How to Start a Magazine

Creating and Publishing Your Own Magazine

© Katelyn Thomas

Jan 5, 2008

For many writers and hobbyists, starting a magazine is a familiar dream. However, for that dream to succeed, the prospective publisher needs to make quite a few decisions, from exactly what type of magazine to publish to how to distribute the finished product.

Types of Magazines

There are thousands of magazines on different topics, from regional parenting publications to sporting news magazines, but they all fall under several basic categories.

• Free publications are funded by advertising costs and are usually regional.
• Zines are often small, photocopied publications that are sold by subscription to a specific audience.
• News stand publications are usually glossy magazines that are also often sold by subscription for a reduced price. They usually have a larger audience than zines and appeal to advertisers because of their targeted, but large, group of readers.
• Newsletters are closely related to magazines, but are usually tied to an organization of some kind. They are often a free benefit for people who have paid their membership fees.
• Online magazines are increasingly popular because of their relatively low cost and ability to reach larger audiences than print publications.

Choose a Magazine Topic

For most prospective publishers, choosing a magazine topic is the easiest part of the whole process. Often, they have an idea for a magazine, discover that no one else is filling the need and decide to do so themselves. However, even someone who knows what he or she wants the magazine to be about needs to do a bit of research and fine tuning before proceeding to the next step.

• Consider the number of people who are interested in the topic. For example, a polar bear conservation magazine may not have a wide enough audience, while an Alaska conservation magazine will draw additional readers.
• Make sure the wheel isn't being reinvented. Just because there is one magazine being published on a topic doesn't mean it is off limits, especially if it isn't well received by the audience it is targeting. However, taking on a hugely popular, well established magazine is a recipe for failure.

If the publisher is interested in a money making business and doesn't have a certain topic in mind, regional magazines are probably the best bet. Just keep in mind that magazine publishing is a high risk business and many magazines fold within a year of the first issue.

Check Licensing Requirements

Any business, even one that is run from a home computer, needs certain licenses and permits, especially if it is operating under an assumed name. Unless Kris Kringle is publishing a magazine under his own name, he needs to let the government know the name of his business by filing a DBA, or doing business as, application. Distribution across state lines could also involve certain fees and permits.

Design the Magazine

A good magazine has a consistent design and style. Things to consider when designing a magazine include:

• Layout
• Typeface
• Page size
• Number of pages
• Whether the magazine will be black and white, part color, or full color
• Paper quality

Advertising and Promotion

Promoting the magazine, especially to potential advertisers, begins before the first issue is even made. Many publishers make a mock up of several pages of the magazine to show businesses and will include it in their media kits. Advertisers are more willing to shell out a part of their limited promotional budget when they can see what they are paying for.

Additional Resources for Magazine Publishing Basics

Don't forget to consider your start up magazine publishing costs as you finalize your plans to develop a new publication.

Starting a Magazine Involves Many Design Decisions

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