posted
I'm looking to start up a speculative fiction magazine here in Perth, Australia in a few months. I have researched plenty but was wondering if you guys could give me any specific advice that can't be found in marketing textbooks, which I know is heaps. I've already posted this in Writers Workshop but there's not much activity in there and I've got the impression the people in here and the people in there are two different groups so it can't hurt to have a broader spectrum for response. I have researched plenty but was wondering if you guys could give me any specific advice that can't be found in marketing textbooks or that you just have frome experience in business. That said, I thank you for your time but understand if you don't think this belongs in here.
I have won a few, though only a few, writing contests for my age group here in Perth. I have chosen to be the only editor and have executive control to avoid the risks of a partner bailing out, or just simply me being more interested and doing more work than is due to me. There isn't nearly as big a market for speculative fiction short stories here as in America so I'm not looking to hit it big, or expecting any particular competition, just to give 13/14-17 year olds writers and artists a venture into the world of published work without the risks and plenty to gain.
I'm planning on paying writers 3.5c/word up to $300 and artists a bargained out price up to $300. The magazine will come out monthly, be around 90 pages and cost either $3.50 or $4 per issue, a highly competitive price here in Australia. That means I have to rely on more customers to make a profit, which means more must be printed than I would normally have at this point. I've found a company willing to do the printing for a good price, and also offering service as main distributor. The price of 1000, 2000 and 5000 prints all seems they will probably make a profit though I havn't checked out the tax rates yet so I'm not completely positive.
I can't compete for writers as well as the other magazines would but I have a few catches I think might get them to sell to me. First is arranging a weekly writers group to help writers get motivated and have a proper critiquing of their WIPs on a weekly basis. This will probably be free provided I can get a venue, or else very cheap. And I will only be asking for one story per writer, though if they get their career kickstarted through this they may be back one day for an interview or guest article/story if I'm lucky.
Also, and some australian hatrackers may disagree with me here, IMO Australian speculative fiction writers, even of the highest calibur, aren't very hard to get in touch with to do one off interviews for small ventures like this. I personally know one of my fvourite authors, a non speculative fiction writer who lives here in WA who has agreed to help me with my writing career and has agreed to do an interview for my magazine when it starts. e even got a chartered accountant, my friends dad, who has agreed to mentor me until I get settled in.
And I do have investment capitalization (not sure if that's the right terminology, still learning economics). My oldest brother has offered to loan me between $4000 and $10000 with a very low interest rate we're to work out later. On top of all that, and this may make it harder to run a magazine but oh well, I have an apprenticeship lined up to start next year so I'll have full time income to support myself and pay my brother back faster. I know what I'm doing bussinesswise, sort of. That's not to say that I know everything. But I'm in a good position to learn as I go right now.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
First of all, congratulations on doing something you love and providing a useful service to fellow writers.
Have you considered building a website and distributing your content via the Internet like OSC? That might save you some money on distribution and web marketing might be easier and cheaper for you.
Even if you don't want to fully distribute content over the web, you could provide short previews of your magazine online to increase your reader base and give exposure to your writers.
If you set up a good forum (vBulletin) or community blogging platform (Dupal), you can even create great writer workshops without worrying about finding the proper B&M venue all the time. Plus, web communities are great for viral marketing.
Best of luck and please keep this thread updated so we can follow your progress.
Posts: 4116 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
If you want good advice, especially for the Australian market, you should look up Cat Sparks. She runs Agog! Press and is a very standup individual. And a great writer, to boot.
Email links all the way at the bottom of the page.
EDIT:
quote:I'm planning on paying writers 3.5c/word up to $300 and artists a bargained out price up to $300. The magazine will come out monthly, be around 90 pages and cost either $3.50 or $4 per issue, a highly competitive price here in Australia.
That's. . . really ambitious for a first time editor/publisher. Most small mags pay between 1 and 3 cents per word, at least the ones I know of.
You should REALLY talk to someone who's in the business. My inclination is to tell you to wait until you have a bit more experience under the belt.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
A big problem is I'm not good with computers. When I get on one it's either to write a story or to come on hatrack. Lots of people have given me advice and directions to forums about how to use the net but I just don't get it and my friends are so much better I just sort of turn to them for help. I must admit I only type with mt two index fingers. That's why I don't attempt to write anything bigger than a novelette.
I am probably going to have a website at some point. I have one friend who's really good with computers and has agreed to do any net work I might need for a low price and he says this will start his career off (he's never been paid for computer work before) so I'm happy about that.
I know with an e-zine I'd be able to sell unlimited issues and not have to worry about a lot of costs, but I don't honestly think I have the credentials to get too many issues sold in that medium. I see a big gap between the choice of e-zine and print zine and I just see myself with more hope in the print zine market.
Edit: Scott, your comment about 1-3c/word makes sense now that I think about it. I've decided to make it 3c/word up to $250. Also, artist pay will be a negotiated price up to $250. Thanks for the link, it's very helpful
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote: I have one friend who's really good with computers and has agreed to do any net work I might need for a low price and he says this will start his career off (he's never been paid for computer work before) so I'm happy about that.
Gah. No.
This is, by definition, amateurish. If you WANT to be an amateur, this is the way to go.
quote: I see a big gap between the choice of e-zine and print zine and I just see myself with more hope in the print zine market.
If you honestly believe that you can sell more print 'zines than e-zines, there is literally no downside to running an e-zine as well, since it can only expand your market.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Tom, regarding your first comment: My friend is not amatuerish. He is in his 3rd year of 2 day a week computer courses at TAFE (Technical And Further Education) - a college we have here. He's also done his fair share of professional work with hardware and sofware, he's just never been paid for his software work. I'll get you a link to one of his own websites as soon as I can.
Even if I do make an e-zine as well, the print market remains my main focus and the e-zine would just be an off-shoot copy of that. There's a lot of things I could have on a website, including exerpts, to help promote my magazine. IMO, if they see these excerpts and like them enough, choosing to buy an e-zine version instead of the print version hurts my print market.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Scott, your comment about 1-3c/word makes sense now that I think about it. I've decided to make it 3c/word up to $250. Also, artist pay will be a negotiated price up to $250. Thanks for the link, it's very helpful
Any time. If I were you, I'd cut my rate to 2c a word, max. No one expects a small mag to pay well, and plenty of respectable publications (Leading Edge and Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, for example) both pay <$.03/word, I believe.
Then again-- paying authors isn't going to be your biggest expense.
Good luck. Don't dive in without knowing the waters.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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quote: IMO, if they see these excerpts and like them enough, choosing to buy an e-zine version instead of the print version hurts my print market.
That's the wrong way to think. If they buy the e-zine because they like the excerpts, that's a sale you wouldn't have had otherwise. People who like your online excerpts aren't likely to want a print copy of your 'zine.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
A e-zine business model can also give you an international audience. If you rely primarily on print, you might be limited to the geographic and logistic limitations of your distributor.
Also, if your website gets lots of traffic, you will be able to get better interviews, develop deep industry contacts, maximize exposure for your authors, and maybe even earn advertising revenue (this last one is pretty hard, though).
posted
Because your profit margin is a lot better on ezine than on a print magazine. No printing costs and all that.
So every sale you make online is more money for you, and it eliminates a lot of your circulation problems.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Okay, this requires a very long answer of why I think there's too big a line to do both at this point. I will have one by tomorrow. Right now it's past midnight here and I need to sleep. Sorry about that. Thanks for your help so far. Goodnight!
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote: Why else would the likes of Asimov's put online exerpts up then?
Because Asimov's has a healthy base of print subscribers, and because their financial model relies upon print sales -- and because Asimov's is scared of online text, for all kinds of reasons. This will eventually kill them.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
You're going to want to stop using FreeWebs someday (as in, before you start actually doing this), and that FreeWebs template can't be used in other places.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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