| Children's magazines were very popular pre 1980s. | | | | unless you are a self-promoting marketing wiz. |
| However, when television and computer games took | | | | Partner publishing meets the author/ illustrator |
| over, children's interests refocused. Young | | | | halfway, with marketing and publishing costs shared |
| imaginations and literacy skills also took a downhill slide | | | | between publisher and author, but is restricted to |
| and haven't yet managed to recover. The importance | | | | books. |
| of magazines, with their variety of stories, short | | | | Many magazine publishers are willing to assess and |
| enough to maintain interest, poems and rhyme, | | | | take the risk on new authors. They often publish |
| colourful illustrations, puzzles, crafts and competitions | | | | weekly or monthly, so their needs are ongoing. This |
| to captivate and entertain young minds has sadly | | | | gives newcomers a chance to showcase themselves |
| been forgotten. | | | | and gives readers a variety of writing styles and |
| In the past, children's magazines originated from the | | | | ideas to keep their interest. Work by the same |
| United Kingdom and were distributed worldwide. | | | | limited number of authors becomes very predictable. |
| Today, those available are still mainly published in | | | | It is essential that reading material, particularly for |
| England and the United States. Sadly Australia is | | | | children, remains fresh and vital to challenge young |
| lagging behind in this creative field. Is it because of a | | | | minds and is interesting enough to keep their interest. |
| lack of interest in publishing or marketing magazines, | | | | It is also important that children are exposed to non |
| cost, or a lack of contributors? Surely not a lack of | | | | commercial related stories. Stories about popular TV |
| contributors! An annual Australian mentoring | | | | and toy characters are well and good, but shouldn't |
| competition recently attracted 500 budding children's | | | | be promoted and used exclusively to attract sales. |
| story writers and illustrators, all trying to get a | | | | Children also need to read stories related to their |
| foothold into the market! | | | | own culture. Several newly formed Australian |
| Publishers more often than not have their doors | | | | children's magazines are now available, both in hard |
| closed to new unknown authors. Traditional publishing | | | | copy format and online. |
| is profit driven and new authors have not yet proven | | | | Online magazines reach a wide audience and the |
| themselves as revenue generators, therefore they | | | | stories and activities can also be selectively printed |
| will not take the risk on them. Heaven forbid the | | | | out. |
| manuscript they turn down might be another Harry | | | | Bring back the magazines! They are inexpensive and |
| Potter that slipped through the net! How then do | | | | easy to read. Children can look forward to something |
| emerging authors and illustrators get a foot in the | | | | new each week or month and it encourages parents |
| door of the competitive publishing world? Self | | | | and children to share reading together. |
| publishing is one way, but is costly. Success is limited | | | | |