My Publishing
Career
Q: When did
you launch a career as a publisher? What did you publish?
ME:
Between 1992 and 1996, I worked as a freelance writer and graphic designer. I
wrote and designed print materials -- newsletters, brochures, press kits, etc.
-- for local businesses and print shops. During that time I also designed,
wrote, and published a bunch of direct-mail subscription-based newsletters, and
later, a newsstand magazine.
I had always wanted to be a publisher so I
could share my knowledge and experience with others. I also got to recruit and
work with many talented writers outside my local area who contributed their
skills, knowledge and experiences, to my publications.
Q: What did
you publish?
ME: A few of my publications included:
1) Private Eye Publicity, a monthly newsletter covering freelance
public relations. It was based on my experience working for PR agencies and how
to promote your business.
2) The Prolific Freelancer, a bi-monthly
newsletter on freelance writing. It covered both writing for magazines and
writing for businesses. I always liked the term “prolific” because it
describes the activity of all writers who have steady freelance
careers.
3) Today’s Freelancer, a bi-monthly newsletter covering
new trends in freelancing, such as new techniques in marketing, writing, and
technology.
Q: Was this your first time publishing
publications?
ME: No. I had prior experience publishing
bi-monthly and quarterly newsletters for local hospitals and construction
companies, as well as publishing annual glossy magazines for trade
associations.
Q: You claim to be a magazine publisher. Can you
elaborate?
ME: After a couple years of publishing my own
newsletters, I had developed a loyal following of readers. I was ready for my
next big step: publishing a magazine. My magazine, titled, Today’s $85,000
Freelance Writer (also known as Today’s $85K Freelance Writer), debuted on
newsstands in 1997. The focus (and title) of my magazine was influenced by
Robert W. Bly (Bob Bly) who had penned the book, “Secrets of a Freelancer:
How to Make $85,000 A Year” (1st edition, 1994). “Secrets of a
Freelancer” was revolutionary at the time; it was the first book on
freelance copywriting that appealed to the masses and revealed how writers
could earn a substantial income with their writing. I had thought about naming
my magazine, simply “Today’s Freelance Copywriter,” as it did
focus partly on copywriting, but I had convinced myself the title would not
appeal to most writers.
Today’s $85K Freelance Writer was the
first magazine of its kind to cover topics on freelance copywriting and writing
for different industries. It was different from Writer’s Digest and The
Writer Magazine, as those magazines focused more on magazine writing and
creative writing. My magazine introduced readers to the other “less
popular” forms of freelance writing which paid a lot better.
Q:
Who wrote for your magazine?
ME: I recruited dozens of
talented freelance writers throughout the U.S. who wrote articles on “A
Freelance Writer’s Guide to Landing Government Contracts”; “How
to Write Corporate Newsletters”; “Live Long & Prosper as a
Newsletter Copywriter”; “Carve Your Niche as a Healthcare
Writer”; “Stringing Words Along”; “Build Your Fortune One
Brochure At A Time”; “How to Sell Your Copywriting Services to Small
Businesses”; “Cutting Your Sales Copy Clutter”; etc. Some of my
regular columnists included Lucy V. Parker (author of “How to Open &
Operate A Home-Based Writing Business"); Moira Allen, author of many books on
freelance writing; Robert W. Bly (every writer knows who he is); Kathleen
Poole; Gary Meilo; and many others. I contributed articles on technology,
marketing, and the next big thing -- the Internet.
Q: How long did
you publish your magazine for?
ME: I designed, contributed,
and published each issue for two years. After the fifth issue of publishing my
magazine, I quickly learned why most new magazines go bankrupt. If you lack
advertisers for any period of time, you won’t make a profit. Publishing a
glossy, four-color magazine with newsstand distribution became too costly.
Subscriptions and single copy sales barely covered the printing costs. In its
second year, I downsized my magazine to a subscription-based mail-order
publication and published it for the remaining year. Then I called it quits. My
experience as an editor, graphic designer, freelance writer, and magazine
publisher was rewarding, but the workload left me exhausted and financially
broke. To this day I have not returned to publishing a printed newsletter,
catalog, or magazine, not since the coming (and blessing) of the Internet.
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