What I Learnt from SAM

Just want to introduce myself further and give anyone my tips about SAM. Around June 2008, I printed my first ever magazine. It was not a large scale operation by any means - I made less than 100 copies. However, I used my blog to send it all over the world. Readers of my blog from the Caribbean, Denmark & the USA requested free copies - because that was what it was.

I am sure the magazine got me into journalism school which is where I am doing my postgraduate publishing MA now.

Here are just my thoughts on what it was like for me:

**Make sure you really want to do it: I am very passionate about magazines - I spend way too much £ reading them. But After I finished printing the magazine, I realised that it was just way too much work to do in my final year of university and the mag is now on hiatus. But it made see that you have to have a good idea of why you are publishing. Wanting to 'SAM' is not enough.

Find a partner: I think most aspiring publishers are control freaks. I know I am. However, I think as a SAM publisher, you must know your weaknesses. Are you the more creative type who obsesses over content than figures? Or does distribution tickle your fancy? Whatever your weaknesses are - find someone who can fill those voids and gaps.

Have targets: With my first magazine, I didn't have set goals for 6 months from now etc. I should have. I think the mag would have done better in the long term. I definitely think publishers should all have targets (creative ones and financial) in order to succeed because it keeps you focussed.

SAM is an achievement. I should have relished it more.

Just sharing my story.