Thank you all for your kind support, Kerv was pretty much spot on. Forgetting those who have said I shouldn’t have launched the magazine in the first place, I should’ve given up on my baby last September, but I still haven’t given up. That’s why the company still exists, that’s why I’m still looking at ways to keep going. Support from within the industry was great but outside (in terms of advertising and reviews) difficult and sometimes downright obstructive. A lack of subscription renewals badly hurt things too - every response being “great magazine but I’ve not got any spare money”.
However the crunch came at the beginning of the year. after Unicon (the trip paid for by the guests at my wedding as it was my honeymoon; not the magazine) there was nothing. Having been looking for part time work since last September I had to take up a job, any job: labouring. (got fit, reasonable sun tan but only paid 65% of the bills). Oh did I mention the stress-related chest pains?
All my savings and more have gone on the magazine. For 3 years I paid myself enough money to survive and no more. And I loved it. I’m so proud of what I produced.
I’m not so proud of the past few months. Many times I’ve thought and been told I should say something, but say what? “I’m working on it but don’t have anything to say yet” isn’t a good message and I didn’t want to say it - although I should have. I know I’ve had my head in the sand and I apologise. I hope the magazine will come back, in whatever form. I’ve now got a real job, still in publishing and you never know…
If anyone is seriously thinking of starting a magazine please get in touch (through the magazine website, not this forum) and I can give you advice - although this is how I started the magazine in the first place!
Thanks again,
Mike