[shaftb]

I am doing a magazine concept for a client. Anybody ever worked on a full magazine. This will be a small local mag, about 32-64 pages. In the development stages.

Any info you can share on experiences, tips, sites for inspiration or info would be greatly appreciated. Thx.

[cocknose]

what kind of magazine?

[ronihind]

Hiya! I am in publishing and have designed lots of mags. Plan Plan Plan first.

Make sure you have a couple of page templates. Depending on size, perhaps a 2,3 and 5 column. Get a main heading font, sub heading font and body font. Looks really cool if you have a break out article thats completely a different layout and a little crazy. Depends on kind of mag of course.

Make sure you speak with printer before you design the cover. If you want a spine (most of us do :p ) get your quote on paper stock/gsm and they can tell you spine width. If no spine they should still tell you cover size.

As for resources, just get yourself to your fave newsagent and pick up a mag you like or a design mag with tips or a book on typography.

Good luck! would love to see it. I love mags. )

[Ftju]

Work senario's out. What if something changes, what to keep pernament. Set a blue print an folow that. And that aint only for Magazine design/Publishing but also web Develop/Design

[mmblr]

for a feel of different styles, check out pdfmags.com

[shaftb]

Great advice! Thank you very much.

This is a Sports Magazine for the area community, and surrounding areas. It's 32 pages as of now. I'm having a hard time figuring time on what to quote this. I have created a cover concept, and I'm had planned on creating the templates, so when the pieces are sent to me, I can just plug and play. Best case scenario.

This mag will also be getting a ton of it's funding from advertising space, which I will be designing some of those as well.

Let's say I'm an advanced designer, been doing it for about 10 years, would 60 hours cover front to end layout and type setting if everything is supplied to me in a requested form I'll supply to them. As stated, I'll create a few templates that I'll use as my main layouts. Another company quoting this project mentioned it would take them 1 1/2 weeks to complete layout.

This project would be worked on by only person. So 60hrs x 1body.

Thanks again!!!!

[cocknose]

60 hours i s possible.. if you keep the creative part down to a minimum.
Basic openers not many fancy cutouts etc... and they supply you the correct word counts and stuff.
who is doin the proof reading?

[shaftb]

Once my part (creative) is done, and I set in the type, they move it on to their own proof reader. I told them that we'll have to come up with the right approval process for this to take me out of any final type/wording issues.

[abbasinho]

i've worked on several magazines - all of which have proven to be very painful. the page planning aspect of it nearly sent me through the roof with editorial and advertising changes.

you've got to make sure what's planned to go in the magazine will not get pulled right at the last minute because it'll mess everything up.

[shaftb]

Would it be wise to hash out every single aspect before hand, or present a concept, and then discuss how we'll manage the magazine before shooting an estimate? Or just shot an estimate of about 60-70 hours and then go from there. I imagine building the magazine, all templates, and full layout will take more then 70 hours, but figure 60-70 hours for each issue once the base is done? Make sense? I'm rambling... Stop me!

[ronihind]

It really also depends on how text heavy it is also. Not including design, I have laid 160 pages in 5 working days but it was virtually all images. Another one, same size, took 12 working days which is your typical text and article mag.

I think you should charge a consultation fee to cover up to 3 briefs, then charge hourly otherwise they just walk all over you. Make sure they sign off style and layout before you start and write in the contract that any changes after sign off to proceed will incur a fee. Perhaps 10% p/h than your average rate. Perhaps charge a minimum amount.

good luck

Im in australia so am not sure what your standard snr rates are.

[shaftb]

Thanks for the great info. I might be in contact with you when I write this up. Thanks Much.