This is being discussed by a few at FV: http://www.feeverte.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=3717
It's kind of mixed up in a thread that's also about wine publications, so to give it a dedicated thread here, what does everyone think about the possibilities of a quarterly semi-upscale absinthe mag?
Full Version: What about an absinthe magazine?
I'd read it.
I'd subscribe.
I'd subscribe and contribute. I think it's a great idea, if done well.
I'd read it too, and so would one of my friends. Heck, with all of us from the forums, and our friends, it could sell dozens of copies.
I agree if done well it would be a good idea. This would mean an assorted set of articles as well as lots of nice color pictures.
The big question is, anyone willing to sink enough money into it to really make it work?
If it remains advertising integrity, how many advertisers could it really get?
The big question is, anyone willing to sink enough money into it to really make it work?
If it remains advertising integrity, how many advertisers could it really get?
Any particular thoughts on how to make it work or on what audience to aim toward, etc.?
My view is that it should be sophisticated but not snobbish. Slickly modern but still retaining a little bit of Belle Epoque and gothic style. Kind of mix up the image to cross many demographics (bring them in and educate them), yet focus primarily on being an entertainment and review resource for connoisseurs. I would imagine reviews would be handled a good bit differently than the FV system, and since there's only so many products currently available, it might be interesting to do very long, detailed reviews on every aspect of products and only do a few each issue. Feature how-to info like distilleries, the basic how-to regarding the big equipment (avoiding home-distilling info), studies etc. Also have culture stuff with celebrities, music, movies, books, home furnishings, etc.
Regarding sinking money into it, at FV we've been discussing starting it out online to generate interest before trying to print and sell it. It could be a group project by the community.
I don't know the first thing about advertising, but maybe someone here can suggest how that would be effectively implemented while retaining integrity.
My view is that it should be sophisticated but not snobbish. Slickly modern but still retaining a little bit of Belle Epoque and gothic style. Kind of mix up the image to cross many demographics (bring them in and educate them), yet focus primarily on being an entertainment and review resource for connoisseurs. I would imagine reviews would be handled a good bit differently than the FV system, and since there's only so many products currently available, it might be interesting to do very long, detailed reviews on every aspect of products and only do a few each issue. Feature how-to info like distilleries, the basic how-to regarding the big equipment (avoiding home-distilling info), studies etc. Also have culture stuff with celebrities, music, movies, books, home furnishings, etc.
Regarding sinking money into it, at FV we've been discussing starting it out online to generate interest before trying to print and sell it. It could be a group project by the community.
I don't know the first thing about advertising, but maybe someone here can suggest how that would be effectively implemented while retaining integrity.
Advertising happens to be my specialty. I'll get thinking on a plan.
I like it!
And raise money with ads! 
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
You're awesome, AD.
Ads that contain samples...
You guys really think there's enough going on in absinthe to make a monthly mag float? Quarterly maybe, and skinny at that.
And there's only a handful of producers and vendors who'd be worthy of advertising—do they have the ad capital to support a magazine?
You might be able to pad out the first few issues with how the herbs are grown and how absinthe is and was produced, but after 2 or 3 issues, I think it would get kind of sparse.
And there's only a handful of producers and vendors who'd be worthy of advertising—do they have the ad capital to support a magazine?
You might be able to pad out the first few issues with how the herbs are grown and how absinthe is and was produced, but after 2 or 3 issues, I think it would get kind of sparse.
Martin, like perfume ads?
Hiram, a quarterly thing is exactly what I was thinking. I think that the a culture-heavy approach would be most appropriate because there's not a ton going on in the world of absinthe production-wise. Yet there's a lot of info to share on so many different aspects of its production and science. Magazine articles are not as in-depth as what we might find in the Virtual Absinthe Museum, etc., but it's not uncommon for people to find smaller bits of info more tangible and easy to digest. If it ever actually became a printed magazine I think this would be amplified because many people also find it easier to read something in their hands rather than on a screen. It trades depth and detail for convenience.
An absinthe magazine might have a broader audience than some might think. Many, many people who don't drink absinthe are attracted to the idea of absinthe and the cultural aspects of it. It's infectious to the point that many people who haven't even figured out how to get ahold of absinthe shell out money for related items.
Hiram, a quarterly thing is exactly what I was thinking. I think that the a culture-heavy approach would be most appropriate because there's not a ton going on in the world of absinthe production-wise. Yet there's a lot of info to share on so many different aspects of its production and science. Magazine articles are not as in-depth as what we might find in the Virtual Absinthe Museum, etc., but it's not uncommon for people to find smaller bits of info more tangible and easy to digest. If it ever actually became a printed magazine I think this would be amplified because many people also find it easier to read something in their hands rather than on a screen. It trades depth and detail for convenience.
An absinthe magazine might have a broader audience than some might think. Many, many people who don't drink absinthe are attracted to the idea of absinthe and the cultural aspects of it. It's infectious to the point that many people who haven't even figured out how to get ahold of absinthe shell out money for related items.
We could have a lot of reader participation sections; like a poetry and art corner, recipes, etc.... Maybe every other month to start.
QUOTE (Hiram @ Nov 13 2006, 12:24 PM) 
You guys really think there's enough going on in absinthe to make a monthly mag float? Quarterly maybe, and skinny at that.
I doubt a monthly mag could float. I've seen a number of well intentioned e-mags die after only a couple months, let alone something in print. What I have pictured is a reasonably thick quarterly with lots of interesting things beyond the basics, such as opinion pieces, and stories, etc.
I think it would really need to follow a more aficionado high class style.
QUOTE (Hiram @ Nov 13 2006, 12:24 PM)
And there's only a handful of producers and vendors who'd be worthy of advertising—do they have the ad capital to support a magazine?
Exactly. I can only think of a handful of groups for advertisements. Those that would spend the big bucks are those who don't make absinthe.
Exactly like that, Peridot.
I don't mean to be a buzz-kill, it's just that I think that a magazine devoted to real absinthe would be a difficult proposition right now.
I heard a rumor that someone was working on an absinthe podcast though. Apparently they already have a sponsor.
I heard a rumor that someone was working on an absinthe podcast though. Apparently they already have a sponsor.
My computer at work has no sound card, but I can guess from the title . . .
Trainer, I hope you don't mind my copying this from FV and posting here for those who aren't following the other thread. I think these ideas are great.
QUOTE (traineraz @ Nov 13 2006, 02:57 PM)
For some ballpark stuff, www.publishingbiz.com has some info:
And a useful article: Elements of a Magazine Business Plan
Seems the biggest hurdle would be cost, especially if starting with a print version. Electronic may be the way to go; can still bring in advertising, and can still have a subscription edition (for this nominal fee, you can read the full articles now, instead of waiting 6 months . . .) and advertising to cover expenses.
Second biggest hurdle would be ensuring people are committed to running such a venture long-term. After all, a one-off coffee-table book on a limited run may be a lark, but growing a magazine is a business. Just maintaining it electronically, when working to arrange/conduct/report interviews, photography, and assorted features, would be a lot of work for one person.
If a major goal is to beat the Assbath industry to the punch, it seems web-based would be the way to go. Such a 'zine would serve as both a resource in itself and a funnel to direct people here and to associated forums and websites.
Perhaps a different, hybrid model would make sense. How does this sound:
A monthly or quarterly e-zine, with click-through banner advertising to cover most expenses. Regular columns are accessible to everyone all the time; for special interviews and feature articles, only the first half of the article is available without a low-cost electronic subscription. Six months after publication, the "old" interviews and feature articles are available to all for free.
Images online are only available at a maximum (web-appropriate) resolution, unless purchased via download or print version. Graphic artworks can be marketed with a commission to the 'zine, printed per order on paper, canvas, T-shirt, mailing label, whatever. No overhead, and income to our starving artists.
An ANNUAL review is issued, on archival-quality paper, bound, with high-quality imagery. This review is the coffee-table quality book, which includes ALL the articles, columns, reviews, etc. from the past year, and BIG, full-page photos showing the intricate detail of a Burkett grille, for example, or the slow louche of l'Artisanale. Some extra special features should also be included, which will not be available on the website.
Perhaps text is in English and in French (or other language, whatever will hit the biggest market; Cascadian?). For the first year, perhaps there's a first run of 1000 (arbitrary number); x are sold at a below-retail above-wholesale price ($35/45?) via pre-order, y are sent to distributors and absinthe retailers as promotional items, and 1000 - x - y get sold via the website post-press at retail ($65?), and also through bookstores, liquor stores, absinthe festivals.
Depending upon the sales of the first run of the Annual Review, additional copies could be printed to meet demand. If it sells well, we have a foundation for the next year's initial run size.
If it doesn't sell, we're out the cost of the initial press run. The next year, we do only a run of what's pre-ordered plus a couple hundred as promotional and archive.
This model keeps advertising out of the print version entirely by charging full cost plus margin for a high-quality bound book rather than a disposable magazine, and keeps total publishing costs low by focusing primarily on the web. As an added bonus, it establishes an annual record of all the happenings in the Absinthe Revival!
QUOTE
Question: How much does it cost to start a magazine?
People ask this question all the time, and unfortunately, its impossible to answer without knowing exactly what kind of publication you have in mind. They spent $20 million to launch Oprah's magazine, O. Any national consumer magazine that reaches a million readers or so, like Oprah's does, would cost the same, but entrepreneurs rarely launch anything at that scale.
We spent $150,000 to launch PC Magazine from a kitchen table in 1981 and it would take about $3 million to do the same thing today. These days, you also have to factor in the cost of launching both in print and on the web, which we did not have to to do with PC Magazine. Read out startup story.
At the other extreme, people start zines with next to nothing. If you stick to the web, or print very few copies (like 5,000 or less), and use mostly volunteer writers and contributors, and nobody gets paid for anything, you can start out with a few thousand dollars. Figure $1 per copy for printing, plus $.35 for postage and do the math. But realize that you're not paying yourself or your writers or your designers or anyone else. Many independent publishers DO start out by using their credit cards and spending less than $30,000 or so. [my emphasis]
But if people get paid, and if you print in the neighborhood of 10,000 copies or so, and if you spend a little money on promotion (to get some paid readers or enough web traffic to support some ads), then you should expect to spend between $250,000 and $500,000 to get far enough along that you can hope to begin breaking even.
People ask this question all the time, and unfortunately, its impossible to answer without knowing exactly what kind of publication you have in mind. They spent $20 million to launch Oprah's magazine, O. Any national consumer magazine that reaches a million readers or so, like Oprah's does, would cost the same, but entrepreneurs rarely launch anything at that scale.
We spent $150,000 to launch PC Magazine from a kitchen table in 1981 and it would take about $3 million to do the same thing today. These days, you also have to factor in the cost of launching both in print and on the web, which we did not have to to do with PC Magazine. Read out startup story.
At the other extreme, people start zines with next to nothing. If you stick to the web, or print very few copies (like 5,000 or less), and use mostly volunteer writers and contributors, and nobody gets paid for anything, you can start out with a few thousand dollars. Figure $1 per copy for printing, plus $.35 for postage and do the math. But realize that you're not paying yourself or your writers or your designers or anyone else. Many independent publishers DO start out by using their credit cards and spending less than $30,000 or so. [my emphasis]
But if people get paid, and if you print in the neighborhood of 10,000 copies or so, and if you spend a little money on promotion (to get some paid readers or enough web traffic to support some ads), then you should expect to spend between $250,000 and $500,000 to get far enough along that you can hope to begin breaking even.
And a useful article: Elements of a Magazine Business Plan
Seems the biggest hurdle would be cost, especially if starting with a print version. Electronic may be the way to go; can still bring in advertising, and can still have a subscription edition (for this nominal fee, you can read the full articles now, instead of waiting 6 months . . .) and advertising to cover expenses.
Second biggest hurdle would be ensuring people are committed to running such a venture long-term. After all, a one-off coffee-table book on a limited run may be a lark, but growing a magazine is a business. Just maintaining it electronically, when working to arrange/conduct/report interviews, photography, and assorted features, would be a lot of work for one person.
If a major goal is to beat the Assbath industry to the punch, it seems web-based would be the way to go. Such a 'zine would serve as both a resource in itself and a funnel to direct people here and to associated forums and websites.
Perhaps a different, hybrid model would make sense. How does this sound:
A monthly or quarterly e-zine, with click-through banner advertising to cover most expenses. Regular columns are accessible to everyone all the time; for special interviews and feature articles, only the first half of the article is available without a low-cost electronic subscription. Six months after publication, the "old" interviews and feature articles are available to all for free.
Images online are only available at a maximum (web-appropriate) resolution, unless purchased via download or print version. Graphic artworks can be marketed with a commission to the 'zine, printed per order on paper, canvas, T-shirt, mailing label, whatever. No overhead, and income to our starving artists.
An ANNUAL review is issued, on archival-quality paper, bound, with high-quality imagery. This review is the coffee-table quality book, which includes ALL the articles, columns, reviews, etc. from the past year, and BIG, full-page photos showing the intricate detail of a Burkett grille, for example, or the slow louche of l'Artisanale. Some extra special features should also be included, which will not be available on the website.
Perhaps text is in English and in French (or other language, whatever will hit the biggest market; Cascadian?). For the first year, perhaps there's a first run of 1000 (arbitrary number); x are sold at a below-retail above-wholesale price ($35/45?) via pre-order, y are sent to distributors and absinthe retailers as promotional items, and 1000 - x - y get sold via the website post-press at retail ($65?), and also through bookstores, liquor stores, absinthe festivals.
Depending upon the sales of the first run of the Annual Review, additional copies could be printed to meet demand. If it sells well, we have a foundation for the next year's initial run size.
If it doesn't sell, we're out the cost of the initial press run. The next year, we do only a run of what's pre-ordered plus a couple hundred as promotional and archive.
This model keeps advertising out of the print version entirely by charging full cost plus margin for a high-quality bound book rather than a disposable magazine, and keeps total publishing costs low by focusing primarily on the web. As an added bonus, it establishes an annual record of all the happenings in the Absinthe Revival!
QUOTE (Hiram @ Nov 13 2006, 01:07 PM)
I think that sponsor needs their own smilie on the forum.
Taz (and Peridot),
Interesting info. I'm not as buzz killish as Hiram but I think for it to work the ground work needs to be laid first by people who want to follow it through. Which could include a large print order of the first issue to be passed out (or laid on those who are passed out) at parties/gatherings, etc.
Starting with an online mage is prbably a good idea, maybe laid out like M.D. but with classier content. Publishers with capital may approach those doing it if they feel that a market exists.
QUOTE (Hiram @ Nov 13 2006, 04:07 PM)
I don't mean to be a buzz-kill,
The correct term is "reality check."
Pretty much, TGO.
Fantasizing about a pretty glossy magazine every month is fun. Producing something which can at least break even is work.
Fantasizing about a pretty glossy magazine every month is fun. Producing something which can at least break even is work.
I think it's buzz-kill nor reality check. Especially if it begins as a quarterly online publication with volunteer involvement. It might be really cool even if it never advances to become more than that. I'm a surprised at seeing that kind of "nope, can't work" attitude. Looking at what many of the members here have accomplished on their own and considering what they're capable of, I have a somewhat optimistic view of their ingenuity.
However, I do think it's cool to see some people have actual suggestions and a bit of enthusiasm.
However, I do think it's cool to see some people have actual suggestions and a bit of enthusiasm.
QUOTE (TrainerAZ @ Nov 13 2006, 01:10 PM)
My computer at work has no sound card, but I can guess from the title . . .
I'm pretty sure you can't.
I'd like to have it be structured similar to the Cigar Afficionado magazine. Have some monthly ratings, and even a Connoisseur's corner, which reviews of pre-bans are published.
Gear articles and history lessons could be an interesting addition as well.
Gear articles and history lessons could be an interesting addition as well.
Hiram -
I meant the title on the Windows Media window, not the title of the file . . .
I meant the title on the Windows Media window, not the title of the file . . .
Oh. Damn.
Quick, change it!!
Nice one. I'm "thurztee" already. It's been a while since I have seen 220 proof alcohol. Leave it to the Czechs to find a way to make 110%abv beverages.
Some of the absolute best literary 'zines ever were produced using mimeograph machines. (Ahh, Friday test time, remember that smell?) But I don't think that bohemian ethic is going to sell this bohemian product. Besides, where would we find a mimeo these days?
Just remember sex sells.
Long live the WS Thong!
Long live the WS Thong!
I used to help put out a punk rock 'zine back in the 80's using a mimeograph machine. Ahh... good times. That 'zine was so awful it was great. I wish I still had some copies. I bet there is one on EBay.
QUOTE (elfnmagik @ Nov 14 2006, 07:45 AM)
Just remember sex sells.
Long live the WS Thong!
Long live the WS Thong!
Thanks for reminding me! Now I know just what to get for my friends and family this Christmas!
So the first issue absinthe centerfold should be Hiram with a WS thong?
You're funding that issue, right?
I hope she's trying to make a deal where if Hiram does the first issue she'll be in the second issue. Incentive not to let it be a one-number wonder.
No, the second issue would be Absomphe in his Depends.
Absomphe doesn't wear depends, but we all wish he did.
Never wake sleeping giants.
or Methuselah.
or Methuselah.
Damn straight, Peter Pan!
And don't you clueless whippersnappers realize that senile old farts like me wear Huggies Pullups?
I appreciate the Cover Boy vote , though.
And don't you clueless whippersnappers realize that senile old farts like me wear Huggies Pullups?
I appreciate the Cover Boy vote , though.
QUOTE (Martin Lake @ Nov 14 2006, 11:23 AM)
QUOTE (elfnmagik @ Nov 14 2006, 07:45 AM)
Just remember sex sells.
Long live the WS Thong!
Thanks for reminding me! Now I know just what to get for my friends and family this Christmas!
Please don't, Martin. I'm sure you can come up with something much more creative to give us.
Maybe I'll just use one as a stocking instead and fill it up with appropriate materials.
Sausages?
I was thinking tacos, but hey...to each his own.
Guess it depends upon for whom it is a present.
Nonsense. Everyone likes tacos.
Clearly, you've not had Kirk's sausages.
I went through page 1 thread and I like the idea.Starting as a site not a printed magazine sounds like a good place to test the water.
But first is this a dead issue? The last post is 11/13/2006.If not, I think as a group effort we can do something.this is the 2nd beginning, good time to start.lots of room for mistakes,no competition and I think the cost as a website is minimal.
Now lets not forget the status for the society within the world of absinthe.
For publishing the first and if it lasts the oldest absinthe magazine in the U.S. or the world.
Hope this is useful
TR. OUT
But first is this a dead issue? The last post is 11/13/2006.If not, I think as a group effort we can do something.this is the 2nd beginning, good time to start.lots of room for mistakes,no competition and I think the cost as a website is minimal.
Now lets not forget the status for the society within the world of absinthe.
For publishing the first and if it lasts the oldest absinthe magazine in the U.S. or the world.
Hope this is useful
TR. OUT
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