out front in your field as well.

Getting from the Dream to the Reality
-- Without Losing Your Shirt