How would one start a monthly magazine?

Most start as a newsletter.

The publishing houses make their own issues, they don't take on someone else's project. At the moment things are going downhill, several BIG magazines (like Gourmet Magazine) just folded. Print costs are high (paper and ink tripled in the past 2 years) and readership is down (subscription sales are bottoming out). It's not a solidly stable field anymore.

A specialty magazine self published would be the best bet in this economy. A local guy in Milwaukee started a small issue of 30 pages called Fetch Magazine for dog lovers. He puts out an issue evrey two or three months. The issues are free, his income to print them comes from the advertising. He approached local businesses to get advertising in his issues. His is printed on flimsy newspaper, not the slick paper, to keep costs down.

Seems like only a specialized glossy high end low volume print magazine could be launched by mortals.

Online ezine publishing is done successfully by some, could be a stepping stone for proving the concept, there is good how to material out there , and I think a publisher support service.

Here's a lesser how to guide being marketed, I can't vouch for it's value.

What you are wanting to do is next to impossible these days. Magazine sales are declining and the start up costs are huge.

I would consider starting a website long before a paper magazine.

A company that does custom magazine printing might offer the kind of services you are looking for. Here is a link to one company I found. I'm sure there are more like it.

http://www.pelicanmagazineprinting.com/

Good luck!

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