Mount Zion Town Cryer

This weekend Mike and I did some serious thinking.  We are very pleased with the success we’ve had so far, and I can easily see things continuing at their current pace without much effort.  Still, I feel like we are at an important time in the life of MZSFR.  The second issue will be out soon (our goal is early April) and it will be physically similar to the first issue.  Nonetheless, some niggling in my brain tells me that now is the time to break through to the next level.  We have the market cornered on a certain type of fiction and several well-wishers have approved of my editorial choices.  We have had two issues to figure out the basics; I’m ready for Publishing 201 (Advanced Small Press). 

Or not.  But my motto is, “Begin before you’re ready.” If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll never get started. 

What is the next level? 

Better pay for contributors.  An honest-to-goodness printer.  A barcode so we can snag a distributor.

What’s holding MZSFR back? 

Money.  I am still hoping to find a printing partner that will allow us to keep the cover cost at or below $6.  Registering a barcode and ISSN ain’t cheap. 

What can we do? 

Ah, “there’s the rub,” as the Bard said.  I am trying to figure out what we can do cheaply to spread the word.  This week I will be designing a banner ad to swap with our friends.  If you have a website, email me if you’d display it for us.  If you are a regular in a forum, tell folks how great we are. (And what a value! You can’t buy 156 printed pages of anything for $4.)

If you have any ideas, pass them along.  Just post a comment below.