Literary magazine for Published Authors

Ametha sent me this email:

"Thank you Shelagh. I was wondering if I could run an idea by you. I was wondering since the anthology did so well being developed and published, if we the members of PublishedAuthors could work together to create a literary magazine and publish it on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a magazine that showcases our collective talents and perhaps provide opportunities for new poets and writers to get their work out. Please let me know what you think of my idea. I think that it could be a really amazing venture for all of us."

I could set up forum pages as a literary magazine with information about the collective works of the members and news about their latest signings with publishers etc. The biggest problem for me is that I would be the one doing all the work. These pages would not generate any income and would, therefore, just take up my time. A better way might be to set up a blog that members could post on with their news and invite blog readers to comment. What do you think?

I would say that would be redundant to what you have now.

Perhaps setting a new subforum that encourates people to post their work.

If you go to the work of doing a magazine, I would say make it open to a wider audience (meaning, I guess, EVERYBODY) and see if you can monetize it in some way.

It's a real pain in the butt to do that sort of thing.


One other comment, if you do a magazine, I'd heartily suggest you do what so many don't do and not copy print mag formats.

eZines are read on a HORIZONTAL SCREEN and are capable of presenting flash and video and stuff, not just words and pictures.

Few have figured that out.

(Sorry, just a pet peeve)

Thanks Lin! I think a blog would be best. A blog like amazon daily, where blog posts from members' blogs could be pasted onto a community blog. Members could inform me that they had made a post they wanted to share. I would then copy and paste the blog entry into the community blog. That would work best for me.

Shelagh, are you no longer interested in writing books? With all that you do, I don't see how you would ever have the time!

If you want something doing, ask a busy person. I designed the cover, edited all the submissions, compiled and published the anthology -- and found time to write a short story and a poem. People always find time to do the things they want to do -- and they always find an excuse for not doing the things they don't want to do.

That is true, Shelagh, but don't spread yourself too thin.