|
The purpose of this page is to inform you an online magazine called "Woodcarver Online Magazine (WOM)". This magazine serves the growing online woodcarving community. The first issue was published in January, 1997
The idea for this magazine came partly from considering how we might get Chip Chats magazine online, and partly in response to the active and growing Woodcarver Mailing list (listserve) which numbers over 450 at present. It is evident that putting an existing magazine like Chip Chats online is neither practical nor desirable, especially since it is serving the woodcarving community so admirably in its present form. There would be no real need for a duplication of its pages on the internet.
However, it is also evident that online carvers want and need to communicate with each other via the internet, and that the Woodcarver mailing list, while useful and efficient, carries with it some real limitations in its ability to make use of all the capabilities of the WWW.
Thus, Bill Judt, the first Editor/Owner, and others reached the realization that through an online electronic magazine - an E-zine, as they are called - online carvers could share their wisdom, resources, encouragement and passion for the craft with each other using images, text, and URLs (links, both hypertext and email). An E-zine would go beyond the usual text based communication of a mailing list (as useful and efficient as these are), allowing carvers of all persuasions to share illustrated articles on a wide variety of subjects relating directly to woodcarving.
There are distinct advantages to an electronic an E-zine. First, the overhead required to publish such a magazine is far less that the overhead and capital investment of a conventional magazine. Second, the distribution network for an E-zine is worldwide, immediate and extremely inexpensive. Third, the E-zine can be available to its readership 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, including the back issues which can also easily be archived online.
No less than the above advantages, is the fact that the online community has greater access to the E-zine than to a conventional printed magazine. Articles can be submitted, with images and supporting links, to the E-zine via the internet. No need for an envelope or a stamp.
Readers gain immediate access to the authors, contributors and advertisers through URLs and email links. They can email an author in order to further discuss the article or suggest future articles. Readers can follow links to the home pages of advertisers where they can find information about product lines (complete with product descriptions and images), company staff (with email and phone links), sales departments (with online order forms or printable order forms), catalogues and department phone numbers.
Now my second reason for writing to you.
While you are considering the advantages of an electronic magazine, I wish to ask you to consider supporting this E-zine with your advertising dollars. Let's take a moment to consider how this E-zine will differ from Chip Chats in the way it underwrites its costs of publication.
Chip Chats allows people/businesses to advertise for free on a limited basis, but charges a subscription fee (membership) in order to underwrite the expense of the magazine it publishes, the WOM. That's the way Chip Chats makes enough money to ensure that it is around from year to year to serve its carving constituency.
WOM will charge nothing for access to its publication, but will charge advertisers for the opportunity to place compact ads (with URL-type links on the home page of the E-zine. Every time a reader seeks to access the E-zine, they will pass through the home page, where they will find the links to the magazine contents listed beside the links to the home pages of the advertsers.
All articles and information and the access to them is free. Even the authors will not be paid, at least in the forseeable future. They must intuitively understand the advantages of contributing their expertise to an E-zine to know that it is worth their time.
But this limitation in turn provides advertisers with the opportunity to reach those who seek out these articles and information. Make no mistake: electronic magazines are here to stay, and will make deep inroads into the marketplace. Advertisers who recognise this early will be better able to take advantage of its potential in the long run.
The advertising policy of WOM is outlined here.
The home page for WOM, where advertising will be located, here.
The Editor open to any and all suggestions regarding the advertising policy for WOM. There are always ways to improve the effectiveness of advertising for both the advertiser and the E-zine, and input is always welcome.
Please feel free to email me at your convenience to discuss
this opportunity further at:
Editor@carverscompanion.com
Yours Truly,
W.M. (Matt) Kelley, Editor/Owner
Last update 9/03