Publish Your Own Magazine, Guidebook, or Weekly Newspaper: How to Start, Manage, and Profit from a Home-Based Publishing Company (Culture Tools)

Rating:
Summary: Good Overview; Would Benefit From Narrower Focus
Review: Although Williams certainly offers a great number of helpful tips and forms for those interested in pursuing publishing ventures, I agree with other reviewers that this book would have benefited from a narrower focus rather than trying to tackle the three major varieties of publications (not to mention their sub-varieties) in a single book. Though they certainly share similarities, there are enough differences to keep someone interested solely in newspaper publishing (or whichever focus is yours) rather bored for much of the text.

This is especially problematic in the chapters seemingly directed toward "all" of the publication varieties. The chapter on printing, for example, is actually heavily geared toward book printing with only a short section on printing newspapers, which seems to have been tacked on almost as an afterthought.

Specific technical information, too, is in slightly short supply. Even after reading through the entire book, I'm still a little uncertain about the nature and purpose of things like halftones and color separations, despite Williams' frequent mention of them.

Nevertheless, this is still a decent starting place for the ambitious novice publisher. Williams' advice is overall quite sound and relevant enough for me to keep the book around as a reference tool for my projects.

Rating:
Summary: Motivational
Review: I've wanted to start an original content development project for years. Reading this books gets my wheels spinning. If I do move forward with my idea, this book will be by my side. I run a small business training program and I would definitely recommend this book to any client who had an interest in publishing.

I'd love to sit down with Dr. Williams and pick his brain. There are questions I'd like answered beyond the book, but this makes the whole idea of starting a local project seem possible.

Rating:
Summary: Fine for inspiration looking for a niche, but...
Review: It is apparent the author does have a wealth of publishing experience in various endeavors. Still, I would have preferred more detail in each of the publishing phases, rather than a quick once over of each.

This is an excellent book if you are interested in publishing, but are not sure what you wish to publish. In other words, let this be a starting point. Then, if you decide to publish:

A - books, get Avery Cardoza's Complete Guide To Successful Publishing, or

B - community newspapers, get How To Produce A Small Newspaper

C - magazines, get Launch Your Own Magazine, and How To Start A Magazine, and Starting & Running A Successful Newsletter or Magazine - YES, YOU WILL WANT ALL THREE OF THESE!