Determining the Page Count

A woman once told me that she decided upon the total number of pages in her magazine by adding the ages of her two daughters; 15 and 13! Trust me, there's a better way. When choosing the number of pages in your magazine you must consider the overall quantity of content and, equally important, make sure that the total number of pages is divisible by 8 or 16. The reason for this is that offset presses utilize what are called signatures (or "sigs" for short) to print magazines and if your total page count isn't divisible by either 8 (a half sig) or 16 (a full sig) then you will pay considerably more for your print job. Now, there is an exception to this rule depending upon what kind of offset press you utilize. If you choose to go with a sheetfed press (a press that uses precut sheets of paper) then it is possible to go “4-up” or increase your page count in increments of four. However, if you opt for a web press (a press that uses rolls of paper) then you will definitely want to adhere to the 8/16 divisible rule. Hence, generally speaking, it will be much cheaper to print a 32 pager publication than a 28 pager or a 64 pager than a 60 pager. Of course, there are a lot of other factors that will come into play that will ultimately influence your overall price quote as well. A good customer service representative (CSR) at an offset press should tell you this but some won't because it means that they will make more money on your job! 

Working with Scanned Images

If you prefer working with a conventional SLR camera and you want to include scanned images in your magazine, how do you determine the correct scanning resolution? The answer to this question is an easy equation: DPI = 2 x LPI. DPI (Dots Per Inch) is equal to twice the LPI (Lines Per linear Inch). The LPI or Line Screen, as its name suggests, is the number of dots printed on a line per inch of paper. The greater the LPI number the better the resolution. Typically, most offset presses utilize a 133 - 175 LPI to print magazines. So, if you want to include that great photo you just took in your next issue and your CSR informed you that their press uses a 175 LPI, then in order for your scanned photo to come out sharp and crisp in your magazine you will have to scan it at a minimum of 350 DPI to insure the integrity of the image once it's printed. Of course, you will have to convert your image from RGB (Red, Green, Blue) to CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) prior to press as well. Remember this formula as it can save you a lot of time, trouble and money!    

Do You Have the Right Digital Camera?

If you're thinking about using a digital camera for stock photography in your magazine, how do you determine the maximum size that your images can be blown-up? You should be familiar with the Digital Camera Megapixel Chart (below). Providing your camera is set at its maximum resolution, if you have a 3 megapixel camera then the largest image size will be an 8" X 10." If you have a 4 Megapixel then it will max out at 11" X 14."  You should take into account the final trim size of your magazine and whether or not the digital camera you select will allow you to do full bleeds (extend off the page). This is especially important when selecting images destined for the cover of your magazine. 

Image Size	Megapixel
3 x 5	1 – 1.9
8 x 7	2 – 2.9
8 x 10	3 – 3.9
11 x 14	4 – 5
18 x 24	6 – 8

Saddle Stitch Vs Perfect Bind

When it comes to choosing a binding method for your magazine there are two standardized methods: Saddle Stitch and Perfect Bind. Saddle Stitching, which is really nothing more than 2 or 3 heavy gauge staples placed in the spine, can be used on magazines with relatively small page counts and is less expensive than Perfect Bind. Perfect Binding is a process where a glue adhesive is applied to the spine where the pages are inserted. Although Perfect Binding has a much classier look than Saddle Stitched magazines, it's considerably more expensive and should only be considered as a binding option for your magazine if your total page count is at least 48 pages or more. It should be said, however, that Perfect Binding works best for magazines with page counts that exceed 64 pages.    

Is Your Mission Statement Meaningful?

Although one of the most important factors related to your magazine’s success, the mission statement, more times than not, is an undervalued and frequently overlooked aspect in the development phase of launching a new title. Many would be publishers are under the erroneous perception that a mission statement is to be created for the sole purpose of being inserted into a business plan and then summarily forgotten. The mission statement may allude to the impetus for the creation of your magazine and provide insights as to why such a magazine is needed and for whom it will serve. It should capture, in a few succinct sentences, the essence of your publication’s goals and the philosophies underlying them. In a nutshell, your mission statement should make it abundantly clear what business you’re in, any special niche that your publication has identified, your goals and your objectives. Henceforth, it would be wise to consider your mission statement to be like an additional name or calling card that must be regurgitated at a moment’s notice without the slightest bit of thought or hesitancy.