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Click below to get the 8x11 Magazine.
ARCANE TOMESArcane Tomes / ArcaneTomes.org is an indie fantasy bookstore (of sorts) sponsored by Peasant Magazine and serves to promote Indie Fantasy Books, and also serves to promote Peasant Magazine itself. Joining Arcane Tomes is free and the only requirement is that authors must have self-published at least one book. Literary magazines/journals that publish fantasy stories by indie authors are also acceptable.
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SO WHAT'S WITH THE MEMES?Starting a new literary magazine is a challenging endeavor, especially when one lacks sufficient funds. For two decades Charles Moffat has contemplated starting a literary magazine, but making such a magazine profitable or even break-even is nearly impossible. Literary magazines seldom break-even or generate profits within their first two years of operation, which is why many of them become defunct within this period. The longevity of a magazine is really a combination of two factors: Financial sense and the sheer stubbornness of the publisher. While it would be desirable to compensate authors generously, it is not financially viable for a new magazine overseen by an inexperienced individual to achieve profitability or even break-even. Nonetheless, Charles Moffat acknowledges the lack of viable options for writers to market their short fiction. Presently, writers must give away free samples to multiple individuals and hope that some of them appreciate their work and are willing to purchase additional examples of their writing. This is a predicament within the industry. Until an alternative approach emerges that provides writers with financial compensation while enabling them to showcase their stories before an audience that appreciates them, this system will remain entrenched. Memes can help authors and readers comprehend this unfortunate situation and hopefully laugh about it. So the memes are our way of expressing our annoyance at the industry. Note - We previously had these memes "sprinkled" around the Peasant Magazine websites, but apparently some people felt this was too unprofessional and felt that this hurt the magazine's reputation. While we assert that such people cannot take a joke and have no sense of humour, we acknowledge that the number of people who can both take a joke and simultaneously still take a magazine seriously are few and far between.
THE CHALLENGES OF STARTING A NEW MAGAZINE
How difficult is it to start a new literary magazine? Even if a publisher has a good sized budget, starting a new literary magazine is a challenging task for several reasons. Firstly, the magazine industry is highly competitive, with numerous established publications already vying for readers' attention. This means that a new magazine must offer something unique or innovative to stand out from the crowd. Additionally, launching a new magazine requires significant upfront costs, including website maintenance, marketing and advertising, and editorial staff and writers' salaries. Building a subscriber base can also be challenging, as it takes time and effort to attract and retain readers. Finally, the shift to digital media has created new challenges for publications, as online content often competes for readers' attention and advertising dollars. Thus starting a literary magazine and making it profitable is nearly impossible.
What if the magazine was free? While offering a free magazine could potentially eliminate the cost barrier for readers becoming fans of the publication, it would not necessarily solve all of the challenges associated with starting a new magazine. A free magazine would still need to offer compelling content and differentiate itself from other publications to attract and retain readers. It would also require a significant investment of time and resources to produce high-quality content and reach a large enough audience to attract advertisers. Additionally, even if the magazine itself was free, there would still be costs associated with printing and distribution, which could be significant depending on the size of the publication and the target audience. In short, while eliminating the cost for readers could be a positive factor, launching a successful magazine would still require careful planning, investment, and execution.
What if the magazine uses volunteer labour? Producing a magazine with a budget of nothing using volunteer labour could certainly reduce some of the upfront costs associated with starting a new publication. However, it's important to note that launching a successful magazine still requires more than just a lack of budget. Producing high-quality content requires skilled writers, editors, and designers, who may not be willing to work for free. Additionally, even with volunteer labour, there are still costs associated with printing and distribution, as well as marketing and promotion to build a subscriber base. Furthermore, producing a magazine with volunteer labour can be challenging, as it can be difficult to coordinate schedules and ensure that everyone is committed to producing high-quality content on a regular basis. It can also be challenging to maintain the same level of consistency and quality control as a professional publication with a paid staff. In summary, while producing a magazine with a budget of nothing using volunteer labour may reduce some of the upfront costs, it would still require a significant investment of time, effort, and coordination to produce a successful publication. Such an endeavour would really need to be a labour of love.
Why is it necessary for authors to promote their writing in literary magazines? Authors, especially indie authors, need to promote their writing in literary magazines for several reasons. Firstly, literary magazines offer an opportunity for emerging writers to showcase their work and gain exposure. By publishing their work in literary magazines, authors can build their reputation and establish a readership, which is necessary because the industry is super competitive. Secondly, literary magazines often have a specific niche or audience, which means that authors can target their writing to a specific group of readers. This can be particularly useful for authors writing in a specific genre or style, as it can help them connect with like-minded readers and potentially attract the attention of publishers or agents who are interested in their work. Thirdly, promoting their writing in literary magazines can also help authors establish relationships with editors and publishers. By submitting their work to literary magazines, authors can get their work in front of industry professionals who may be interested in publishing their work in larger publications or offering them book deals. Finally, promoting their writing in literary magazines can also help authors develop their craft. By receiving feedback from editors and readers, authors can refine their writing and improve their skills. In short, promoting their writing in literary magazines can help authors build their reputation, target their writing to a specific audience, establish relationships with industry professionals, and develop their craft. However, because there aren't a lot of viable options that fit the needs of every author, this means only a limited number of writers can publish their work in such magazines.
Having a sense of humour is useful, isn't it? It should be. If something is truly funny and people appreciate it, then it should be easier to market to a wider audience of readers. Unfortunately not everyone has a sense of humour. Hence why we moved all of the memes to this page after some people complained that it was unprofessional to have so many memes sprinkled around the website. This way we still get to have a sense of humour, but hopefully readers/writers will still take Peasant Magazine seriously.
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