The Difficulty of Starting a Magazine

Cheryl Woodward, author of ‘Starting and Running a Successful Newsletter or Magazine’, believes that nine out of ten new magazines fail.

With such an array of audience interests, why is it so hard to find a select group to read, purchase and contribute to a new magazine? Isn’t everybody looking for something new?

Dale Buss published an article in Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management in 2002 that listed ten reasons for magazine failure. The top three and most imperative ones being these:

• -No Audience
• -Weak initial funding
• -Lack of advertising

I have known a number of artists who have tried to start magazines and have had little to no success. The art itself and the development of an issue or two is all that they can call success.


Jon Nawby, singer/songwriter and former journalism major, started a magazine with a friend in the mid 90’s. Pump was an adult publication servicing the fitness and bodybuilding communities of the Midwest, specifically in Indiana. The magazine started in the garage of Nawby and he and his partner worked relentlessly to launch a decent first issue. $40,000 later, after purchasing photography equipment, printing and promoting, Pump was released. “It was a pretty successful launch,” said Nawby. “Though by the second issue we were already seeing circulation drop. We surmised that maybe there wasn’t quite as much demand for the beefcake fetish in the Midwest as we had anticipated.” Jon’s partner eventually left and he released the third and final issue by himself. Pump officially folded three weeks later.



A San Diego publication is holding on, steadying its pace and waiting for the right times to expose itself to the public. Abattoir Magazine, created by Matt Fraynd, allows itself to be a ‘platform for local artists, writers, photographers and musicians to use as a means of exposure’. There have been two issues published since November of 2006 and the third is on its way. The Magazine is small, free and colored. In one word, expensive. The problem with this publication is the lack of funding. “Each issue I printed 6,000 copies,” said Fraynd. “After $2,000 from advertising, the rest of the $22,000 came out of my pocket.” The staff consists of ten friends and there is no income, yet. With such a diverse spectrum of interests in San Diego and its need for a place to promote local art, Abattoir has all the potential in the world. www.myspace.com/abattoirmagazine