How to start a magazine

Over the years I have been asked how did I start a magazine and if I could give tips on the fastest way to start a magazine today on a shoe string budget what would I give. I thought about this question for a bit and decided to crunch down years of experience into  5 tips on How to start a magazine.  I did it , anyone can do it. My experience comes from starting a print magazine from scratch. See that here BODacious Magazine

1. Pick a topic - And expand on it on paper, by this I mean, write down the topic you wish to start a magazine about and create 5 to 8 sub topics based on your main subject matter. By doing this, it allows you the opportunity to create sections in your magazine. Remember, in each you will have several regular sections and places for advertisements. Even when you are starting out you might not have any advertisers, but you keep the "mental" and physical space on paper to be filled with say "your own ads". I myself put together several magazines with my own ads for products and serves and got more money in those businesses than I did from selling the magazine.

2. Make a physical prototype of your magazine. - This will help you when starting a magazine, because it will allow you to create your vision of your magazine on paper. Get a three ring binder and 100 pieces of paper. This will allow you to keep a page count for your magazine. Now your job is to fill up your "scrapbook" / prototype with articles, photos, sections and all that with your content.

3. Get content. However you wish to make your magazine you will have to create folders for each section you will have in your magazine. Lets use five for example. Five folders, five topics. If your content contains photos, you will have to set up photo shoots. Or get content that will go into your magazine. If you are using people, make sure to get release forms. Even get release forms for the content you get for your articles. Even if you use guest writers. Always use guest writers as much as you can in your magazines, because it gives someone else to build their career further from your generosity. Once you have all your content organize them in your physical folders and your digital folders. Keep track. Its very, VERY important that you keep mental and physical track of where things are.

4. Sit down and format your prototype. With colored pens/pencils sit down and map out your magazine from the cover, to inside front cover, to page pages to the end and last page. Page by page create what and how you see each page . Do so in a rough draft kind of way. This is done so that when you give the binder to the graphic artist or art director or publisher they can see your vision without you talking. It makes their work and your stress a lot easier to handle. Trust me I do this every time. Its a time saver and a money saver too, especially if you are paying by the hour.

5. Find a publisher or printer. This is the person who sits with you and takes your magazine idea and materials and transforms them into the final product. This will all be determined on how you wish to see your final product delivered to you, be it hardcopy to mail to people or put on newsstands or to make an e-book or PRF online version of it. The choice at this point is all yours.

So that's it on how to start your own magazine. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and I will answer to the best of my knowledge.

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Zik Ukaeje
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