How do I go about starting a magazine?!


Question: Do I need to be funded by some big company? Do I need a warehouse? Printing facility?


Answers: Do I need to be funded by some big company? Do I need a warehouse? Printing facility?

Go to the library, internet, or bookstore (used or new) and do some research on the magazines you give credit to the most, or ones that have been successful. Get the name of the founder, and start researching how they did it.

John F. Kennedy jr. had no experience when he started "George". He was even having financial problems with his magazine, imagine that, before he passed on. He found the solution to the problem, the week he died. Even the most powerful have set backs.
Read up on him. He was a very unique American.

If you can dream it, then you can put it into fruition. It's not easy. Nothing worth going after is. Every type of business is not gauranteed, but with smart work, you'll run into less problems.
Also, keep reading up on those who do have magazines. Read on the advices they give, not so great things and great things etc. RESEARCH and put it onto paper and start writing the steps to achieve your goal.
Try interviewing someone in your town, that has ownership to a magazine. If you can get through.


You can start anywhere. Bill Gates started in his garage, and look at him now!!!

Good Luck!!

Do an open research. I'll tell you now it's not going to be easy. It takes a lot to keep a magazine running. You will need sponsors.

Making a magazine could be really hard but here are the basics:
1 - A Magazine: The Basics
It is important to know the basics such as answering the question of what is a magazine? Its purpose and types of magazines that are available on the market today.

2 - Staff Assignment and Tasks
It is also important to understand even the basics of the staff. It would seem somewhat of a basic area to cover but it is prudent to clearly understand what each position is and what the position's responsibilities entail. This section covers every single position in the magazine whether it is in house or outsourced. From the publisher, editor, and art director to the circulation director, PR director, research manager and so fourth. All major positions are covered and explained.
3 - Audience
How will you know where to aim your sales campaign or even develop the magazine and its look if you don't know who will want to read your magazine? This section teaches you how to analyze and develop an understanding of your readership or potential consumer.

4 - Magazine's Look, Layout and Structure
After reading the previous chapter you may now identify the look you wish develop for the magazine. Tips and suggestions are given on how to develop the look making sure that it is congruent with your audience and demographics. Furthermore, this section explains the structure of a magazine such as the features, columns and departments.

5 - Dummy or Prototype Issue
New magazines often don't realize how important a dummy issue is to potential advertisers. Advertisers will want to see exactly how your magazine will look and determine whether or not your magazine is worth advertising in. Further explained is the importance of a dummy issue are to new magazines and its staff. Discussion also includes the answer of what should be included in the dummy issue.

6 - Ad Sales and Strategies to Developing Them
Advertising sales are large chunk of many magazine's revenues. But developing those ad sales takes know-how. Explored areas are the development a media kit and methods to finding possible advertisers as well and other ad sales strategies.

7 - Distribution and Circulation
This section explains technical process of the two major methods of circulation. Also methods of developing circulation such as direct mail campaigns and other methods are all explored in this section. How the distribution process occurs from printer to distributor to wholesaler to retailer are also explained and postal issues are mentioned.

8 - Printing Options
Popular printing processes are looked into. Full description of the entire spectrum of what happens before your magazine goes to print and what happens during that process (ie. from meeting with the printer and determining specification and deadlines and so fourth). Furthermore the issues of color (ie. four color process and halftone), paper (ie. weight, opaqueness, thickness, finishes such as gloss), and the finishing process (ie. binding options) are all elaborated in this section. Printing costs will some of your biggest expenditures so it is important to understand this process and how the final costs are arrived at.

9 - Alternative Revenue Streams
In magazine publishing there are several kinds of methods in which you may develop revenues aside from selling ad space or the magazine sales. Several methods such as foreign licensing, product branding and other avenues are fully explained here.

10 - Legalities
This section covers and discusses the primary legal issues in magazine publishing which include libel, copyright and obtaining an ISSN. This section conveniently includes the addresses and other contact information of related government organizations to help readers living in the Canada, US or UK on the aforementioned legal issues.

11 - Finances & Tools of the Trade
Included are tips on the issue of finance, business plan, as well as where to obtain financing for your fledgling publication. Have you ever been curious as to what software or equipment the professionals use to make a magazine? Tools of the Trade subsection covers all the major equipment and computer software that magazine professionals use.
12 - Competition
Knowing your competition is very important to the health of your magazine. Tips on how to use other magazines to make your's a better one. Further, tips on how and where to find your competition are described.

You could first travel around the town and city asking people what kind of things they would like in a magazine.then when you get home look at all the things that people have said and pick your favorites. The more you have the more the pages, and the more the pages, and the more the buyers, the more the buyers, the more the fans and the more the fans the more the fame. Good luck!


13 - Industry Terminology
Dozens and dozens of industry lingo, jargon and terminology are covered here. From magazine publishing jargon to printing and desk top publishing terms to acronyms used in the industry. People will think you're a pro after reading this section alone!



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