Rat Bike News Magazine wants you!
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I figure I should chime in on this one before the first issue hits the news stands. :mrgreen:
We discussed having a printed companion piece for the website about a year ago I think. Actually, it was probably more of a desire to see a quality print magazine created that encompassed all areas of vintage bicycles. At the time it was mostly just the kicking around of ideas and a lot of tongue and cheek comments about even having Rat Rod TV...which I still think is a good idea by the way. :lol: I've had lots of ideas on cool things to do, but I lack the time and energy at this point in my life to make them all happen.
I will say that the model does sound very similar to what BR&K does with their online magazine. The only difference I see is that yours would be in PDF format...which may be better...or maybe not. I personally have never been much into reading PDF magazines.
I like what you are trying to put together Gerry. I think some more thought should be put in up front in order to make it all succeed. While no ownership being declared sounds like a good idea...some may feel differently down the road if they are putting in a lot of work on the project. Also, if there comes a time when there is opportunity to make money off the magazine, who will make that money? You also need to make sure that you are pretty strict about who you let volunteer and who you don't. I learned this by putting my car club's newsletter together each month for a couple of years. You also need to be prepared to take it all on yourself if people decide to bow out or lose interest.
As an Art Director by trade, I would like to see a very professional look to the magazine and not just something that was cranked out in MS Publisher. If I didn't have a full time job, freelance work, a wife and three kids under the age of five I would have tackled this one months ago myself. Designing is what I do for a living so this site has just been an extension of that for me. Whether it be the shirts, the decals or the calendars, it's all been a way for me to do design without having it be business. I have hardly made any money off of the forum and that is okay, because my main desire is to offer a fun place for people to hang out and share ideas about cool bikes. I've put my life into this site and forum for the past 2.5 years now and it's become my pride and joy...well, on the internet anyway. :lol:
Thanks again Gerry for taking the initiate to get something going! :wink:
We discussed having a printed companion piece for the website about a year ago I think. Actually, it was probably more of a desire to see a quality print magazine created that encompassed all areas of vintage bicycles. At the time it was mostly just the kicking around of ideas and a lot of tongue and cheek comments about even having Rat Rod TV...which I still think is a good idea by the way. :lol: I've had lots of ideas on cool things to do, but I lack the time and energy at this point in my life to make them all happen.
I will say that the model does sound very similar to what BR&K does with their online magazine. The only difference I see is that yours would be in PDF format...which may be better...or maybe not. I personally have never been much into reading PDF magazines.
I like what you are trying to put together Gerry. I think some more thought should be put in up front in order to make it all succeed. While no ownership being declared sounds like a good idea...some may feel differently down the road if they are putting in a lot of work on the project. Also, if there comes a time when there is opportunity to make money off the magazine, who will make that money? You also need to make sure that you are pretty strict about who you let volunteer and who you don't. I learned this by putting my car club's newsletter together each month for a couple of years. You also need to be prepared to take it all on yourself if people decide to bow out or lose interest.
As an Art Director by trade, I would like to see a very professional look to the magazine and not just something that was cranked out in MS Publisher. If I didn't have a full time job, freelance work, a wife and three kids under the age of five I would have tackled this one months ago myself. Designing is what I do for a living so this site has just been an extension of that for me. Whether it be the shirts, the decals or the calendars, it's all been a way for me to do design without having it be business. I have hardly made any money off of the forum and that is okay, because my main desire is to offer a fun place for people to hang out and share ideas about cool bikes. I've put my life into this site and forum for the past 2.5 years now and it's become my pride and joy...well, on the internet anyway. :lol:
Thanks again Gerry for taking the initiate to get something going! :wink:
Thanks for the wise words Steve. Let me make it clear to everyone right here right now, if we put this to press at any time, Steve will be the one getting the pdf and receiving whatever money (if any) that comes out of that. I don't think I have to explain why and if I do, your in the wrong forum or you haven't been here long enough. The goal of the mag is not to make cash but to showcase what we all do here and make it available to the world. If you don't believe in giving away freely your time and knowledge in this endeavor, then steer clear of it right away. For those of us willing to put in the energy with no wish of gain in the end, we know that money is not the only way the Universe and the all mighty pays you back.
As for the pdf format, I too find that it sucks big time. But with isuu.com's format of the pdf (and there are others that do the same kind of thing), I see a promising future for such publications. Believe it or not, there is some interesting hardware coming down the pipe for this.
Now for the update, we have so far:
- One featured bike
- One bike life story
- One featured artist
Steve is right, we should do this right. There's no rush and we should take our time to make something great. Just think that what we put together could inspire some kid and keep him or her out of trouble. If this happens just once, it would be all worth it.
Let's roll !
As for the pdf format, I too find that it sucks big time. But with isuu.com's format of the pdf (and there are others that do the same kind of thing), I see a promising future for such publications. Believe it or not, there is some interesting hardware coming down the pipe for this.
Now for the update, we have so far:
- One featured bike
- One bike life story
- One featured artist
Steve is right, we should do this right. There's no rush and we should take our time to make something great. Just think that what we put together could inspire some kid and keep him or her out of trouble. If this happens just once, it would be all worth it.
Let's roll !
Email sent with a few story links, Gerry. For the 1st issue intervew, I hereby nominate Steve, aka out "ratfather" Mr Ratrod himself!! 8)
Anybody care to second the motion?
Rick
*spelling edit
Anybody care to second the motion?
Rick
*spelling edit
I AM IN! sounds like a great idea. i too am a graphic designer and would love to help out in anyway. Here is my opinion on this whole thing.first off, like steve said, its needs to be professional. it has to have an on going theme throughout ex: fonts, colors, layout etc... There should also be colums like "bike tech" or some type of "how to" in every issue. Also there needs to be one person in charge. One head person who can assign jobs to all us volunters and put everything together. This will be alot of work. I think this is a great idea and would love to see it happen!
This sounds great! If I can help out ...count me in
FW
FW
Thanks FW, I definitely want to see your workmanship in the mag. Here's a little something I'm working on for myself, I'm no graphic design pro and it's not finished but I want you guys and gals to check it out so you can have an idea of what is possible. Go for full screen view for the best experience: http://issuu.com/xddorox/docs/test3
I'm a little slow on the uptake, so apologies...Ahem, is this concept along the lines of a virtual mag to be viewed soley on the 'web, or are we talking about a real wood pulp mag that i can take in the bathroom and read at my leasure?
Spin
Spin
thats GREAT!
FW
Ok, time for a general overview of the project so that we are all on the same page (pun totally intended).
1- The Mag is a collective effort with no sole ownership.
2- It will be published thru http://www.issuu.com and other similar sites online.
3- IF Steve chooses to do so, a hard copy will be for sale thru him via Cafepress or some similar outfit. I don't think anybody can deny the few pennies this
would bring to Steve who has created this place for us.
4- The mission of Rat Bike News is to showcase the creations of the members of ratrodbikes.com, to inspire others to join us and get creative.
If anyone wants to blow a bunch of money and go for a printed mag on the subject, please go ahead and do so. Such a project does not interest me.
If you want to contribute and not expect anything in return, this is the project. But let me tell you from experience that getting into something like this will bring you what money can't: the satisfaction of knowing you inspired others to do more than they thought they could. I'm also lazy and I just can't keep track of what's going on here so it would be cool to get some kind of digest of it all once and a while. :mrgreen:
Here's the link again of what the format could look like online, but I'm sure some of you can do a lot better than me: http://issuu.com/xddorox/docs/test3
A big thank you to those who already contributed stuff. All I need now is a graphic designer or i swear I'll do it myself and it will look really lame.
1- The Mag is a collective effort with no sole ownership.
2- It will be published thru http://www.issuu.com and other similar sites online.
3- IF Steve chooses to do so, a hard copy will be for sale thru him via Cafepress or some similar outfit. I don't think anybody can deny the few pennies this
would bring to Steve who has created this place for us.
4- The mission of Rat Bike News is to showcase the creations of the members of ratrodbikes.com, to inspire others to join us and get creative.
If anyone wants to blow a bunch of money and go for a printed mag on the subject, please go ahead and do so. Such a project does not interest me.
If you want to contribute and not expect anything in return, this is the project. But let me tell you from experience that getting into something like this will bring you what money can't: the satisfaction of knowing you inspired others to do more than they thought they could. I'm also lazy and I just can't keep track of what's going on here so it would be cool to get some kind of digest of it all once and a while. :mrgreen:
Here's the link again of what the format could look like online, but I'm sure some of you can do a lot better than me: http://issuu.com/xddorox/docs/test3
A big thank you to those who already contributed stuff. All I need now is a graphic designer or i swear I'll do it myself and it will look really lame.
"...- IF Steve chooses to do so, a hard copy will be for sale thru him via Cafepress or some similar outfit. I don't think anybody can deny the few pennies this would...."
I for one like the tactile satisfaction of holding something in my hand and 'possessing' it. Kinda like our bikes themselves. When I was a kid, we had 'fanzines' which were labors of love devoted to, in my case, horror films. They were crude, and unslick, and it made them all the more precious. They weren't for the masses, but for the hard core fans.
It would just be cool to see our stuff in a 3D form.
Spin
I for one like the tactile satisfaction of holding something in my hand and 'possessing' it. Kinda like our bikes themselves. When I was a kid, we had 'fanzines' which were labors of love devoted to, in my case, horror films. They were crude, and unslick, and it made them all the more precious. They weren't for the masses, but for the hard core fans.
It would just be cool to see our stuff in a 3D form.
Spin
I, too, would like to see a paper version. But I dig the virtual mag idea too. So lets get it started and see wehre it'll go from here. It could take off and be huge. You never know. I'm sure Steve didn't know how awesome RRB.com would be. But i think he knew how awesome it COULD be. So yeah...
Hi Guys,
I would like to be invited as your Detroit Connection. I run the koolest shop in MOTOWN and host several shows and events. Count me in, keep me posted. I have some stuff on file already. Hosting the Detroit Autorama in a few weeks. Saw the pics of the Sat. Autorama and it was boss. It would be nice to show the comparrison of what happens across country. Things are diffrent out here, not better, not worse, diffrent.
peace,
Bicycledon
I would like to be invited as your Detroit Connection. I run the koolest shop in MOTOWN and host several shows and events. Count me in, keep me posted. I have some stuff on file already. Hosting the Detroit Autorama in a few weeks. Saw the pics of the Sat. Autorama and it was boss. It would be nice to show the comparrison of what happens across country. Things are diffrent out here, not better, not worse, diffrent.
peace,
Bicycledon
maybe for advertising in the mag you could feature members that own bike shops or work for bike shops( bicyclerick, karfer, i know theres more). the possibilitys for this thing are endless.
Easy E
Easy E
Now for the update, we have so far:
- One featured bike (got the pictures need text)
- Second featured bike (got text, waiting on pictures)
- One bike life story (text and pictures received)
- Feature on Steve (Need text and pictures)
- One featured artist (to be confirmed)
There's still room, keep it coming and don't be shy. :mrgreen:
- One featured bike (got the pictures need text)
- Second featured bike (got text, waiting on pictures)
- One bike life story (text and pictures received)
- Feature on Steve (Need text and pictures)
- One featured artist (to be confirmed)
There's still room, keep it coming and don't be shy. :mrgreen:
