Currently I'm reading: Jenseits vom Tatort by Horst Brandt
Bloglovin
Page visits
Follow me on
25 January 2014
or Why aren't there more Book Magazines (printed) in the UK?
Isn't there a big enough market for it? Or am I not looking in the right places? Or have I discovered a gap in the market here?
I am a sucker for a good magazine, with its many feature articles, interviews, pictures, readers letters, and and sometimes I even find relevant adverts useful. I hear you… there is so much available online now, from author's and publisher's websites, the big and not so big book shops, and of course we bloggers / reviewers to mention a few. But hey, I actually still like to sit in a cafe or on my sofa or at my desk in my lunchtime and read a good magazine.
I'm not into celebrity magazines (i.e. Hello, OK) at all - no value added to this statement, I know they are hugely popular, but just not for me. Maybe because I hardly know any of the celebrities any more (I must be getting old!). I'm not doing much better with the so-called 'Women's Interest' magazines. I know some of them publish stories as well, but most of the contents in them does not interest me too much. I read the other day that there are 6 magazines dedicated to Woodworking! So why aren't there more print magazines for book lovers? I mean the sort who talks about books, new ones out, reviews of course, maybe authors interviews, reading groups, etc. I could even feature a 'blogger of the month' (giggles here). It can't be because of lack of interest - reading is one of the most popular past times.
Today my copy of Newbooks arrived, and once I've read it, I will post a review here. It is geared towards Reading Groups, and usually introduces a few books with extracts etc, and you can also get the books free (have to pay P&P) from them. It comes out 6x a year, but I had to subscribe - I never found it in any of the newsagents I know. Even in the bigger ones, national chain stores like WH Smith. I know there is another one called The Bookseller, and the subscription is a bit too pricey for me and from the title, I would think it is more geared towards the retailers in this business (Their website is quite informative though). I know that Waterstones used to have a bimonthly magazine which featured reviews of course from readers and from their book sellers, advertised their book signings etc. I have no affiliation with them, just liked this as a magazine about books. But sadly this also has closed down. They wouldn't have done away with it if it would have given them any profit for sure.
Whilst writing this, it just occurred to me…maybe the majority of book lovers just want to read books rather than reading about books / authors in a magazine? How about the other countries, do you have any magazines dedicated to book lovers?
