We've been investigating the possibility of print copies of the magazine.
Here's how it breaks down. The magazine will be offered via print-on-demand website MagCloud. This means that if you buy an issue it'll cost you approx. US$23 plus postage and packaging.
That said, as the publishers we can do a bulk order of at least 20 copies of an issue which would result in a price of US$17 (plus P&P).
So the plan is (with issue #11 being a trial run):
When a new issue is released (or a back issue made ready for printing) we'll ask for people who'd like to join the bulk order at the cheaper price (with a deadline to joining). After that bulk order, anybody wanting a copy will have to order it via MagCloud for the higher price.
As we've said, issue #11 will be a trial run to see if the bulk order idea actually works. If YOU want in on a cheaper copy, you need to email us with your postal details (where you want your copy sent) and once we've 20+ copies wanted we'll place the order and let everyone know via email what the costs are. If you want in, send your details to us: editor at fightingfantazine dot co dot uk
Whoa! That's incredibly expensive and way out of my price range, which is a shame since printing each issue on the home printer is heavy going on the ink cartridges. But the latter remains the cheaper option by far. I'm afraid I won't be a print customer.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to find a cheaper option that doesn't require myself to pay for 500+ copies of an issue that may never get bought.
ReplyDeleteLulu not an option? Surely they can produce it at a much cheaper rate than MagCloud? The Fight On! and Knockspell magazines have used Lulu very successfully and quite cheaply over the last several years.
ReplyDeleteI used Lulu's price calculator, and do the same as MagCloud (colour/perfect bound) they came out US$4 more expensive.
ReplyDeleteThe two magazine you mentioned are 40 pages shorter than an issue of the Fanatazine and use only B&W on the interior pages (on the covers are colour). Both make a huge change to costs!
ReplyDeleteBugger! Makes sense about colour and page size. That's a shame Alex since FF deserves to be in print and would look fantastic if it was so. Browsing a print copy is vastly more satisfying than reading an electronic one, but thirty-odd dollars for a magazine is hard to justify. Fingers crossed someone can suggest a cheaper option.
ReplyDeleteI can't honestly see how that's going to work even at the 'cheaper' bulk-buy price. $17 for a magazine really is phenomenally expensive. Even if there were enough takers at the outset, I wouldn't bet on it lasting much past the first issue. It's certainly not something I'd consider at that price.
ReplyDeleteSorry for being so down on it, but that's really shocked me.
Sadly this is where the economics of large orders comes in. Unless someone (other that my non-rich self) is willing to pay for a 500+ print run, this is the only way to do a printed copy in small numbers. Luckily, this is just a side event in that the magazine will continue to be available as a free pdf.
ReplyDelete