7 Important Things to Consider Before Starting a Magazine
Publishing a magazine is not easy. It involves a lot of learning, planning, time and expense. You need to consider many things such as paper types, binding styles, ink types, colours and paper stock. These factors will give you a clear idea about the expenses that will be incurred in starting your own magazine which will come in handy in your preparation.
In this blog-post by Micro Printing Ltd, a company offering magazine printing in Toronto, we are going over all the important things to consider before starting a magazine.
1. Binding Styles
There are two types of binding styles for a magazine:
(a) Saddle Stitch
(b) Perfect Binding
The binding style depends entirely on the number of pages you want in your magazine. If your publication is only a few pages, then saddle stitch is the best method whereas, for something with many pages, a perfect binding method is the right choice.
In saddle-stitch magazines, the sheets are folded and held together with wire staples. The pages are secured as one unit with the staples driven through the crease of the magazine’s spine. This method brings a flat look to the magazine when opened which makes it suitable for crossover images. This style is economical and looks professional too.
The perfect binding method uses a strong, flexible glue to attach the pages and cover together at the magazine spine. Then, the other three sides of the magazine are trimmed for neat edges. With this method, you can also print graphics on the magazine’s spine.
2. Printing Press Type
The two types of printing press that are used for a magazine publication are web and sheet-fed press. The mechanism of both the presses are different from each other and depends on the number of magazines you require from a single production. If you’re a big publishing house with a widespread distribution and readership, then you will need many units published at once. This is when, web press, an offset printing press will be beneficial for you. In this press, the paper is held with a series of rollers which moves the paper through the press continuously. This will be followed by cutting the papers into small parts after receiving the inked images. A web press is known as the most cost-effective printing method for big publications.
For a start-up magazine, requirements may be low which is why sheet-fed printing press will be appropriate. This is because separate sheets of paper enter this press one after another, unlike a continuous spool of paper used in web press. But both presses create high-quality printing where web press produces more in low cost than the other type.
3. Page Size and Count
You need to decide the size of the pages your publication will have before moving to print methods. The standard size of a magazine page is 8 3/8” x 10 7/8” as this is economical. If you want a different size, then you have to select customized paper which may be over or undersized. But you should also keep in mind that the commercial printers are compatible with standard page sizes. So, choosing a different page size may complicate the process making it more time-taking and expensive.
4. Paper Selection
The most important aspect of a magazine is the selection of the paper for which you have to keep three aspects in mind:
Paper and Cover Weight
Paper weight refers to the heaviness of a ream of a standard cut sheet. Most of the magazines use 50-, 60-, or 70-lb for the interior pages while the front cover is usually between 80- or 100-lb.
Paper Grade
This refers to the reflection of light in the paper. The grades of the paper range from one to five where one is the highest quality and five is the lowest one. Most of the magazines print on three, four or five-grade paper for a pleasing visual impact.
Paper Finish and Type
There are three types of paper finish and types such as dull, matte and gloss. These paper types determine the appearance of the finished printing. The majority of the magazines use gloss papers because colours appear brilliantly on this type. And, if you have a higher budget, then you can choose matte finish as this is costly and provides the readers with a pleasing reading experience.
5. Ink Colours
Most magazines are produced with full-colour pages and covers for a better visual impact. The ink colour can be black and white or other shades based on your preference. Some magazines also have a mixture of both the types. If you are wondering if black and white ink is more affordable than the colourful varieties, then you may or may not be right. This is because it depends on the layout of the magazine.
6. Graphics Files Types
Choose the graphics files that are compatible with the printer used for publishing your magazine. This is because if you’re using a graphics file that is not matching with the printer, then your project will face unnecessary delay and it will cost you time. Most of the magazines use JPEG, PNG, InDesign (INDD), PDF, Illustrator and other types.
7. Budget
You need to know your budget well before getting into the magazine printing and binding. This is because they are available at different prices. So, make sure you know how much you’re willing to invest or else resources, money and time will be wasted.
If you consider all the above-mentioned things, then printing your magazine won’t be difficult. So, choose the right printing press, decide on the ink colours and select papers according to your budget and requirement. These will save your time, money and lead your way to successful publication. There are many printing companies in Toronto offering binding and printing of magazines. We are one of them and if you’re looking for any of these services, get in touch with us and request a quote today!
