PUBLISHING YOUR OWN MAGAZINE

HOW TO GET STARTED

PAGE EIGHT

OTHER RESOURCES YOU CAN CONSIDER FOR PUBLISHING

COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CHARITIES:

Since May 2000 when I first constructed the Knottingley and Ferrybridge Online website, it remained my intention to promote local community groups and charitable organisations as much as possible by publishing regular features about their local activities.  Unfortunately, very few of the local groups in my area have taken up my offer of assistance but I do have close ties with the local Hospice and have featured several articles relating the origins and development of the Hospice to draw attention to their fundraising activities. I have also utilised the popularity of my magazines to raise funds for the Hospice directly through my readership with great success and I believe that there are possibilities for further involvement in the future.

Part of the proceeds from my magazines also help to sponsor a young child in Nepal through a child sponsorship scheme run by Plan International.  It costs only a small amount each month but it is nice to feel able to make a small enhancement to the life of someone in need and to use the success of your community magazine to help others even if in more distant lands. As progress reports on our sponsored child’s development are received I publish details in the magazines so that my readers can also follow the child’s progress.

LOCAL COUNCIL NEWS

Most local councils make available regular press releases detailing the latest news and developments within the town.  They are easily accessible online but without access to the Internet they may as well not exist at all. There are few outlets available for local council news and information and quite often by the time you become aware of it, the information is already several weeks old.

I offered one of my local councillors’s the opportunity to compile a monthly column that I could publish in my magazine so that the local community could be kept up to date with all the latest events concerning the town. He readily agreed and he continued to compile his monthly column for over three years, adding additional interest to one of my magazines.

Contact your own local councillor’s and offer them a similar opportunity to compile a monthly column for publishing in your own magazine.

Do not overlook more general sources of information such as your local library or museum.  Here you may well find much of interest that could be used in your own publication if you obtain prior permission to do so. I am sure you will also find that members of staff are more than happy to help and may suggest other sources that you had not previously thought of.

Try to imagine what you would like to see if you were purchasing a local community magazine about your hometown.

• Are you aware of its origins and development?
• Do you know why its present day industries are located within the town or why others disappeared from the scene many years ago?
• Are your local schools the same ones your parents and grandparents attended?
• Do you have an annual town carnival or gala event and what do you recall from them?

It should be possible for you to come up with many more ideas depending upon your particular location.

Michael Norfolk.