magazine publishing

Magazine Publishing

Haytham Al Fiqi

Haytham Al Fiqi

ii

Copyright © 2016 Haytham Al Fiqi All rights reserved.

DEDICATION

Magazine publishing is a multi-billion dollar industry. What other industry

could you find that caters to every niche of market there is? It is no wonder

that careers in magazine publishing would be as prolific as the type of

magazine there is. Here’s an overview of the different type of professions

for anyone who considers making a career in this industry.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who provided me the possibility to complete this boo

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1- Finding Your Niche in Magazine Publishing

Magazine publishing is a multi-billion dollar industry. What other industry

could you find that caters to every niche of market there is? It is no wonder

that careers in magazine publishing would be as prolific as the type of

magazine there is. Here’s an overview of the different type of professions

for anyone who considers making a career in this industry.

Editorial/Writing

For anyone who has flair for writing, a career in magazine publishing is an

easy one. A good start is to work as an intern in a magazine publishing

company. Though this is the least fabulous of all the positions, it will

provide you training and connections in the industry. It would also be

helpful if you would have a folio that it always on hand. One may also start

in an entry-level position as an editorial assistant. Aside from writing,

rewriting and copyediting, certain office duties may also be asked. You

could then work your way up to being an associate editor, managing editor,

executive editor and finally, an editor-in-chief!

Marketing

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If you are meticulous, could communicate well and could convince people

into an idea or a brand in ways other than writing, then you could have a

spot in marketing. Through marketing, you make sure that you make your

market hear what the magazine wants them to hear. You must then know

how to harmonize the behavior and trends of your market with your

publications. This may involve overseeing the sales, the distribution of the

publication as well as what kind of articles goes into the magazine.

Production

This is the actual production of the magazine. You must be very keen with

the details, the deadline and the technology that goes with it. Production is

used to be associated with machineries and heavy equipment. However

now, production goes beyond the tangible paper and ink. Online publishing

have changed the way magazines are produced. Production now also

involves a great deal of information technology skills .

Design

Other than writing, you could also channel your creativity by being involved

with the design of the magazine. Magazines rely heavily on the aesthetics,

not only for sales, but also as an alternative way for expression. The design

of the magazine also helps it to turn into a brand. Magazines like Time have

a signature red border on its cover while the National Geographic has a

yellow border .

Sales

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Just like any business, magazine publishing also has a concern with sales.

However, there is more to it than simply being able to sell. You need to be

charismatic, diplomatic and to have integrity. Building good relationships

with your clients is important. Aside from people skills, you also need to

develop your analytical skills in studying market reports and sales. You have

to know how will your ads will be effective to your magazine and its

market .

There are many career paths to choose from in the magazine publishing

industry. You may have a proven ability for writing or graphic design but a

university degree would be, if not mandatory, extremely helpful. Keep in

mind that magazine publishing also involves corporate work and that

companies do want to present a professional image to the market.

Just make sure that the degree that you’ll be having or is already pursuing is

relevant to the industry. If you are still undecided of which field to choose,

it is highly recommended that you take an internship in a magazine

publishing company. You may not start out glamorous (think Andy Sachs

in The Devil Wears Prada) but you’ll definitely learn a lot. In time, you’ll

learn the tricks of the trade and you’ll be on your way to the top .

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2 Concepts in Magazine Publishing

Magazine Publishing is a good business to get into. However, the industry is

quite cluttered these days in the sense that it is becoming more and more

difficult to find a new formula that can beat the already existing titles. Add

to that the pressure of competing against giants in the industry who have

been around for so many years along with the new players who seem to

have bottomless finances that they can afford to experiment with different

titles before retaining the one that will bring them the highest return

investment. That is how cutthroat it will be for someone who decides to

join the foray.

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


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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



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3 Magazine Publishing in America

Since the first magazine was issued in 1731, the magazine publishing

industry has flourished. Backed by a market that is almost endless, it

boomed to become a multi-billion dollar industry. With an appeal that is

attractive, easy and personal, people are drawn to this kind of media and so

as the advertisers. Consumer magazines continue to grow and to be diverse.

Here’s the list of some of the most successful publications in the United

States .

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


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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 .



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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


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4 Getting Issues from a Magazine Publishing Is an Ideal

Gift

Getting issues from a magazine Publishing is an ideal gift for anyone these

days because it encourages that person to read. It may be thinner than a

book but it has stories, tips and ideas which people can learn and apply .

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 .



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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


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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



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5 How to put up a magazine publishing company

Magazine publishing is one of the fastest growing industries in the country.

More and more people are getting into the magazine publishing business,

acknowledging the widening influence and scope of magazines. You only

need to look around to see just where the industry stands now.

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


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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.

.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 .



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.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 .The Rise of the Literary Magazine

Publishing

A literary magazine, in its original sense, is a magazine that caters to

literature. However, modern literary magazines also now feature graphic art.

It is an alternative outlet to the more rigid and serious scholarly journals of

the academe. Thanks to the rise of the small magazine publishing

companies during the 1970s, literary magazines have found their way into

the general public .

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


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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 .



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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


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6 Magazine publishing Career 101

Working for a magazine is the ultimate dream job for most writers

especially for girls who dream of getting those freebies and attending those

exclusive events. But magazine publishing is not just about the events and

the giveaways, it is about writing articles that readers of the magazines will

respond to and relate to. This can be hard to do especially if your events are

not really worth writing about .

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.



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.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 !

.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 .

.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 .


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.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.

.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



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7 Magazine Publishing Circulation

One very important component of magazine publishing is circulation. It is

probably just as important as your magazine itself. After giving so much of

your time and energy coming up with concepts and finally choosing the one

that you think will do your wonders then you of course proceed to

promoting your magazine. You think you have the dream team of a

marketing and publicity committee.

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


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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



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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


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8 Magazine Publishing for Different Readership

A magazine publishing is a great source of information and entertainment.

Depending on the contents, magazines are generally classified into

categories, targeting 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



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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


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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



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9 Magazine Publishing Insights

Studies have shown that young people are becoming more and more

enterprising. The kinds of businesses that they get into are also becoming

more and more mainstream but with a touch of innovation. This is very

interesting to note and also very positive in the sense that we know the

youth of today, despite the hard times, are looking into themselves and are

becoming pro-active in terms of carving out something for themselves.

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


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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



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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


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10 Magazine publishing: what you need to know

With all the new magazine titles that are being published, you’d think that

magazine publishing is so easy to do. But in truth, it is not. Magazine

publishing is actually hard to set up especially if you are new to the industry.

This is why it is important that you have even a small experience with

magazines or even publishing before you try to get into the business. That

way, you will be able to understand where your employees are coming from

and how you can make the business work with the minimum expenses .

Here are some things that you need to know when you get into magazine

publishing .

.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



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before you invest in magazines .

.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 .

.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 !


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.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



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11 Picking Up the Right Magazine Publishing for You

Bookstores and newsstands flaunt a vast array of magazines targeted

towards an equally vast readership these days. Whether you are interested

with celebrities, lifestyle, news or even scientific breakthroughs, a magazine

publishing is surely available for you.

Regardless of the diversity of articles and features presented, magazines are

generally categorized as general interest, sensational, news, trade or

professional, and scholarly or academic magazines. Know which kind of

magazine to pick up in the bookstores or newsstands that is right for you by

getting to know more about each category.

General interest magazines – They are often tailored to suit much of what

most of the consumers would like to see in their magazine. Magazines of

this kind may focus on a singular subject throughout the entire publication,

or may even cover many different ones in a single issue. The goal of general

interest magazines it to try to get most of the readership slice by providing

what really matters to them. They maintain their issues at a level that is easy

to read. There are usually many photos and graphics in the pages. The main

idea of a magazine that falls under the general interest kind is to entertain,

endorse and sell products and promote readership viewpoints.


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Sensational magazines – Often published thinner than most other

magazines, but larger in size and almost looking like a newspaper,

magazines of the sensational kind intend to create a stir or controversy.

There are usually more printed pictures in here than written texts. They use

loud headlines in huge font settings, often tackling features on controversial

celebrities and other stories that are mostly shocking .

News magazines – Articles that they brandish are usually written by

journalists, editors and other subject experts, depending on the news and

information that matters to the readers as of the moment. News magazines

provide a more detailed account of stories, in contrast to the ones featured

in newspapers. They provide their readership with a single source of

reports, current events and other burning facts that really matter. News

magazines are often published on a weekly or monthly basis.

Trade or professional magazines – Some of these magazines are not

available to the general consumer. Trade or professional magazines are

often directed towards managers, businessmen and others who are affiliated

with trade and industry. Subscription is one way a magazine of this kind is

distributed. This, partly, is to make sure that any form of advertising in the

pages reaches the target readers. They are published weekly or monthly to

make sure that the readership is kept updated with the changes in trade and

industry.

Scholarly or academic magazines – They provide their readership with

information in scientific and technical detail, often written by professors,

scholars, specialists or researchers expert in different areas of knowledge.

The aim of scholarly or academic magazines is to teach and provide

information in various fields of study. Articles are written using technical or

specialized vocabulary, accompanied by charts, graphs or tables.



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Information is disseminated in a serious approach, often in a manner

resembling textbooks. It is published less frequently than any other

magazine publication.

Any magazine publishing that you pick up will surely fit into any of the

above categories. It helps to know into which category the magazine you

like to read fits. It will help you easily locate the ones that cater to your

interests in a large selection of magazines available.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Al Fiqi Haytham is a Cairo born criminal lawyer who obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of Mansoura in 1997. His is a correspondent and editor for the New Egypt press and is supported by the Supreme Council of the Press. He has also published various legal essays and has acted as an adviser to nursing staff in many different medical facilities.

