Publications - Magazines and Newsletters

[JamieDP]

I have noticed maybe one or two publications in the form of magazines for CD's, TG's, etc. When I look on the shelf at Borders I see at least 100 magazines for women, for men, for everything and nothing for us. I know that CDing is relatively new for the world society as a whole. I have also read and agree with many posts that like equal rights, it takes time, it takes education, it takes many things. Anyway - not to go off on a tangent,
I have this urge and have had this urge for years now to start my own publication and am thinking about doing that now, and catering to our community for beauty tips, support, help, everything no different than say Marie Claire or other women's magazines. (I name womens magazines because that is what I find myself reading and looking at the most).

I was just curious to know what anyone's feedback or thoughts would be to a publication of sorts?

[LaceLuvr]

a think that would be an excellent idea... just like this site everyone needs places and things to call their own and a magazine catering to a community audience such as this would be a terrific idea and give everyone... finally a serious magazine they could say was "for them" :) love the idea

[LouiseCassell]

I think its a good idea in principle, however, I am told that magazines do exist that are mail order - however I suspect these are at the higher price bracket. If you were to publish a new magazine am I right in assuming that you would strive to have in on the highstreet shelves like Woman and Womans Own (slightly showing my age off here!) If you are then my only negative feedback to you would be - who would actually pick it up and take it to the people at the tills? Its a shame (in my opinion) that CD's etc are usually by their very nature guarded and secretative and therefore I doubt the very people you are trying to reach out to would have the courage or conviction to pick the magazine up?

[JamieDP]

I guess I should add, I doubt it would be something for mass marketing off the shelf but probably more mail order...I'm having trouble finding many that appear to be consistent, frequent and quality. If someone coudl direct me to those that'd be great.

...but I'd want it to be available on the rack...i mean men still get all scared about buying maxim and playboy off the rack.

Negative feedback is welcome...very welcome. I just want the feedback to be honest.

[Tiffy]

I think it would be a great idea. There are some online e- zinez but, that does not help with letting my wife read them. She hardly use the puter but once in a while to post here. Where do we sign up?

Kisses, April

[LaceLuvr]

i think the response about the publication being risky as far as being on the shelves might be right. would still be nice though. course you could always start primarily as a Mail order thing, and slowly start getting it on the shelves with the other magazines. Once it developed a little bit more of a reputation i think it would get a slightly better response as far as being bought off the shelf.

[Barbguy]

i also would love to read a book that i could feel i would relate with and crossdressing is somthing i'm defently into and dont look like i'll ever stop from the look of my closet :) but if i seen a book on crossdressing i would pick it up and i also feel the public needs to be educated on crossdressers so when they see one dressed sentce we don't always pass they won't think just because you cd your gay and werried. there is enough of us that if we started comming out more we would be excepted more i do my share of going out in public dressed when ever i'm out of town and i do not get many bad looks and never a bad comit people don't know me and they go about there bissness GET R DONE :)

[Rita Farie]

When you get it going, use large print and big pictures. Please leave out the PORNO.

Rita

[JamieDP]

No porno. I promise. If I were to do this as seriously as I have been thinking (As far as to write a business plan in the last two weeks), I'd want to give the world something of class, something that represents the level of classiness that I find in the people I interact here in this message board...or the classiness of those CD/TG friends I have.

I personally feel like if someone's the pornographic side of it, they have the internet.

[Priscilla1018]

Hi Jamie,

I think it is a wonderful idea and I am sure you could get many companies to advertise in the magazine.I will certainly subscribe if you can get this going.

[Julie]

Jamie a great idea and a magazine that was really 'for us' would be excellent.

If you do consider this wouldn't that entail doing market research, finding a financier for the project etc...

Julie

[Stephenie]

I think that it is a wonderful idea. If the cover is not flashy or obviously for CDs I might buy it from a news stand. But again no porno.

[Tristen Cox]

Oh come on just a wittle porno? Joking :p

[LaceLuvr]

Oh come on just a wittle porno? Joking :p

i'll admit i'm a little partial to the porno aspects of things ;) but i agree a more classy publication like your suggesting for this magazine would be great for all, for those of us who might use it a little bit more, and also for the general public who has very little ideas or the wrong ideas about they lives of those that aren't so generally accepted. It could be a very educational voice to enlighten the world at large and promote a higher understanding.

[DonnaT]

Sounds like a good idea on the surface, but I wouldn't think it feasible. There are other tranny magazines out there (Transformations or Repartee)and they do make it to some news stands, but I believe that the cost for publishing them is helped by the advertisements. They seem to have a good bit of ads in them.

But, hey, what do I know about running a business? Nothing at all :D

Seems to me though that you'd want to check out how some of the magazines that are out there do manage.

Maybe you should do a poll to see how many CDs actually buy the magazines already in circulation.

[LaceLuvr]

i think whether on stands or mostly mail order the biggest challenge is getting the word out. I honestly can't say I've ever just seen an ad for a similar magazine so if you could get the word out about it I think you would be all right. If you start it please let us know. I know you'll have my subscription I'm sure me and my GG would both enjoy the publication.

[kristine239]

Sounds like fun, girls, but the expense is enormous. Lady Like is still in publication and fills your needs as does TransGender Tapistry www.ifge.org.
I am on the BOD of IFGE and have first hand information on the expense. Even Gina Lance from Girl Talk (the bast one I know of) finally gave up, sold out, and it went web only and I'm not sure if it is still around. I was taliing to Briana Austin formerly of Girl Talk and she may be working on something. I will see her at Southern Comfort next month and hope to get a better idea of what she is working on.

The best idea would be to join in with one of the existing mags, write articles,ben an editor etc. If that sound interesting to you, then I will put you in touch with Dallas Denny, editor of TransTap or Joanne Roberts, publisher of Lady Like.

Publishing is not for the novice.

Love Kristine

[DanaJ]

Kristime said pretty much what I was going to - you better have deep deep pockets, and no day job as this will take over your life. Take it from someone who has done something similar, writing/publishing is a major investment, both in money and time.

DanaJ

[JamieDP]

I have definitely done some market research on cost so far. This isn't a financial venture for me at all. I personally have a fair amount of secured wealth that I would be intending to invest...but my one response is how many businesses and attempts at so many things have failed only to have a new one start up and fail or succeed.

I personally a believer of the philosphy die trying if its really want you want to do. I personally would rather look back on my life and say I failed trying at something I loved passionately than to say I wonder what would have happened and never started it at all. I actually have made some contributions to puiblications, far and few between but under my real everyday name.

I have seen the one or two popular mags out there, and they are still missing a little something for me and I think some others may feel the same.

The way I see the the market, just like mens magazines, womens, health, fitness, interior design magazines, sport magazines - there is always room for one more of those. Are we saying there is not enough room in our community for another outlet like this weather it be underground, public on the newstand, mail order or no matter its distribution?

I definitely appreciate the advice on the $$$. I have been in media for longer than I can remember and have worked for some of the most affluent publications in the world. It's not a totally new off the wall venture where I have no background, so I definitely know what I could be getting into. I emphasize could, and have made some serious plans and thought about it, but I have not 100% completely decided it is a go. Close but not yet.

I guess to restate it to the group, my question is more about would there be an interest in reading it or an interest in the material? The how's and what's would be the next part in the process, the actual investment on my part. As long as I see responses that say in the bottom line that utimately it would be read and supported wherever possible is the key thing to me.


Just lastly I have to say once again - everyone here is incredibly wonderful in there own way. Keep up the dialogue, if not to anyone else all of your feedback the good, the bad means something to me.

[JamieDP]

I do want to add that it would not be at all for money or profit, I never expected that and totally expected to take a loss. I currently am looking at about 3 years of being able to run it and if it makes it that long. If nothing else I would love to make a mark and set even another example so maybe the next one that tries it, the road is just that little bit easier than it was for those before me and for myself.

[paulaN]

I like the idea. I have read some of the mags mentioned. thay do cost a lot so I have never subscribed. I would bye yours too.

[StephanieCD]

Yea, there are a couple magazines like this. Doing it "proper" would require significant resources, financial and otherwise. Backing from an accepted publication wouldn't hurt, either. Getting shelf space would be tough, too, as most mainstream stores would be too afraid to carry it without a proven readership - and even then it might be by request only.

All my devil's advocating aside - ever need a designer for it, let me know. I was also once Editor in Chief of a tech newspaper... a short-lived one though ;) But really - if you go for it look me up :)

[LaceLuvr]

hey hadn't checked on this thread since my last post just checking to see how the convo was going and just for my part I definetly want to know if this thing gets going because I know I will be checking it out and I think I can safely speak for my GG on this that she would be as well.

[joni-alice]

What about making the magazine more of a cd-woman type thing, on the style of W or something like that? Good articles on make-up and dress would attract both genders (I guess I have not dubbed "CD" a gender), and there could also be columns devoted to CD, as well as GG needs and neutral stories and articles too. As far as "porno," there is a lot of soft corps (as in body) in the women's fashion mags. AShould be able to attract advertisers easily.

"You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go"
"You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go"
Jim Rohn quotes (American Speaker and Author. He is famous for motivational audio programs for Business and Life. )

So I went to a quotation source to find this, do me something!
hugs,
joni

[LaceLuvr's GG]

I think it would be a great idea. I would very much enjoy reading a magazine like that. I'm not into women's magazines - I don't like all the tiny girls they have in them - but I would definately subscribe to a magazine for CD's. Just a lil input though... I would love to see an area of the mag. for GG's. That might be a lil helpful for the GG's that have some issues, and for those who don't (like me). I wouldn't mind even writing some articles for something like that. I've always wanted to do something like, but have never found an area that really interests me to write about... now I have.

So, I say... DO IT!!!

[gennee]

Jamie:

Love the idea! :thumbsup:


gennee :)

[triciaannmarie]

sounds like a really great idea

tricia

[Mirragea]

I like the idea but you better mail them out in plain paper with no desciption.If you could guarantee your subscribers privacy I think it just might work.:think:

[Khriss]

Jamie, I'm familier with a publication- thats been around a while, Lady Like,, which may have been short-sheeted some by the internet, though Transformations ,seems to be doing well,, it may be a market "niche" kind of thing,, like "Heff" eh?- while "playboy" in print,seems to struggle some, so be cautious but,, good luck- (need an Editor??-hehe) xx"K" :cool: