[Rockhounds] Thoughts on an online lapidary publication

[Alan Goldstein]

I would suggest you look at what is "out there" and try to fill a niche 
rather than duplicate established efforts. The best way to succeed is to do 
something different. "Better" is good, but you have to have people willing 
to look at it first. "Different" is easier to promote. You don't need to 
share your ideas with the list. But do you have ideas to make it fill an 
existing need, or is it really creative to make and fill a need 
simultanously?

Publishing is hard work. As part of my astronomy hobby I produced a small 
publication that focused on deep sky observing (objects beyond the solar 
system) from 1976 to 2003. I had good writers and the subscription rate was 
reasonable. It was a newsletter-type publication for most of its existence, 
but eventually became a paper magazine with a glossy cover. Someone in New 
Jersey served as editor and publisher for the last 10 years. In spite of 
major improvements, I could not get above the minimum threshold to make 
commerical advertising practical and after 26 years (and a request for 
someone else to carry the ball) I called it quits. I've still got a couple 
of boxes of back issues in my basement.

I cannot see how you can create an on-line magazine that will be profitable 
in the first year. Most people have expectations for on-line freebies, 
though most professional society publications on-line are password protected 
for subscribers only. Some will allow visitors to read abstracts, but there 
is a page charge for single articles. That might be a way to go, but you 
will need to develop the first on-line issue and market it as a free look at 
what is to come with details about how to subscribe. You might offer 
potential advertisers a free posting in the premiere issue, but then charge 
a rate based on the number of subscribers or page views. Do some research 
and see what is out there and the various formats / techniques they use for 
subscribers.

Al is right - paper still rules. Having a format (PDF) to allow users to 
download / print articles is going to be critical. Personally, I hate 
on-line publications. My "Journal of Paleontology" issues last year were 
on-line. Somehow I got paper issues this year; it probably cost me more, but 
it is worth it! I like a magazine I can take to the "reading room!" My 
desktop computer is too heavy!!!

Make sure any on-line subscription system is simple. (Secure is obvious and 
need not be discussed further.) If you allow for single article downloads, 
make sure the entire subscription cost is lower than the sum of the 
individual pages!

That's enough for now, but I would be happy to discuss further.

Alan G.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hans Durstling" <siniconb at gmail.com>
To: "Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors" 
<rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:59 PM
Subject: [Rockhounds] Thoughts on an online lapidary publication


> 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.
> -- 
> _______________________________________________
> Rockhounds at drizzle Mailing List
> Subscription Services:
> http://lists.drizzle.com/mailman/listinfo/rockhounds
> List Home Page, with a link to the List Usage Policy:
> http://www.eclecticlapidary.com/Rockhounds/index.html