by Curtis D. Tucker

That's right. Start your own magazine. Creating a magazine is not as difficult as it was in the old days. Computers and easy to use software have made it very possible to layout and design your own rag.

All you need is an idea, niche or specialty. A few magazine ideas would be: photography tips and examples, how to bake and recipes, repairing your own car, local or community news and events, gardening and landscape lessons, how to homeschool, gadget reviews, report on a sports team, scrapbooking articles, etc.

Your first question might be as to how you can afford to get a magazine produced and printed. Well, it's not all that difficult any longer. You can purchase the equipment and do it yourself or you can hire the right people to put it together for you.

To design a magazine you will need a graphic designer or software, a reporter/writer, a photographer and possibly a salesman to sell ad space. You can hire out for all of these positions or you and family members can do the work yourself.

The next step is getting the magazine printed. Thanks to new websites like Magcloud.com you no longer need the backing of million dollar investors. With services like these you can have a single issue printed only when a customer orders one. There's no investment and no inventory! These sites even help you sell and market your magazine.

Marketing the magazine would be the last step. The Internet is the perfect place to begin. Sites like Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace help you connect with potential readers. Build a website using your keywords and create an online readership. You can also market your magazine to local bookstores, local clubs and interested friends.

Viral marketing (word of mouth) can really get things going. Create a fun, informative magazine and you could be on your way to financial freedom.

We're thinking of starting our own magazine and will show you step by step the process we take to get it created.

Labels: Business Start-Ups, Ideas, Magazines