Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters No longer with Wolfe Publishing

On the positive side, (make a note, it doesn't happen often! ) I enjoy reading John Haviland, Ron Spomer, R. H. VanDenberg, Brian Pearce, and Phil Shoemaker, and wish them all success.

Hey JB, now that you're out of a job, are you going to sell any guns cheap?












Just kidding!

Some companies just can't see the forest for the trees. I went through this a year ago. Wouldn't compromise my convictions for the company. Now I work for a better company and live in a heck of a lot nicer place.

Talent always lands on two feet. Good luck to you JB!

Common, ruinous misconception! Not true!

Historically, some of the world's most successful magazines have built their huge body of loyal subscribers first, then began accepting advertising when advertisers begged to be accommodated. The best known example is Reader's Digest, which was hugely and widely successful and popular long before it published its first ads. I well remember the fervent opposition of an impressive body of readers who opposed the cheapening of their beloved magazine.

But by then, the potential additional revenue from advertising was 'way too lucrative to resist.

IIRC, National Geographic began the same way long before it finally went down the same path. (I'm not sure that's so.) Ditto Scientific American. I know that National Wildlife was adless for many years, and maybe it still is.

Loyal subscribers are far more important to the success of a magazine � especially to a small one � than advertisers. Advertising revenue is greatest when subscribers are most numerous and most loyal.

Ad agencies place their clients' ads where the CPM is most favorable (CPM = cost per thousand readers).

Every year, hundreds of new magazines hit the market � and most fail from two deadly diseases �
� not enough capital for three to five years of unprofitable publication
� assumption that advertising pays the bills (not for a long time, it doesn't!)

For a while, publishing ads costs more than it pays. Magazines that are already well established with a lot of loyal subscribers net a lot from advertising � poorly capitalized little start-ups can't tote the load. Launching a new magazine and keeping it afloat during its adolescence require a vastly different managerial mind set than managing one that's already well established. The "big boys" aren't the best role models for the "little guys" to emulate.

Ken -- always the gentleman!

John

Mule Deer,

I had gotten to the point when I got a new magazine from Wolfe, and I was a subscriber to all three, I would start at the back and read your articles first.

I have one of your books and one of your wife's cookbooks.

I, as a reader, will miss you. You gave us information and added in real life experience instead of just doing an "industry" positive review.

Build it and I will follow. I will find your writings and continue to enjoy your articles.

There is a lot of change in our world today. Everything happens for a reason. One door closes and another opens.

Thanks, for being you!

Ken - thanks for clearing up the advertising=content myth. I have grown very weary of hearing from editors that the reason a magazine is basically a front and back cover with very little in between is due to a lack of advertising. Coming from one who has been there, your thoughts mean a lot. (It always seemed to me that if the advertising=content myth were true, it would behoove the editor to perhaps work a bit harder at drumming up some additional advertising.) Best, John

Change happens. I enjoy reading J.B.'s work, even though he has different priorities and values than I do, in many cases. Wherever he lands, I'll seek it out and read his stuff.

And that is probably the best illustration of Mr. Howell's point. Suscribers will seek out a good publication; advertisers are the fickle ones. Give folks like the ones that read this forum a nice, meaty rag with lots of stuff you can sink your mental teeth into, and it will have a circulation. Even when the cover doesn't look like it's an issue of Cosmopolitan....... JMO, Dutch.

I have not read all 286 posts, but...

Does anyone know if JB quit or if he got fired? Maybe he quit for a better opportunity.

Maybe he will (or should) start a magazine for very serious hunters and shooters, like the ones here. As Ken Howell point out, there aould have to be a lot of startup capital invested.

If it takes 3 to 5 years to become profitable, you've got a problem. The "time value of money" current in US business will tell you never to invest in anything if it's not going to be returned for 5 years.

Don't blame you a bit. I found out you were leaving after placing a scathing email to Rifle last night over John Haviland's article on "Plains Rifle" for making sure we all knew he was going to shoot an antelope and only had one cartridge in his pocket. I KNOW he's hunted enough to know that no matter how good you are anything can happen when you pull that trigger. That's irresponsible hunting, writing and publishing. It seems it's becoming fashionable for them to criticize Elmer Keith and not too long ago they slammed my friend Mic McPherson for something he wrote in COTW...I think it was about the 32 Winchester Special. I don't have the patience to put up with the crap any more. Sorry if this hurts anyone's feelings and I'll probably be called the idiot that John Haviland and Dave Scovill are but WTH. My three subscriptions end very soon and I'm not renewing them.

JB,

Sorry to hear that you parted ways. I bought SH only because of the quality work you did there.

It can be tough when leaving a job. I lost my job in April. It was a blessing in discuise. I'm at a better employer now, and I pretty much got to fish all summer which I haven't done since I was 17.

Let us know how things work out please.

Good luck to you.

Tom

John,

I was figuring to extend my current subscriptions for all three magazines this year to get in on the drawing for the Dome Mountain elk hunt with you. Will you still be conducting that hunt for Wolfe?

thanks...jim

No, I won't.

So far my "unemployed" life lasted about 2 days. Right now I have assignments for 6 markets, including one column and a possibility for another.

sweet!

No rest for the wicked! Or something like that.

How about the loaddata.com gig; will you still contribute there?..thanks...jim

Ken, I should have been more clear in stating the many EDITORS believe that advertisers are more important, I thought that was clearly implied in my post, but I now see that it was not. But what editors believe to be true is the reality for their business, not what writers or readers think should matter. That was my point. Editors who think "the right way" survive - others don't for long. From your experiences you know that.

Over the years I have had numerous manuscripts returned because the editors felt that the truth would scare off advertisers. Publications which did not rely on "big advertisers" accepted everything I submitted. There are many examples of advertisers over readers - one well-known example was some years ago when JD Jones wrote about the M625 and was told by the editor that he could never write a 'critical' review again for that rag. (BTW all editors do not believe that advertisers matter more - it depends on the particular publication.)



Edited for typo.
.

I am happy to announce that John and I have come to an agreement for him to write a monthly column for the Campfire.

I'd welcome him aboard (again), except he's been here all along.

A toast, gentlemen, to a new chapter. May it be fruitful for all!

Cheers.

rb

Cheers from WNY! Great news.

I can step away from the bridge now!

Jim,

Nope, I'm not involved at all with Wolfe anymore, whether the elk hunt giveaway, loaddata.com, or whatever.

But as I noted earlier on this thread, I am not leaving the Campfire!

John, I really enjoy your writing, I will not be renewing my subscription which runs out in two months, for rifle or handloader.

John B.,

As I sit here I reach over and grab "optics for the hunter" I do not remember who I got it from only that I ordered it in. The reason I bring this up is that I have book case full of books on loading data, hunting, fishing, and gunsmithing and such. That book case is on the other side of the room, but only two or three seem to always find their way over near the computer and my reading chair. Yours is one of them. Glad to read that you will be around the campfire ....

All the best ... from a ol' Montana that got lost east of Mighty Miss and never able to find his way back... take good care of the place while I am gone