[Rockhounds] Thoughts on an online lapidary publication

[Al Balmer]

Hi, Hans,

You certainly have the writing skills, and the subject matter
expertise, for such a venture. I have no useful input on the business
aspects, but after looking at the sample at
http://www.virtualfundy.com/default.htm ,
I do have a comment about form. I like the idea of web-available or
other electronic distribution of magazines and newsletters, but I
don't like them presented as a collection of web pages. Bottom line, I
want something I can print off and take to the easy chair in the
living room.

Paper still rules <g>.


On Wed, 5 Nov 2008 22:59:57 -0400, "Hans Durstling"
<siniconb at gmail.com> wrote:

>Hi everybody,
>
>A theme that was gratifyingly often expressed in the comments that
>came back on my  recently put up broken-arm-sale web page
>(www.virtualfundy.com/brokenarmsale.html) was, "Well if you can't make
>jewelry for the moment then maybe you should consider writing."
>
>As it happens, for quite some time, and with increasing seriousness, I
>have in fact been considering the publication of an internet lapidary
>magazine. There was a start, already, a few years ago
>(http://www.virtualfundy.com/default.htm) but that remained a one-off
>with only that one single issue.
>
>The reality is it's a huge amount of work, and time, to put up
>anything half decent. So somehow this venture has to pay for itself.
>But how?
>
>I had initially considered a subscription model, say somewhere between
>20 and 40 dollars a year. Yet subscription seems to me to come with at
>least four drawbacks: one, it would be out of sync with the usual
>practise of the internet, where (unless you're a porn site) stuff is
>expected to be free; second, it would limit the number of readers;
>third, it would put a serious quality onus on the publisher, because
>if someone's going to pay for stuff they'd expect it to be not only
>good, but damn good; and fourth it would be an administrative nuisance
>to keep track of passwords and subscription dates. I'm not sure that
>this model should be entirely rejected but these factors certainly
>speak against it.
>
>Then there's the paid advertising model. While much more in line with
>customary internet practise it would require probably four or five
>issues, at least, to build up credibility and visitor numbers before
>you could make a plausible case to potential advertisers. Which is a
>lot of time and a lot of work.
>
>So there's where I'd be grateful for thoughts and advice.I know
>there's several Rockhounds folks who have media experience. But just
>for everybody, all and sundry -  how would *you* tackle this
>conundrum, if you had it staring you in the face? Probably best email
>me off-list.
>
>Cheers and thanks to all,
>Hans Durstling
>in Moncton Canada, typing two handed again.

-- 
Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ