What do you call these fanzines and magazines published by individuals or a small number of people on a regular basis where most of the or all of the income is generated via subscriptions? Zachary had the same feeling a while ago. I guess this blog documents my efforts in trying to understand the big picture of the RPG magazine and fanzine business and hobby.
had the same feeling a while ago
It’s also difficult to figure out what a “real paper” publication is. Something that is already printed, or easily printable on my black and white printer (that usually means less than 20 pages).
I have my eyes on the following:
I guess Monte Cook’s Dungeonaday will fit in here eventually. It’s going to be a subscription based D&D 3.5 old school dungeon being published piecemeal. It was his post that got me thinking about small group & individual publishing again (via Monte Cook takes on D&D Insider).
Monte Cook takes on D&D Insider
Similar products:
Similar:
#RPG #Publishing #Fanzine
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Nice list! I would also add Polymancer to the list. Their site was hacked, so I linked to the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymancer_magazine
There’s also Knights of the Dinner Table, which has regular gaming content. Jim Raggi’s working on something called Green Devil Face, but that isn’t out yet.
I am encouraged to see more along the lines of subscription and periodical efforts. It’s a model I really enjoy, and one that can stretch a gaming budget a bit further.
– Zachary 2009-03-05 12:43 UTC
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I was reading through my old issues of Kobold Quarterly just now and thought that I really should be renewing my subscription.
But:
+--------------------------------+------------+ | Print + PDF Subscription | $27.99 | +--------------------------------+------------+ | Zone Rates (Shipping to CH (1 | $32.00 | | x 3.00lb(s))) | | | *Total* | **$59.99** | +--------------------------------+------------+
Uhm... I don’t think so! USD 15 per issue does seem a bit expensive. 🙁
This hurts.
As publication costs drop, as publication is within the reach of all of us, as globalization tears down the barriers between countries, as information and trade brings us all closer together, one thing looms higher and higher: Shipping costs.
What a bummer.
The problem is this: I find that I didn’t really look at the PDF files, but I’ve leafed through the printed magazines. If I print myself, I will have to look at the PDF, first. And I haven’t done that, really. Chances are this will not work.
Let’s assume I’d think $8 was a fair price. Assume $3 for shipping was fair. They’d be overcharging me 36%. I’m gnashing my teeth… The note “1 x 3.00lb(s)” makes me think that if I bought all issues together, I’d still pay the same amount for shipping. I’d love to buy all four issues in a year, or add them by and by to my Lulu orders when I buy issues of Fight On and other stuff. But I fear that printed issues will be sold out eventually.
Gah!
I’ll go back and read the issues I have, for them moment. Let me see whether they are worth $15 each.
– Alex Schroeder 2009-03-07 23:48 UTC