Start Small Finish BIG in Self Publishing
You may have never considered self-publishing as an option for your book or even considered publishing at all for your work. Publishing a book is extremely effective in broadcasting your message, ministry, or organization. A book gives you the ability to thoroughly inform, educate, and inspire your audience on what you are teaching. A book also adds another very lucrative stream of income to your organization that will enhance your existing ones.
Now that your interest is peaked about the power of writing a book, you may directly go to thinking "who should I go with: Random House or Nelson Publishing?" Who said that you would be able to go the traditional route in the first place? Traditional publishers only publish about a dozen to 50 books a year while they receive 1000's of book proposals from would be authors every single month. Do you see how the two don't equal a book deal for you any time soon?
But take heart, many of the greatest writers of time past up to today have been self-published authors. Check out this list of names to see if self-publishing could be profitable for you:
WEB Dubois, Ken Blanchard, Benjamin Franklin, Earnest Hemingway, Spencer King, Edgar Allen Poe, William Strunk, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, T.D. Jakes, and Walt Whitman.
This is some list, huh? What makes the difference is not whether you get a book deal with a traditional publisher or self-publish, the difference is within you. You have to determine how successful you will be and what legacy you will leave to the world after you. I wouldn't let the rejection that you'll get from traditional publishing companies stop me from being successful if I were you. I know because my wife and I didn't let that stop us. We self-published our book and started marketing, promoting, and speaking to teach our message to the world. We have found this to be a great way to get our message out and reach people.
You should definitely consider self-publishing as the road that will lead you to where you are trying to go. Do your research on different Self- Publishing companies and get your work out there.
Source: Free Articles
Author: gmapublishing
Useful Insights into Magazine Publishing
Magazines are very visible to young adults, college students and younger teens. Everywhere they look they are surrounded by magazines that promise to address their needs and concerns. These people may save up to afford their favorite publications. It isn't enough to read a copy that belongs to someone else, they feel the need to have their own.
If they like a publication enough, they will begin to collect it. That means they feel they cannot miss a single issue. The answer to this is to subscribe. If they don't have the funds to do so, they will do everything they need to in order to afford it. This is a sign that they will find a way to get what they want.
This leads to those members of this population who decide they can do a better job of reaching out their peers than a slick magazine publisher can. After all, who knows more about what is going on with that age group than someone who is part of it, right? This person decides to open up her own magazine.
A polished magazine publisher can have the best editorial staff in town, but they are still assuming what this age group wants. When a group of teens work together and offer their own experiences, the rest will find it appeals to them because they can relate to it. They are experiencing the same kinds of things in their own lives. This is a key to the success many of these young people are experiencing in magazine publishing.
There is also the issue about the messages magazines send to our young people. They glorify unhealthily thin models and imply that one must adhere to very strict standards to be thought beautiful. They promote a single image as the perfect ideal, and readers begin to believe if they are not exactly like this image, they are somehow less. Luckily, more and more people are rejecting these notions. They are smart enough to ask why people can't be appreciated for their individuality. It inspires them to give their own opinions to the world.
While magazine publishing is not an easy industry to break into, with the right angle and inspiration, someone can be very successful. With the right goal and the right connections, anyone can break into this business. Research pays off in helping these fledgling publications get started right. By starting out right, it helps the rest to fall into place.
Are you a magazine publisher? Well here are some of the best affiliate programs to co-opt and earn income.
Joseph Nyamache blogs about the best affiliate programs that you cannot miss to have on your site.
Query - Opening the Lock on Magazine Publishing
Every time you pick up your favorite magazine you pour over it, looking through every article. By the time you are finished many of the pages are dog-eared and you've discovered that so many of the articles are in line with your own personal interests and writing style.
As a writer you find yourself considering the possibility of submitting something for the magazine to consider. You have even written an article or two, but never had the courage to send them on. You have dozens of ideas, but they never go any further than the dream you have every time you look at the publisher information and see the word 'Submission'.
Most magazines have a certain amount of freelance material they accept for publishing. These freelance positions can be a one-time shot at publishing; however there have been many instances where a dependable freelance writer may be called upon to write for the magazine on a regular basis. Should this happen you will likely receive greater compensation for your articles.
Typically magazines pay either by the word or by the article. Predictably, publishers do not generally accept fully written articles unless they ask you for them.
The method most magazine publishers use to select freelance work is to read through queries provided by freelance writers. In its simplest form a query is an outline of the article you are interested in writing. A query actually serves a duel purposes, the first is to allow the publisher the opportunity to consider many different article possibilities and, secondly you are not required to actually write the article unless the publisher specifically asks you to follow-up your query with an actual manuscript.
A query for magazine publishing should include the following:
A brief introduction.
An outline of the subject you with to write about and the angle you wish to take with the story.
A succinct list of writing credentials that may relate to your interest to write for the publication.
A sense of appreciation to the publisher for taking time to review your query.
Your query letter should take no more than two pages and should convey the idea that your story would be unique and compelling.
Because magazine writing is most often speculative (no guarantee the work will be published) a query is a timesaving and door-opening method in gaining the attention of a publisher.
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers and Christian authors. FaithWriters is a great place for writing jobs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Lindsay
What Things Should be Considered in Magazine Printing
Magazines are just like newspapers that are intended to provide significant information to the readers. However, what makes it different from the newspaper is the fact that magazines are often issued every week, or twice a week or every month. The cover of the magazine usually indicates a date which is later than the date when it was actually produced. The usual feature of a magazine is that it is printed in a paper that is coated with color and is fastened with a soft cover. The magazines are usually found in newsstands and book shops.
Now if you’re thinking of making a magazine as your means of boosting up your marketing efforts, then you’ve got the right choice. But when you make a magazine, the process is not that simple. Why? It’s because you can’t publish a magazine when you don’t have anything to publish. Got it? Well the essence of it is that you still need to write articles or stories to make the magazine whole. When you’re through with the writing stuff, then, that’s the time that you give attention to the publishing aspect.
But before you do that you need to think first what kind of magazine you would like to make. Generally speaking, there are two major types of magazines. These are the business magazines and the consumer magazines.
What’s their difference? Well basically the consumer magazines are intended for the general public. They can be availed in book stores and other retail outlets. Usually, they talk about various topics that match the general interests of the people. The topics range from music, computers, political issues and many others.
On the other hand, business magazines can only be acquired via subscription. Subscriptions are only available to those persons who are willing to pay just to get a copy of the magazine. But in some instances, there are magazines that can be acquired through free subscriptions. This way the business magazines are only provided to the readers who are interested in business.
When you’ve finally decided what type of magazine to print, you can now focus your mind on how you will publish your magazine. There are many commercial publishing companies who accept different kinds of magazine printing jobs. These companies offer printing services that can meet your specifications with regard to the creation of your magazines.
There are so many options on how you can print your magazines. Professional magazine printing companies are available to offer assistance to all your printing needs. You can also choose to publish your magazines with the help of a publisher or through self-publishing.
Still don’t know what to do? Search online and check out the options that are available to suffice your requirements. Printing your magazines can be manageable. Just be resourceful and be smart in choosing the magazine printing service to use.
Visit CatalogPrintingExperts.com for information and articles on Magazine Printing and Booklet Printing.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charmaine_Joy_Caro
Surfing in Ink and Paper: Adventures in Magazine Publishing
For a lot of people, surfing is not only a sport, it is a lifestyle. The sport has attracted people from all walks life. Some had already built their everyday life around the sport. It has established a whole new culture by itself. With a culture of people with an intense love and commitment to surfing, they have posed themselves as a good market. It is a good niche of people that magazine publishing companies have definitely explored. Here’s a list of magazines that have dedicated themselves to the community.
Surfer
John Severson founded this very successful publication from his own garage in the 1960s. It originally served as an accompaniment to his third surf film, Surf Fever. The magazine proved to be a success, prompting Severson to launch The Surfer Quarterly which later on became the Surfer Bi-Monthly. Surfer was such a huge success that it helped to initiate the boom of the surf culture in the 1970s to the 1980s. It has opened the doors between surfers to talk about almost everything that is related to it.
One important outcome from the magazine was the environmental awareness and movement among the surfers. Articles about marine pollution, reef and harbor conservation have been featured on regular sections. This then has lead to the establishment of the Surfrider Foundation in the 1980s.
John Severson later sold the magazine to Better Living, Inc. Forty-one years later after Surfer was started in his garage, the magazine has undergone several changes in its staff and ownership. The company has also turned itself into a full-sized magazine publishing company. It has since then hailed as the “surfer’s bible.”
Pitpilot
Pitpilot covers the British surfing scene. Combining sensible articles with just anything crazy, the magazine aims to be THE British surf magazine. It links up British surfers with the rest of the world. The magazine has been a hit since only after six months since it started, they already had, in their own words, “a cushdy little office in town.”
Surf Girl Magazine
In a scene which seems to be dominated by men, surf girl gives it a fresh air. In fact, it is the only widely distributed magazine aimed at the female surfer. Orca Publications in Newquay, Cornwall publishes the magazine. It merges topic from the usual women’s magazine like fashion, health and beauty into the surfing culture. Articles on famous female surfers, surfing spots and environmental issues are also featured.
Zigzag Surf Magazine
Zigzag surf magazine is the fourth oldest surf magazine in the world. Started by Paul Naude, Doug MacDonald and Mike Larmont, the magazine was conceived after the team met up with publisher of the Backdoor, a Hawaiian tabloid magazine. The original shop is in the rooftop of Mike Larmont’s surfboard factory. The magazine was later sold to Craig Sims and Rob Von Wieringen in 1988. Presently, the team of John McCarthy and Will Bendix publishes the magazine.
Wave Action Surf Magazine
Like the other magazines, wave action surf magazine started out humbly, in a small apartment in Huntington, California. Surfers Mike Freihofer and Pete Rocky pioneered the magazine while still working for another magazine publishing company, International Surf. With two other friends, Tracy Mikulec and Jake Knight, they launched Wave Action Surf Magazine in 1993. The magazine publishing company went on successfully thereafter, creating four more publications.
Wave Action surf magazine initiated the idea for other publications to look out for the next top surfers by releasing an "All Grom Issue" with the article "Hot 100."
The wonders of magazine publishing
Many see it as a simple reading material, but take a closer look and you can see the many wonders of magazine publishing.
As a key component in promoting the industry of mass media in the world, magazine publishing has changed the face of print media – one that has taken it into new and greater heights.
The wonders of magazine publishing is one that cannot be easily discounted, since it had been responsible in making it an indispensable reading material that withstood the test of time, even with the advent of a rapidly expanding and progressing information technology.
The sphere of influence of the perpetual partnership of pen and paper has transcended through time and has not been shaken by the threat of electronic media and the thrust towards a paperless society.
This is mainly so since the wonders of magazine publishing exhibits a process so versatile and dynamic that simply, yet surprisingly, allows it to adapt and adjust to changes of the times.
The best reason for this adaptability is the fact that humans crave for information or the means through which one yearns to be heard, and it is through this fact that every publishing process, including magazine publishing, is one of the greatest factors that will foster its survival.
It is the hunger and craving for information that makes magazine publishing, as well as with any other mass media, an indispensable tool in delivering information, whether it be on paper or electronically.
Today’s information culture makes it difficult, if not impossible, to live without mass media.
Obviously, the press is by far the best conduit that brings information to the people, and magazine publishing allows information – in its many faces- to be creatively and extensively presented.
Unlike tabloids, spreadsheets and periodicals, magazine publishing incorporates conventional reporting with creativity and artistry.
While all the other forms of print media adhere to strict rules and guidelines, magazine publishing breaks this taboo and is inclined to more liberal and aesthetic approaches.
Commercially, magazine publishing is one of the most veritable money-makers in the media industry, since it can drive focus towards a certain segment of the market that it hopes to give focus to.
From home improvement, do-it-yourself guides, women’s, men’s, children’s, sectarian, opinion, features, essays, public awareness, public service, political, entertainment- you name it- magazine publishing can embrace it and present it to the public without the bat of an eyelash.
From the commercial standpoint, the broader market scope of a magazine the better, since this is undoubtedly one of the best venues to advertise and introduce new products.
On average, a person with active contact to mass media is exposed to no less than five hundred advertising messages or materials in a day, most of which can be found in magazine publications printed regularly.
Magazine publishing’s versatility and dynamism has even adapted to the advent of online information technology, where it has even broadened its scope and distribution in a much more global scale with the propagation of the world wide web.
The wonders of magazine publishing gives us a clear and encouraging picture at how it will continue to proliferate regardless of the changes and challenges it faces, as long as it will continue to satiate the public with the need to be informed and be kept informed.
Magazine Publishing for Different Readership
General interest magazines - They are distributed with the most readerships on the minds of publishers. They are often tailored to go well with the topics which a common man would actually like to read. Stories that are easy to read and often gratify the interests of the general public are mostly the contents of such publications.
This kind of magazine publishing caters to a reader with a specific idea of what kind of information each page has to present. It may focus on a singular subject throughout the pages or cover many different ones, accordingly to the target readers’ intents. The main idea of a magazine that falls under the general interest kind is to entertain, endorse and sell products and promote readership viewpoints.
Scholarly / academic magazines - They present information focusing on the educational. They provide the targeted readership with information in detail, often written by scholars, specialists or researchers in different fields. Articles are written using a technical or specialized vocabulary.
The main purpose of this magazine is to teach and provide data in researches. Charts, graphs or tables often accompany articles; little or no photos and other forms of graphics are used, except in cases tackling visual arts or architecture.
Trade / professional magazines - Magazines of the trade or professional kind are distributed to a very specific readership, usually managers, businessmen and those identified with trade and industry. Some of these magazines are not available to the general consumer, and the subscription is, as a rule, directed to people in the trade. This is also to ensure that any form of advertising contained in such publication reaches the target end user.
Most of the articles, news and commentaries in this magazine are written by specialists or journalist. It is issued weekly or monthly to catch up with the fast changes occurring in the trade arena. Since this caters to a particular professional or occupational group, keeping them abreast with the current trade and industry sure counts a lot.
News magazines - This kind of magazine publishing is often distributed on a weekly basis, and is directed towards a broad readership. It intends to provide the consumers with a singular source of news, current events and other topics that are in demand.
News magazines generally tackle something more in detail, as compared to the stories presented by newspapers. Rather than just the facts, magazines like this give the readers an understanding of the context around significant events in the society. They are available at newsstands, bookstores and by subscription.
Sensational magazines - Magazines of the sensational kind are inclined to creating a stir. They are usually thinner than most magazines, but larger in size and almost looking like a newspaper. Designed for attracting the attention of the consumers, they use flashy headlines written across the pages in huge font sizes. Most of the articles are related to celebrities and other stories that are astounding to their target readership.
There are usually more pictures in here than written pieces. More often than not, the vocabulary used is elementary; some might even consider the stories they carry provocative and scandalous. Freelance writers or staffers write such articles. A magazine publishing of the sensational kind is generally referred to as tabloid.
Getting Issues from a Magazine Publishing Is an Ideal Gift
For one, children who want to learn about animals can look through it. Parents can do the same as there are magazines which cater to good parenting, interior design, cooking and a lot more available in newsstands and stores.
Another benefit of subscribing to a magazine is that you get to save a few dollars paying for it for 6 months to one year in advance instead of getting this monthly. Some of these are 45% to 50% cheaper than those being sold in the newsstands.
This is delivered right to your door free of charge and once the subscription expires, you may decide to cancel or continue getting copies from the magazine publication.
You can subscribe to a magazine by filling up the form that is attached to the magazine you have or look for one that matches the interest of the person online.
Some children’s magazine worth subscribing to includes Action Comics, Disney Magazines, Crosswords and Kids Discover. For teenagers, you can try Seventeen, Boys Life Magazine, American Cheerleader and Guidepost.
For students in college, perhaps Nursing or the American Journal of Medicine. If this is too heavy, then offer some more mature publications such as Time, the Financial Times, Life, Popular Mechanics and a lot more.
The right magazine to get should be something they really like. If you have no idea, ask someone close to them so you don’t subscribe to something they will not even bother to read. Another will be to ask that person what he or she loves to read which is much better than snooping around their room as this will likely be perceived as an invasion of their privacy.
The nice thing about magazines is that unlike clothes or other items you may buy, they will never go out of style. It is a one size fits all kind of thing unlike others which have to be returned so can use it.
Another reason why these will never be outdated is the fact that those who are responsible for producing these publications always have something new to offer and you can always order a back issue if you missed something a few months ago.
If the person you gave the magazine gets to appreciate the gift, chances are others will also feel the same way when you decide to give the same thing. Chances are, this person will likely read something else so you just have to know their hobbies.
A lot of people for instance love cars because of how it looks and the way it powers down the road. If this is something they like, the only problem will be choosing which one to subscribe to as they are so many to choose from.
Getting someone issues from a magazine Publishing as a gift is good because you are able to impart with them some knowledge. This may be just a hobby or part of their job which is worth knowing. The important thing is getting good value for money with something you know for a fact is their interest.
Magazine Publishing Circulation
Their plans and grandiose and the initial implementation seem to point in the direction of a popularity explosion. Soon your magazine will be known everywhere but wait, are your magazines out on the stands already? Will your target consumers be able to buy it anytime and anywhere they can think of purchasing it? These are questions that can be addressed by your circulation department, a team which should be just as brilliant as your other teams.
When you launch a magazine, it is very important that you have very good circulation managers who are great at determining the best circulation points and as well as great in teaming up with circulation partners. Let us start off with circulation points. Your research and other important details behind the forming of the magazine will be very important to the circulation team.
Your target market’s hobbies and interests in short their psychographics and demographics will play a major role in ticking off which places should be considered as circulation points. Identifying these areas is crucial as an initial step. The next steps will be determinant of the decisions made from there.
Moving on to the circulation partners, this step entails sending out letter and meeting up with major distribution areas or establishments. This will include the country’s biggest bookstores or 24 hour chains. These two establishments are probably two of the most important deals you can ink. Now if you have identified certain key cities or hang outs where you are sure most of your target readers or subscribers reside or go to often then work on penetrating those as well. If you believe in your magazine and what it brings then your job of convincing these people will be easier. And when you have finally convinced them then you also have to make sure that you deliver copies on time.
Why is prompt delivery essential? In magazine publishing, it is in your best interests if you are on the stands first because there is a higher chance that people will buy whatever new issue is out already and available. Should there be any instance wherein you have the same celebrity on the cover of your magazine as your rival or you carry the same top stories, it is a greater advantage if you are seen first.
Being seen first means you completed everything first so it kind of brings about the notion that you had the scoop first. On the other hand if your magazines arrive late then there is a chance, no matter how fabulous your content is, that your consumers are no longer interested in shelling out money if they already have their stash and on something that came out late.
They say there is no business like show business but show business is not all there is because judging from everything that is written here there is also nothing else like the world of magazine publishing.
Woman on Top: the World of Women’s Magazine Publishing
The Lady’s Magazine
Also known as, hold your breaths, Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex, Appropriated Solely to the Use and Amusement, the Lady’s Magazine is the first women’s magazine. It is a monthly magazine that was produced from 1770 to 1837.
Love, Pearls and Swine Magazine
The unique name of this online magazine is derived from Matthew 7:6 of the Holy Bible. The verse says, “Don’t give what is holy to unholy people. Don’t give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.” The magazine aims to guide young women who want to get to most out of living in a modern society while still upholding their Christian values. It takes on different topics, from growing pains and faith to fashion and beauty. Abi Olukeye is the magazine’s current Editor-in-Chief.
Marie-Claire
Who is Marie-Claire? Jean Provoust, the magazine’s creator, must be thinking of the ideal French woman when he named this magazine when it was first published in 1937. When WWII began, the publication of the magazine was ceased until 1954. Jean Provoust’s daughter Evelyn later took over when he retired in 1976. The magazine’s theme is “More than Just a Pretty Face.” It makes sure that the magazines talks about topics that are relevant to the modern woman. They include politics and social issues alongside fashion, beauty and lifestyle in their issues. It is distributed to twenty-two countries other than the United States.
Sports Illustrated for Women
Sports Illustrated for Women is published by the one of the industry’s largest magazine publishing firm, the Time Inc. From ten issues per year, Sports Illustrated Women or SI Women has published later on two magazines in a month. The magazine has been attracting women’s attention since women are more interested as participants when it comes to sports. Sadly, the magazine only lasted for two years with twenty issues on it.
Zan-e Rouze
Zan-e-Rouze is the Iranian translation of “Today’s Woman.” It is published in Iran by the publishing house Kayhan during Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s rule. Kayhan is also known to publish other magazines for sports and children. After the Shah of Iran was overthrown in 1979, the company continued its operation in London. Zan-e-Rouze has then shifted its focus, from gossips to women empowerment.
Seventeen
Every American teenager must have heard this magazine. Seventeen has been first published in 1944 and still continues to enjoy popularity among girls in their tweens and early twenty’s. The magazine features beauty, fashion, health articles and celebrity news. They also have a regular section called Dear Seventeen which gives advices to young women. It has six other international editions in South Africa, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, India and in Hispanic countries.
The Delineator
This magazine's name may sound like “The Terminator” but it is definitely a women’s magazine. It is subtitled as “A Journal of Fashion, Culture, and Fine Arts.” It was published from 1873 to 1937 by the magazine publishing house Butterick. Although it has already ceased publication, the magazine is still a sensation among Art Deco lovers.
It features Victorian styled fashion on its cover with careful details on the clothes, perhaps to serve as a guide for the tailors.
The Science of the Magazine Publishing Process
Production: The Perfect Bind
The models, editors and photographers have done their job. Now the pages are laid out and completed. Without the right finish to the product, they will be nothing but tattered pages of words and pictures. It is time to turn these pages into a magazine.
The different sections of the magazine are printed out separately. Some are in black and white, others in full color. It all depends on the editor's preference.
After this, there are two ways by which a magazine's sections can be bound together. It could be done through saddle-stitching or perfect binding. Saddle-stitching does not use thread or any weak material. It is done by stapling the center fold within the magazine's cover page. This is often used for magazines that don't have a lot of pages and don't need heavy duty material to bind the pages together. If staple wire is too weak to put the sections together, then a spine is made by gluing one end of the pages together. This is called perfect binding and is used for thick magazines such as Vogue and Cosmopolitan.
Distribution: Tapping into Globalization and the World Wide Web
As times have changed, the magazine industry has naturally evolved to adopt the paper-free system. Indeed, magazine publishing has already infiltrated cyberspace and beyond. There are no pages to print and no papers to bind. These are called online magazines and are usually either copies of the paper-based ones or are independent magazines themselves. All they need are their publishing schedules, pictures and articles, and they're good to go once they have a solid reader base. The profit they generate will most probably be from pay-per-read articles or from the profit generated from high traffic to the website.
When before, magazines were only distributed in the country of its origin, now it is being distributed worldwide and franchised by different countries. Today, magazine publishing has overdone itself in that it has allowed its publications to sprout up in countries such as China and Australia, allowing them to work under the name of the magazine but produce their own content.
Of course, the content must still be parallel with the topics that the main franchise of the magazine is known for. The irony here is that the different countries can localize their content but are participating in a worldwide company, allowing diversity in the process of globalization.
As you can see, the magazine publishing industry is in its booming stage, and many people are cashing in on the potential of the magazine business to grow. As it involves a complicated process in production and distribution, it allows creative minds to venture in and participate. It takes brains and willpower to get an edge in the magazine industry.
The process of magazine publishing
Magazine publication in all of its many forms, is geared primarily on making information available to the public, regardless of how it is being presented, whether in print or electronic media.
Magazine publishing traces it roots back to the ancient days when paper was first invented and was discovered to be a good form of communication media.
From the simple ink and paper process to the trendiest and most colorful pages of today, magazine publishing has indeed taken a new turn for the better.
Commonly, the publishing process includes the stages of the development, acquisition, copyediting, graphic design, production – printing and its electronic equivalents, marketing and distribution.
However, magazine publishing is not just limited to concept and printing, but it also involves a tedious process before it even reaches the newsstands.
Editorial, commercial, informational and entertainment content are among the most commonly used content for many and most magazine publications, that involves a multi-faceted skill set that not lonely involves warm bodies, but costs money as well.
For the publication business, cost is relative- the better the talent, the pricier it gets. This is also reflective in the commercial aspect of distribution and marketing- the better the quality, the more it costs money to pay for the product.
Another factor for consideration is that book and magazine publishers spend a great deal of time and money buying and commissioning copy, which for many publishers would add more weight, quality and repute to their products.
For a small publishing company or press, it is possible to rely mainly on commissioned material, but as activity and business increases, the need for more works like subscribing to syndicated materials or outsourced printing manuscripts may overwhelm the publisher's commissioned circle of writers.
First is the need for solicited material, which forms part of the actual concept and framework of a magazine publication.
Next and among the most common practice in acquiring material is that writers often submit a proposal, for which the majority of unsolicited submissions come from previously unpublished authors.
These unsolicited manuscripts through what is called a slush pile , where editors which sift through the material to identify manuscripts of sufficient quality or revenue potential. Established and reputable writers are oftentimes represented by a literary agent, who markets their work to publishers and negotiate contracts for their writing materials.
Upon acceptance and endorsement for publication, commissioning editors negotiate the purchase of intellectual property rights and agree on royalty rates for book publications, and copyright license or permission for magazine publications, depending on the material for publication.
This is followed by the editorial process, that takes place once the immediate commercial decisions are taken and the technical legal issues resolved, book authors may be asked to improve the quality of the work through rewriting or smaller changes, after which the editorial staff will edit the work, the process which could also apply to syndicated materials either with a single article or a series.
Magazine publishers usually adopt a house style, oftentimes a format which makes it unique for a specific publishing company, be it a writing style or a lay-out design and the editorial staff will copy edit to ensure that the work matches the style and grammatical requirements of each market.
Material editing may also involve structural changes and requests for more information.
The last in the process of magazine publishing is marketing and distribution, that releases the product to the main market, thus, giving us our adored and subscribed magazine publishing.
Starting Your Own Magazine Publishing
The success of your magazine publication will depend greatly on the content. If you are doing something similar to what Cosmopolitan or Vogue is doing, chances are you won’t even make a dent in the market because you don’t have anything new to offer.
In order to sell your magazine off the stands, you must feature something different. For instance instead of focusing on clothes, you can create a magazine that caters to parenting or cooking. This all boils down to doing some market research.
If you can’t do it, hire a market research firm to do it. Should their study prove that there is potential in going a certain direction, it is time for you now to develop a plan that will make the magazine profitable.
The biggest question that a lot of people have a problem with is that what if you don’t have enough money to start it up? The best thing to do will be to invite investors by showing them your business plan which includes the start up capital needed and when can they expect to get a return of their investment.
The other option will be to start a magazine publication through the web. Unlike those that hit the stands, you don’t have to invest a lot of money since the cost of making a website and looking for a webhost will not cost you a fortune.
To know other things you may need to make this work, you can visit the website of the small business association which may provide you with a lot of useful input.
A few important things you have to work on will be the name of the magazine. The shorter the name the better so people will be able to remember it and the only way that can happen is if it is able to grab the people’s attention.
Magazines come out monthly or quarterly. To ensure the quality of your content, make sure you hire the right people to work as editors, writers and photographers. If you can’t afford yet to hire these people on a full time basis, make sure you can buy the rights from them and then be able to edit the materials yourself and pay them accordingly.
Don’t forget to promote your online magazine. You can do this by paying for pop up ads that will appear in various websites especially the search engines.
If your online magazine publication has captured a lot of hits and you are able to earn a sufficient amount of money from advertising, perhaps this is the time that you shift your attention towards coming up with your very first magazine to hit the news stands.
Starting a magazine Publishing is not easy in the beginning since you are entering an industry that has already been around for a very long time. Again, if someone else has already made a magazine that is similar to what you plan, try to see what they lack and then use it to your advantage. This hasn’t stopped others from launching their own which just goes to show there is room for everyone in this business.
Secrets of successful magazine publishing enterprise
Niche magazines are also closer to their readers, hence, they can ask them what articles they want featured. The community is really small so in a way, everybody knows everybody.
But the success of a magazine does not only depend on the marketing alone. In order to survive in this cutthroat world of magazine publishing, you need great content, great writers and great layout. Here is a rundown of these three and how they affect a magazine selling point.
1. Content
This is the number one item that you need to take care of when creating a magazine. Without great articles to read, why would your writers want to buy your magazines. Remember that they have to pay for the mags so you have to make sure that the magazine is well worth the expense. To ensure good content, you have to think of storylines that are interesting for the readers. You can do this research by asking the readers themselves what they want to read. Post comment and suggestion boxes in the magazine as well as in areas where you feel your target market goes. Ask for their opinion. You will be surprised at the ideas that they will give you.
In addition to providing interesting features is coming up with really clean materials. This means that they are free from errors and have been edited several times over.
2. Writers
No matter how interesting the subject matter is, if you don’t have good writers to put them into words, your content will still suffer. Good writers are not only those that are good in grammar and spelling but also those who can weave tales in such as a way that is easy to read and interesting.
Finding good writers is however hard to do. If you have previously been part of the industry, you already have an edge in your headhunting days. However, if you have no idea where to get writers, you can try posting on sites that specializes in writers. People there may see the post and apply personally or members may recommend or refer someone they know.
3. Layout
Articles are not the only come ons in a magazine. Often times, people do not read the articles anymore. they just look at the pictures. People nowadays have become very visual in their approach. The same goes with reading. If you want people to find your page interesting, look for pictures that are eye-catching. Study the layouts of major magazines and try to be inspired by their art. Layouts is after all art in itself. Layouts often support the articles in the magazines.
These three factors will make your magazine a big success.
Magazine publishing: what you need to know
Here are some things that you need to know when you get into magazine publishing.
1. It’s expensive.
It’s not a joke to finance a magazine. Besides the writers that you have to hire, you also have to pay for the paper and printing. Just imagine, you have to publish thousands of copies. Each costs tens of dollars. Remember that unlike newspapers, the paper used in magazines is glossy and thick. This means that the paper used in magazines are more expensive. You should also be able to provide for the office equipment and the office space. So unless you have billions of dollars to burn from the bank, think twice before you invest in magazines.
2. It’s difficult to source out.
Sourcing out the materials for the magazine, from the paper to the printer can be hard especially if you are on a tight budget. Getting good writers that you don’t have to edit is already hard enough; but you also need to hire marketing personnel who will also help sell the pages.
That is why it is good that you are already part of the industry or have been working in the industry before you get into magazine publishing. That way, you will already have contacts who can give you a much lower price. It is also better if you already know writers that are really good and just in case you cannot afford to pay for an editor, it will be good that you already have an idea on how to do it. Besides, being in the industry will allow you to have better taste when it comes to content and layout.
3. Competition is tough
A magazine cannot thrive in circulation alone. To survive, your magazine should also rake in advertisements. This is when the job becomes hard. You see with all the magazines that have been cropping up in the metro, it will be hard for you to get advertisers that have already been advertising in other publications for your first issue. You first have to convince the advertisers that your magazine is interesting before you will be able to get their attention. This is oftentimes the case of the egg and the chicken. You need to have a good circulation to get advertisers but you need advertisers in order to increase your circulation!
4. Socializing is part of it.
Believe it or not, the success of a magazine is not only dependent on the content and the people who write for you; it is also dependent on the buzz that you create for your magazines. This can be done through socializing with people that are part of your target market. This is part of the marketing campaign for magazine publishing. To promote the mag, some companies even hold events.
Magazine Publishing Insights
One of the businesses that seem to be a favorite of the young people is magazine publishing. Not only that, those who actually ventured into the business are also getting good results out of their efforts.
It is not surprising that magazine publishing will be noticed and considered by the tweens, the college kids and the young adults because they are surrounded by different titles that claim to address their needs. These segments of society actually save up or set aside money for their favorite magazines. It is not enough that they borrow from their friends. They want to have their own copies.
Some even go as far as to collect that means they cannot afford to miss any issue so chances are those who can afford actually subscribe. This is a very strong insight to anchor on because here one can see the ability of the young to find a way to get what they want.
As mentioned earlier, these magazines seek to reach out to these segments. If one person from that segment then decides to open up her now because she feels like she is able to understand her peers more then her assumption can be very valid. Who knows better what teenagers are going through than teenagers themselves right?
You can gather the most competitive editorial stuff but you are not guaranteed a content that will appeal to teenagers but when teenagers pool together their experiences then chances are most likely whatever they get out of it is a universal truth for the rest of them. This is one key reason why the young people are a success in magazine publishing.
It is also an issue these days about how the magazine industry is sending the wrong messages to young people like how they glorify really thin models or generally how they say that one has to look beautiful all the time. Worst they have their own definition of beautiful and cascade it like everyone else has to look the same in order to be considered in the same league. More and more young people are rebelling on these notions. They ask why can’t the media be more appreciative of individual differences and be less judgmental. These concerns fuel them to come up with their own opinions and rightly so.
Magazine publishing is no easy industry but with the right insight, you can go a long way. You just have to find the right people and the right goal to guide you along and again this can only be possible if you started off with the right insight in mind. It is wise then to invest a lot on research and to go give time to test this research so that you will be able to start at the right foot.
It would sure be an easier road when you have that accomplished,
Magazine publishing Career 101
Behind every page of the magazine is blood sweat and tears of the stuff. After all the fun, staffers will need to get back to reality and work on the material that they have gathered. They now have to write the article, do follow up interviews and even stay for layout and proofreading.
So before you apply for any magazines, here are some things that you need to know first. Read on and it might save you from going into a field that is not really for you.
1. Hard work
People only see the glamour behind the job but work in a magazine publishing is far from glamorous. For instance, you may get all the freebies for skin care but you have to sacrifice sleep in order to finish a deadline, harming your skin even more. With their stressful jobs and odd hours, these people really need skin care products!
2. Additional expenses
Pulling out clothes for fashion shoots may seem fun. After all, it’s like shopping without having to pay for your choices. But wait until you yourself do the deed. You will be carrying armloads of clothes, shoes and accessories all in one day or look for unique fashion finds until your feet kills you. And be careful with staining the dress or ruining the material of the shoes. A small damage will mean paying for clothes that are beyond your monthly clothing budget. Some clothes will even be more expensive than your annual income.
3. Socializing with people you don’t know
The job will also entail attending events and parties. This is great for people who love the party scene and those who are exactly into the party circuit. But if you are the kind of person who would rather stay at home and read a book, this job may not be for you. Hobnobbing with the rich and the famous without genuine interest may come out as contrived and false. This is not good for your reputation and for reputation of the magazine that you work for.
4. Overlapping deadlines
If you think you will just be given one assignment in a week, think again. Most writers will have several coverage in a day! And what is more, they are expected to write all of them. If it has a time element, the stories may even be published in one issue.
5. Boring coverage
Not all events are fun and happening. In your job, there will be events that are super boring and worthless. But no matter how bad the event is, you need to write about it as it is your job. So if you are not creative enough to come out with something out of nothing, magazine publishing is not for you. You need to be able to find a connection between things that are not really there in the first place.
Sounds tough? It is. So it's definitely not for everyone.
The Rise of the Literary Magazine Publishing
The first literary magazines started to appear in the 19th century. A lot of which originated in England and Russia and a handful in the United States. The North American Review is known to be the oldest American literary magazine until it ceased publication during World War II.
The Yale Review had its first publication four years later of The North American Review. It is initially referred to as the “The Christian Spectator,” and deals with theological contents. It was Henry Walcott Farnam who changed its name into the “The Yale Review” and has broadened its contents. However, it is in 1911, when Wilbur Cross became the editor of the publication, which has totally revolutionized The Yale Review. It has then been transformed into the nation’s leading university publication. It is the oldest and one of the most respected literary magazines that is still being run today.
Two of the most distinguished literary magazines that are also still up today began in the early part of the 20th century: the Southern Review and The Times Literary Supplement. The Southern Review accepts literary works such as short stories, novel in progress, poetry and critical essays that focuses on the Southern culture and history. It specially caters to contemporary literature and is open for experimental writing.
However, it does not want to dwell on literature that relies on extremism and sensationalism. The Times Literary Supplement was originally intended to be a supplement to The Times but later on became an entirely separate publication in 1914. Literary reviews by T.S. Eliot and Virginia Wolf had appeared on their issues.
The later part of the century saw the rise of the two influential and controversial literary magazines there is: The Kenyon Review and The Partisan Review. The two publications not only have literature and criticism in its content but also politics. The Partisan Review used to be associated with the American Communist Party but broke off its ties after Stalin’s regime. Some of the significant names that appeared on its issues are Saul Bellow, George Orwell and Susan Sontag. Its final issue was on April 2003.
The rise of the small presses in the 1970s made literary magazines more prolific. Due to the establishment of the Committee of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers or COSMEP, the small magazine publishing companies has been assembled and formalized. Artists can then choose which publications suit the style of their works.
Also around this time is when AGNI was formed. AGNI is a leading literary publication in providing an outlet for talented and aspiring writers. The publication believes that its contents are aimed in creating social and cultural dialogues. Jhumpa Lahiri, Susanna Keysen and Ha Jin have been featured in the magazine before becoming well-known writers in the academic and mainstream literature. They accept works from artists coming from different countries, culture, gender and genre. The publication has been running for thirty-six years, producing at least sixty issues.
During the late 1990s, Francis Ford Coppola launched Zoetrope: All-Story. The publication dedicates itself in featuring fiction and one-act plays. It publishes works from promising, aspiring writers alongside the prominent ones like David Mamet, Salman Rushdie and Yoko Ogawa. Other than these, it also features reprints of classic works and contemporary artworks.
It is also during this time that e-zines or online literary magazines began to appear. This marked the changing face of literary magazine publishing. Some of the well-acclaimed e-zines are The Barcelona Review, Ecletica Magazine and Spike Magazine. Nevertheless, it is still a relatively young alternative to literary magazine publishing.
With the abundance of e-zines emerging, the quality of literary content and technique has yet to be evaluated before it they could fully become a valid literary output.
How to put up a magazine publishing company
When before there are only magazines for beauty and clothes, now there are magazines for every conceivable subject in the planet. There are magazine for crafters and those who are gaga over scrapbooking. There is one about coin collection and antiques. There is even one that tackles the not so well known subject of ikebana.
Magazines have started to do niche marketing where they target specific readers. This is easier to do as few people will need to be informed about it. Marketing, advertising and sales will not be as huge a deal as the marketing involved with magazines that have a diverse target market. In fact because of this, magazines that target a town or a community are also being put up to cater to smaller readers.
But putting up a magazine publishing is not as simple as it seems. It is hard to do and sometimes a headache to organize. But if you know the market and already know what to expect, starting a magazine can actually be easy to do. Here are some tips on how to put up a magazine publishing without having to go through the aches and pains in the head.
1.Look for a good market of readers
With a lot of magazines available, it will be hard to find a target of readers that have not been addressed yet. And if ever, you find one, chances are the magazine for that niche was already created years ago, only that it did not work. But hey, nobody said that you too will not succeed. When you look for target readers do not just stop on the demographics. Research on the articles that they want to see in magazines. Zero in on the products that they feel they will be able to use. You can even make a survey on the people that they want to be featured or the people in the field that they look up to.
2. Look for famous columnists
One secret to promoting your magazine and thus ensuring the success of the venture is to look for famous people in the industry. Their names are often enough to pull some readers into buying your magazine. They will also be able to help in marketing your magazine through word of mouth and industry news. Once everybody finds out that a recognized expert in the field is writing for a magazine, they will buy the mag, even just out of curiosity. It will be a nice start.
2.Content
Even with the biggest name in the field in your magazine, without good content, your magazine will go nowhere. The number one selling point of any magazine are the articles that you will find within. Remember that having big names is just the introduction. What you need is to sustain the interest with features that they can relate to and use. To do this, you also need to hire good writers in the field. Pick one who does not only write well but one who has interests in the field.
Magazine Publishing in America
Reader’s Digest
Reader’s Digest is one of America’s highly successful general interest magazines. It was founded in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and DeWitt Wallace. Though the magazine is only roughly half the size of a regular subscription magazine, Reader’s Digest has reached a wide audience not only in America but also the rest of the world. It is published in 50 editions in 21 languages and was hailed as the best-selling consumer magazine in the United States. The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. ranks sixth in the top 25 magazine publishing companies in terms of annual revenue.
The National Geographic Magazine
The National Geographic Magazine is the official publication of the National Geographic Society and has become one of its major output since then. It features articles about science, history, archeology, and just in the recent years, travel and adventure. From its first issue in 1888, the magazine has reached readers throughout the world with thirty-two language editions. Aside from its articles, the magazine itself has been known for its photography and the trademark yellow border on its cover. The magazine has been awarded with the General Excellence Award in 2007 by the American Society of Magazine Editors.
PC World
The PC World is the flagship publication of the International Data Group. It was launched in 1982 and the first issue was released on March 1983. Most of the pioneer staff of the magazine came from the PC Magazine. The magazine mainly features reviews of the different softwares, hardwares and services on the computer market. PC World is published in 51 other countries under different local titles. By 2006, it became the largest-circulating computer magazine in the world.
Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics is a magazine devoted in bringing trends and news in science and technology in the mainstream media. It was first published in January 11, 1902. In 1950s, the Hearst Corporate Communications took the magazine under its wing. Together with other prominent publications like Good Housekeeping, the Hearst Corporate Communication is one of the leading magazine publishing companies in the USA.
Time Magazine
By far, Time magazine is still the largest magazine in terms of the annual revenue despite a drop of 3.4 M in 2007. A part of time magazine’s success was its writing style. It is able to integrate in its weekly issues a range of topics, from the serious and political, to the light and popular. Its signature articles are the Time Person of the Year, and the more recent, Time 100 which features the 100 most influential people of the year. On the later part of 2007, the magazine has done revisions in order to reach a younger generation
Despite advances in communications and technology, magazine publishing is still a thriving industry. It had a revenue growth of 1.5% in 2007. The onset on online advertising and publication has been one of the major competitors for its advertisers. Nonetheless, it still proves to be one of the handy and enjoyable forms of media accessible to a very large market.
Concepts in Magazine Publishing
Still, businessmen do not count out magazine publishing as a possible venture and no one can blame them. For one, who has not seen the hit series Ugly Betty? Watching it alone can convince you that running a magazine is a wonderful challenge. Yes, it is not all glamorous but there is money in it for the Mead family to be that rich. In the real world, some of the old magazine magnates have sold their shares but the point is someone else is buying it and it’s not like they bought these companies at a cheap price. So there, now that you are quite sold to start up your own magazine you want to know what should be the first step.
You have to play with concepts first and you can start by brainstorming in your own. The mere interest in joining this world would suggest that you actually like reading magazines. Keep up with the reading but complement it with reading articles about what goes on behind the cover stories and what in general is happening to your favorite titles. After that then you can go about observing other people and what they read. Do not stick to one area, go out of your comfort zone and check out what the rest of the people are reading. These exercises will help you a lot in coming up with fresh ideas.
When you have already picked certain interesting niche concepts then choose the one that you think you are more interested in and capable of handling as well because interest alone will not be enough. If you feel like sense and style are your strengths then go on fashion lifestyle but you have to figure out to veer away from what is already there. If music is your passion then think of ways on how you can beat Rolling Stones. As mentioned earlier, this is no easy endeavor you are taking so be very prepared. It is best to start off with a very strong concept and then you can wing it afterwards.
Magazine publishing concepts are bountiful but again a word of caution because it is in pinpointing the one thing that works best for your decided target market that will spell your ultimate success or doom. Upon learning that, make sure that you invest time and energy in coming up with that winning concept. It sound daunting but if you think you have it then do not be afraid.
Rest assured that when you have that concept thing covered then it is safe to say that you are already halfway to making your business work and which can also mean future success is not far along.