How to Start a Magazine
Author: James B. Kobak
List Price: $29.95
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0871319276
Publisher: M Evans & Co (September, 2002)
Sales Rank: 1,096
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
A relief...
Every single book that I'd ever picked up about the magazine business was pretty cut-n-dry and hard to understand (vocabulary wise) with entirely too many numbers that made me go "???" But this book was conversational and informative. I found out some things that I didn't know about from the magazine I was writing for. It's a great way to learn about the magazine business if you're starting it on your own or just to understand the behind-the-scenes of what the owners do. He lost me in the end with the numbers but I still enjoyed it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Great for Experienced Publishers Too....
How to Start a Magazine is a must read for anyone thinking about starting a magazine, and anyone currently in the business. While the book targets the wanna-be publisher, it is also one of the best books I have read for experienced magazine professionals too. Kobak masterfully describes all of the key competencies of magazine publishing in a straight forward no nonsense manner. Unlike many texts on this subject, this book is full of practical real-life examples of what to do, and what watch out for. The author also does an excellent job of exploring how to expand the business of established magazines into international markets, book publishing, list rentals and custom publishing. This book is well worth your time and money.
Rating: 4 out of 5
First half great. Second half wanting.
Unlike the more down-to-earth Starting And Running A Successful Newsletter or Magazine, this book is targeted for the up-scale magazine publisher wannabe. Still, it is a worthy addition to anyone serious about publishing for profit.I have researched high and low for statistical data regarding circulation promotion. This book is the only one that provided quality information that can be used to guage one's prospects after test marketing. This information will prove intensely valuable when I get game and small livestock farming in the test marketing stage.
He also provided great advice regarding establishing the scope to insure you provide what your readers want, with the operative word WANT instead of need. To a degree, of course, he slips into consultant mode, but this wasn't too distractive.
It was only as he got into the later chapters that I felt like he was too intent on getting readers to hire consultants than in providing content for the reader.
James does a great job in explaining the life cycle of periodicals and why so many die after having outlived their usefullness.
I encourage all who consider publishing to buy this book when they buy Cheryl Woodard's.
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