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[Jeff]

http://magcloud.com/

I just stumbled across the above website and thought it was a super cool idea! Well, then I got to thinking, what the heck can I do, I mean I don't have a damn clue about putting together a magazine. Well, I immediately thought of you fine folks. Well, then I had the brain storm, why not put all the photo challenges into an issue?

Then I started thinking again. Yup, dangerous of me to be thinking so much. Why not egt you guess submit some stories and then put them into the magazine?

What do you guys think? Is it worth the time and energy?

[the old gray mare]

Will this be a print or online magazine?

I have had some experience in trying to make a go of a print magazine and it was too expensive to do. I published a regional newsletter type publication for a couple of years, and I helped my daughter do a community magazine. After going thousands in the hole we gave up. Everyone loved the magazines but when it came to getting advertisers putting their money where their mouth was we failed.

We learned this about ourselves: we are creative and put out a great product, but we sucked as salespeople. Just like all things creative, the marketing can be a real monster of a job.

An online publication just might work though, since the overhead should be much less. And it will be a fine way to showcase your photography.

[EllieT]

Having retired officially from my newspaper column(s) a couple of years ago, it might be fun to contribute some pieces. If I may suggest - you should model it on a theme to fit a niche i.e. aging, life stories, supernatural (very popular now), media personalities/TV/film (very popular) or at least have regular "columns" in which readers know will be there on a regular basis. You could also have a guest column for "life stories" that visitors contribute. In other words - it can't be piece-meal. It has to have structure and regular features. For example, Jeff - you could write a column on photography, etc. etc.
Last but certainly not least, it has to be well-written with few grammatical and spelling errors, which in itself can be a challenge. It has to be proof-read. BTW - hopefully whatever site you use, the print won't jump up and down as it does here. Very discouraging.

Ellie

[Jeff]

Yup, I know it's a big risk, figured I'd look into it just the same. This would be more along the lines of Print on demand but instaed of a book, it's a magazine.  I still think it's cool idea. We'll see what happens though.

[the old gray mare]

that is an interesting idea. I'll go look at the website some more.

[Hotrock]

Go for it! Do the research, find out if there is a market for it... even on campus. Do a street survey and find out what percentage of people would be willing to submit their pieces and how many would be likely to read it. Would they be willing to buy the magazine and what would they be willing to pay. Do a realistic costing of your product in order to find the minimum price you could effectively keep it running for. You might just find a niche where others haave failed... and if you fail you will have gained some valuable knowledge. I'll submit when my muse returns once more and you're welcome to some of my old musings.
Good luck!

[the old gray mare]

At .20 per page a skinny 24 page mag will cost $4.80 per copy. To make a profit (considering you're going to use only free contributing writers) that will make the magazine pricey. POD is probably not the the only way to go, though.

If you want to showcase work from the W&F members and your photos maybe a lit mag would work? I just did a chapbook with my Print Shop Program. I think I am getting out at $3/copy and retailing them at $6.99 printing them myself in small printings of 12 on nice recycled paper. I could use cheap paper and lower my cost, but I like the look and the fact it is recycled. For a big price run I would have my copies made at Staples or Office Depot, or a printer.

[Jeff]

Yup, that was the math I just did this morning, so I would have to really put the pinch on advertisers, other wise it would be too exspensive.  I'ld prefer to pay contributors but understand the economics of things my prevent that at first. I do like the lierature magazine idea.

Hotrock, thanks for the offer and suggestions, I still like the idea thouh there's things I have to consider before even putting it together. 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll keep you informed if I decide anything one way or the other.

[The Ninja King, Cobra Angels]

This is a great idea! Don't let this one fizzle out!

[Jeff]

It won't fizzle, just need to find a way to make it pay, both for the person publishing it and for those who contribute to it.

[Jeff]

I'm still thinking on this, I found a website that will help me get the information I need to take this from idea to reality. I hope. lol

Edit: I also reset and reopened the poll if you want to put your two cents in.

Jeff

[sharky]

I note your last post here was January 13th so how have things moved along from there?

I would submit stuff but what do you need, are we talking about a 'poetry corner' a section for 'short stories' and what length would you need them?

I could write about the Mother in Law, but without expletives I don't think it would be half as funny:-)

James.

[Jeff]

Sorry, I've let it slip but it seems there is enough contributors, now I have to figure out if there's enough people willing to buy/subscribe to an art magazine. 

[Jeff]

Sorry that I've allowed this to fizzle... I'm still hoping to put this together and make it a reality, so keep your eyes peeled and ears open. I know it's a bit over zealous to want to pay writers/photographers for their work but if I put this together right, I think it can work.

I'm working along the lines of a quarterly mag, this will give me more time to go through submissions and the like and hopefully give me time to set up the design as well. At least this is what I am thinking and I hope to get it off the brain and on the site at some point.

[Jeff]

I'm still hoping to do this, but I just glanced through MagClouds Terms of Service and they are grabbing all rights to all content of the magazine for world wide unlimited use. There is no way I am going to be a party to that nor subject you kind folks to that. It's just not right. I'll keep looking and see what else I can come up with.

[EllieT]

" MagClouds Terms of Service and they are grabbing all rights to all content of the magazine for world wide unlimited use."

Did I miss something? Who are MagClouds and what magazine are you referring to, Jeff?

Ellie

[Jeff]

Some time ago, I had the idea of making/publishing a magazine called "Wruiters & Friends",  I still think it's a cool idea and I still want to d oit, it's just a matter of finding a way to get it done. In the process of exploring the idea, I stumbled across MagCloud and thought that it was a perfect solution. It's a Print on Demand Magazine publishing site, however I was alerted to their terms of service recently and one of the terms pretty much allows MagCloud to use any content, or even the entire magazine, for whatever they want, whenever they want, without giving the creators credit or payment for the use of their works. So, now the search continues... I haven't given up on the idea as I think it's a pretty cool idea.

[EllieT]

It's very difficult especially these days, to successfully run an on-line magazine. Don't know if you remember or were around at that time, but there was an on-line writing forum called Inkspot. The site was operated by Debbie Ohi and it was a fabulous source of information for writers of all degrees in their literary careers. Great little cyber mag/site. Anywaaaay...came accross Debbie again while going through my Twitter messages and we're co-Twitter-ers and perhaps Jeff, you should get in touch with her and get some feedback as to the best way to proceed, or if she feels your idea is a viable project, now. Some of the "oldies" from WBBS were also involved at the time. She is also a talented cartoonist and creates resources for teachers. Definitely a good person to trade ideas with, Jeff. Who knows where it could lead.


http://www.debbieohi.com/

Ellie

[Jeff]

Thanks Ellie, I do remember her and Inkspot. Glad to see she is still writing and doing things that she is passionate about.

I have found a site that may be what I had in mind... so I guess I'll kill this idea before it takes up too much time.

Here's the website:

http://www.ablemuse.com/

[EllieT]

Visually, it's perfect for an e-zine but caught this phrase, a no-no for me.

"Able Muse acquires first-time electronic publication rights. We also reserve the right to republish it in a future electronic and/or print anthology. Back issues are archived indefinitely. Rights return to the author after publication: authors retain their copyright, however, so after their contribution has appeared in Able Muse, they may republish their text in any manner they wish—electronic or print—as long as they clearly acknowledge Able Muse as its original place of publication.

Any writer who agrees to this is literally and figuratively giving their work free.

Ellie-kins

[Sir Breakfast]

as long as they clearly acknowledge Able Muse as its original place of publication.

I'm okay with te above, but would need to research the company more before I submitted work to them.