How would one start their own magazine?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I have had this brilliant idea for a magazine for at least two days, which replaced my other brilliant idea involving cupholders on shopping carts for your coffee…which replaced my other brilliant idea involving a shock collar for husband training…and so on…

Before I toss it into the outpile of my mind, I need the facts.

I am not looking for a huge market, it would be a specific market. I would probably want to do it online, of which website stuff I know zero about. so far so good!

I know I would have an audience ( I’m not saying what it is because I am not having my idea stolen - or worse - to be told my idea is out there already. bastids for stealing my idea before I thought it!)
I know that Jonathan Chance is in da bidness and our fair Eve has been there as well, but what if I wanted ( in the most tenuous sense) to start up a grassroots kinda- underground magazine ( paper or on line), I need some basics. To break my rose colored glasses and let me get back to the mundania that is my life.

2

The carts at the local supermarket DO have coffee cup holders (but only because there’s a Dunkin Donuts in the store). Best invention ever.

3

A webzine is relatively easy: Get a domain name (they’re cheap) and someone to host it. Then put the material up. You should probably hire a good web designer, especially if you don’t know much about html or other coding. You can do it yourself, but it will probably not look as good as you’d like.

They, you’d put the material on the web. You can submit your site to the various search engines (and they will find out eventually, anyway) and hope for the best.

An actual hard copy magazine is much more difficult.

4

You know, I’m available for consultancies…

Seriously, what can I tell you? A webzine is easier to establish but harder to profit on. A hardcopy pub costs more but has a much better chance of making some serious dough.

First off…

  1. What’s the GOAL of the pub? Profit? PR? Something else? You’ll be amazed how many people don’t answer this question before setting out.

  2. How will you profit (if that’s the goal). Advertising? Subscriptions? Corrupt sales of positive reviews? What?

  3. If advertising…who are your target advertisers? Do you have any existing relationship with them or do you know anyone who does?

Email’s in the profile if you want specifics.