We sent out our second digital-only issue yesterday, and since I've gotten a few questions, I'm writing this and will send it out to subscribers.
In the Mar/Apr '20 issue, I wrote that I was hopeful that we would be able to finish the year out as a print magazine, but would be transitioning to digital from there. I explained in (probably too much) detail the finances involved with print, and that other projects and work were subsidizing the magazine. We'd lost a couple important advertisers, but we wanted to make it a full 20 years.
In March, the virus hit and we knew it was not going to happen. In the last 20 years, the magazine has weathered some severe conditions, and when the chips are down, people drop magazines and non-essential entertainment. We do not have the financial resources to weather another period like that. Right now, I'm looking at the mail situation, and considering that it was always expected that missing magazines would be replaced, shuddering at the thought of entire issues going missing. They'd need to be reprinted and remailed First Class at my expense. It would be a nightmare.
In the May/June issue Field Notes, I wrote:
"Well, I didn’t see this coming. In the Mar/Apr issue I explained that we
would try to print until next year, depending entirely on income, and clearly
that is not going to happen. I realize
that there’s no way to do this without some of you who really love the print
magazine feeling cheated, but this is beyond my control. I’m fairly certain this is the last printed
magazine. Lots of you renewed directly
to the pdf, and that was much appreciated.
As mentioned in the last issue, we will be coming up with content of different
types to send out the in months that aren’t issue months. I hope that will lessen the sting. It was my intent to slowly, with clear
information and options offered, shift over to pdf. COVID-19 had other ideas.
PLEASE SEND US THE EMAIL THAT YOU’D LIKE US TO USE. Send it to essentialherbal@gmail.com please. If you receive our renewal reminder emails,
we’ve got your email.
On the other hand, I feel very fortunate that we can continue to come into your
homes and share together in spite of this pandemic. We can help each other through this."
I hope this helps to clear up the confusion.
Friday, August 21, 2020
We Are Now 100% Digital
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4 comments:
I do understand and appreciate that you were able to at least send a digital copy of your magazine during these adverse times. I hope all is well and you will continue to send a digital copy out, I like reading and learning from The Essential Herbal magazine. If for some unforeseen reason you have to stop even the digital copy that would be disappointing. Thanks for the Blog explanation and please keep up the great works.
Thank you! We don't see any reason to quit now:-) We've got a few more years in us.
Got my digital copy yesterday, good job, looks great! I truly understand the reason for this, 2020 is a tough year for us all and it is a bright spot in my email-box to find my copy is waiting for me!
Thank you, Nancy!
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