Magazine Startup *Please Read*

[Harrison Vance]

Hello Everyone!

I would first off like to say that this is strictly an idea that just came to mind recently. I've been on the search for magazine subscriptions recently involving rocketry. Sad to say I've been disappointed to find out that there aren't many available. However, I do believe this idea may spark an interest in some people. Let me explain. Throughout my time on TRF I've been witnessing how close we are as a community and how we're always there for one another if someone needs help/advice. It's simply amazing! Therefore I would like to propose the idea of making a magazine subscription based on the members of our community! Listed below is the breakdown on how everything is laid out:

Members from the The Rocketry Forum community will have the chance to submit articles based on:

Build Projects
DIY/How-To's
Workshop/Workbench Showoff
Collection Showoff
Events (Ex. NARAM, LDRS, Local Launches, ...)
Buy/Sell/Trade
Any Other Ideas!

Of course, this is just me thinking out loud and seeing how the community reacts to this idea. I don't plan on making a profit for this as I want to do this simply for our community. I got to crunch the numbers and see how much publishing magazines will cost, but I plan on selling the magazines for roughly $7-$10 based on the cost of printing, shipping, and handling. If you have any ideas, please feel free to suggest anything. Feedback is needed. Thank you all!

 

[Hobie1dog]

All of the items are already on TRF, with doing a quick search brings it all up in seconds. Unlikely to find anyone who will pay for a hard magazine that is a duplication of the contents in a forum.

 

[justforfun]

Many have tried over the last 50 + years.

Put together a complete article, post for comments.

Nice to see, how you write and edit.

Just my two cents, from someone that had many articles published back in the day.

Roy

 

[Harrison Vance]

All of the items are already on TRF, with doing a quick search brings it all up in seconds. Unlikely to find anyone who will pay for a hard magazine that is a duplication of the contents in a forum.

Fair enough. I've always like the hard copy of things, but I guess technology rules! Thanks for your feedback as it's much appreciated!

 

[Harrison Vance]

Many have tried over the last 50 + years.

Put together a complete article, post for comments.

Nice to see, how you write and edit.

Just my two cents, from someone that had many articles printed back in the day.

Roy

It would be interesting for sure. Let's see if it's worth while and if it gains any attention. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I would not buy it. I almost never read the Sport Rocketry magazine I get with my NAR membership, and it’s a pretty good magazine.

 

[Titan II]

You` joined the forum 12 days ago.
You say you have never been to an event.
You have a handful of posts that do not add up to much.
You may want to establish some form of credibility.

 

[NateB]

PGI has a very nice bulletin for members, but it is difficult recruiting quality, publish worthy articles from volunteer contributors. It can be done, but don't underestimate the time that needs to be spent for it to be done right.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

FWIW - the business model for magazines is similar to the forum, a multi-sided platform with advertising-based subsidies for subscribers (ideally you get to a really cheap subscription / cover price because you can put advertising inside). Sadly these models do not work well when you do not have a critical mass of subscribers (many hobbies are "dying out" slowly but surely).

 

[neil_w]

I tend to agree that a hardcopy magazine has a very remote chance of succeeding. An online magazine has better chances. I don't know if you could get by with ad-supported or if subscriptions would work better.

But indeed, it would need to be something significantly beyond what you can get for free here on the forum.

 

[dr wogz]

the only two hobby magazines that seem to have any traction are model trains & plastic models. all others have either died, or are just a catalog of ads..

 

[tsmith1315]

I loved the magazines, something tangible to hold. But the world has changed, and I'm not normal.

 

[dr wogz]

I would also add that Sport Rocketry (The NAR mag) is always looking for, wanting articles.. But then again, not everyone can write an article..

A number of the build threads here can easily make it into that publication.. albeit with a bit of editing & such..

 

[Brian Ditmer]

Fair enough. I've always like the hard copy of things, but I guess technology rules! Thanks for your feedback as it's much appreciated!

same here. I hate reading long passages on on a computer screen

 

[NateB]

A number of the build threads here can easily make it into that publication.. albeit with a bit of editing & such..

This is true, there is a ton of great information on this forum. The forum format can make it hard to find the good stuff and separate out filler commentary. The search function is most useful if you know exactly what you are searching for, including slang terms and acronyms. For new folks it can be frustrating, especially when searching general terms only yields snarky comments about "did you search" or "let me google that for you".

One improvement for this site would be a curated articles/how to section with comments either removed or heavily moderated by the article author and the ability for the author to edit or update the article after the normal post editing window has expired. Of course, this would be a big task and the curating or editing responsibilities would need to fall on a different set of volunteers than the group of mods and administrators which already have time consuming work.

 

[dr wogz]

This is true, there is a ton of great information on this forum. The forum format can make it hard to find the good stuff and separate out filler commentary. The search function is most useful if you know exactly what you are searching for, including slang terms and acronyms. For new folks it can be frustrating, especially when searching general terms only yields snarky comments about "did you search" or "let me google that for you".

One improvement for this site would be a curated articles/how to section with comments either removed or heavily moderated by the article author and the ability for the author to edit or update the article after the normal post editing window has expired. Of course, this would be a big task and the curating or editing responsibilities would need to fall on a different set of volunteers than the group of mods and administrators which already have time consuming work.

I used to frequent RC Universe. (I have made mention numerous times) that TRF should follow suit. The site is well structured, easy to search, and has a section / pull down for various "articles" [builds, reviews, comments, etc..] as well as making teh yard sale & photo gallery front & center..

https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/

 

[jimzcatz]

You` joined the forum 12 days ago.
You say you have never been to an event.
You have a handful of posts that do not add up to much.
You may want to establish some form of credibility.

Gotta start somewhere!!!

 

[Harrison Vance]

Gotta start somewhere!!!

Exactly!

 

[allensmith]

I would not buy it. I almost never read the Sport Rocketry magazine I get with my NAR membership, and it’s a pretty good magazine.

I’m curious. Why do you hardly ever read it? Does it not offer anything interesting or new? Is it just not relative to where you are in the hobby? Is it a time issue?

Just wondering. Having been in the trade magazine business during another part of my life, staying relevant to my audience was crucial to our success.

 

[jimzcatz]

Yea, I don't bother reading it either. Theres nothing in it for me. If I could not get it that would be great.

 

[dr wogz]

I'll add that I get it*, and flip thru it (Sport Rocketry / NAR mag).. usually once.. during my 'personal time' I then leave it in the lunch room at work..

it really doesn't offer me anything new or insightful.. The audience seems limited (NAR only - thru membership.) My local magazine store did sell it many years ago, but I think I was the only one who ever bought it.

CAR offers a magazine / newsletter to their members. but like others, they are always wanting & looking for articles. Theirs is 'Earthrise'


* I get it as part of my "International" NAR membership. I would opt out if I could - to reduce the membership cost

 

[jqavins]

All of the items are already on TRF, with doing a quick search brings it all up in seconds. Unlikely to find anyone who will pay for a hard magazine that is a duplication of the contents in a forum.

My thoughts exactly. What you're talking about is printing the forum. Or, well...

One improvement for this site would be a curated articles/how to section with comments either removed or heavily moderated by the article author and the ability for the author to edit or update the article after the normal post editing window has expired. Of course, this would be a big task and the curating or editing responsibilities would need to fall on a different set of volunteers than the group of mods and administrators which already have time consuming work.

Unless you're volunteering to do that, I don't think you have anything. The only model I see maybe working is one the following, and I'm not optimistic about that:

• You accept thread nominations and also find good threads on your own.
• You check them out and decide whether or not they make the grade. (Even your own finds, treat them like the other nominations and have a second look.)
• Make a weekly or monthly "recommended reading list".

Would anyone pay for that? I'd give it a try for a month or two and then, well, probably not, but I'd consider it.

I would not buy it. I almost never read the Sport Rocketry magazine I get with my NAR membership, and it’s a pretty good magazine.

I’m curious. Why do you hardly ever read it? Does it not offer anything interesting or new? Is it just not relative to where you are in the hobby? Is it a time issue?

For me, simple. I live in a house full of couch potatoes and I'm not better than the rest. The TV is always on. I try to thumb trough it and read an interesting article or two, but I just somehow (almost) never do.

the only two hobby magazines that seem to have any traction are model trains & plastic models. all others have either died, or are just a catalog of ads..

My brother in law still gets a wood working magazine. And there's Make. And I'm sure there must be some other survivors. But your point is good all the same.

I would also add that Sport Rocketry (The NAR mag) is always looking for, wanting articles.. But then again, not everyone can write an article.

Ans so it Peak of Flight.

A number of the build threads here can easily make it into that publication.. albeit with a bit of editing & such.

Make that "a bunch of editing". No, actually, make that a bunch of writing. Hacking out the comments and fixing the typos and such will not do the job. I don't think one could turn a thread into a publishing worthy article. One would have to take the article as source material and write the article from the ground up. And yes, there certainly are threads here worthy of such treatment.

But, here's another idea. Take the thread nominations as above, then pick one or two a month to write articles from. Collaborate with the thread initiator and try to sell the articles to Sport Rocketry, Peak of Flight, Make, or other places you might find. (Post here when you've sold something, and what thread it was based one.)

 

[ewomack]

I would love to see more rocketry magazines, but it's difficult enough to keep a non-print website current with good material. Add printing and shipping to that and the difficulty, effort and cost escalate very quickly. There is a reason that not many rocketry magazines exist today, because it's too costly, expensive and risky to justify unless you can afford to pay a staff to keep it all going without going deeply into debt. The lucky ones would break even. Years ago, I worked, on the side, in the office of a small business magazine. They were constantly struggling to make money and every issue the rumors would start: "is this the final issue?" Printing and distributing a magazine, especially a glossy newsstand quality one, is very expensive and probably too costly for a labor of love. Even if a cheap way did exist, and one might, I'm just fine with the internet version of the forum. I wouldn't need a print version and a magazine does not offer the almost real-time interactivity of this forum. You can't ask a question to a magazine and get an answer back in a matter of hours or minutes. You can try, but...

As for the NAR magazine, I really want to read it. I try to read it. In my first year of NAR membership, I really did read every issue cover to cover, but I gradually realized that few articles related to my pursuit of rocketry. I don't have any interest in competitive rocketry, for instance. Once in a while an article will catch my attention and I'll read it, but that happens maybe once every 5 or 6 issues. I do still like receiving it and I'm glad that it exists, but I don't really read much of it anymore, unfortunately.

 

[mh9162013]

I would also add that Sport Rocketry (The NAR mag) is always looking for, wanting articles..

No they aren't, despite what they say.

 

[dr wogz]

No they aren't, despite what they say.

why do you say that?

 

[mh9162013]

why do you say that?

I've contacted them about writing an article and they completely ignored me.

 

[lakeroadster]

I've contacted them about writing an article and they completely ignored me.

I contacted them and they responded within 48 hours. Perhaps try again.

 

[mh9162013]

I contacted them and they responded within 48 hours. Perhaps try again.

No need. The lack of a response is very telling, and what it tells could be almost anything, and none of it is good.

 

[rfjustin]

Rocketry is too small of a market to support another publication. Sport Rocketry through NAR, High Power through Tripoli (which is downloadable PDF), no need for another.

As others have stated, go to a launch, meet people, fly rockets in the wild so to speak.

 

[PayLoad]

Sport Rocketry thru NAR and High Power thru Tripoli should STRONGLY consider re-publishing already printed "How-Tos" in their magazines. Sure, they have printed how to set up a dual deploy rocket before, but there are many out there that have no clue whatsoever on how to do it. Sure, more pictures of rockets being launched are nice, but the meat of such a publication is in the "How-To" article. There is absolutely no need for another rocketry publication. Just my 2 cents, carry on.