Where to start? Well, Slingshot World magazine started as fat bloke bragging and begging. Me…
AND NOW WE BEGIN ISSUE FIVE, the first of VOLUME TWO.
Yes, they come in groups of four. Once planned to be one issue per season, it turned out to take way longer to make each one. So I dropped ‘dates’ and nicked Penthouse Magazine’s idea. This means It is ISSUE FIVE, {Vol.2/1}
This was Issue four…
I started by literally giving it a lot of “Ima gonna do this and that, so pay me!” Which sounds bonkers, yet that is how I saw it. In the ugliest terms possible.
The fact is, I am a time served magazine journalist. My mum before me, amongst other things, was Medical Editor of Woman’s Own magazine from IPC, for thirty years. I learned from her that a freelance lives and dies by their relationships and for the entire career I spent writing about car audio and home audio, (still do, a bit, here: www.adamrayner.net) I made sure to get to know the people in my industry and indeed made some proper deep friendships in both car and home audio.
And I had spent two years of slingshot research, trying to do that same thing. As well as watching everything, reading books and websites and then finally going to every shoot I could and videoing everything to death. Eventually, I became known as the reporter of the slingshot scene, just by waving a video camera in so many faces so often. So when I went out into the industry to say I wanted to make a printed paper magazine, backed up by what I had been doing before and with a new website and even a fully free flip-pdf version of each issue to read via that website, they said “Yes!”
I had to discuss all sorts of grown up stuff, like Return On Investment, demographics and advertising ethos…
And do you know what? They all admitted (lots later) that they had viewed the magazine as a total punt that first issue and were all equally as delighted and surprised (damn that hurt… lol) when they saw the resulting product and loved it.
For Max Power and Fast Car and Anglers Mail and Top Gear magazines alike, as a journalist, you just have to supply the quality ingredients. And Slingshot World was the same. Words in the right amount that are entertaining and informative to read, maybe even emotion-laden, and pictures so good, that they look like something that should be in a magazine.
I could do that, about stuff I loved (although I missed the use of pro snappers like crazy) and I knew I could ask anyone for interviews and most would say yes. But in the same manner that I had for my tech website, I also had to be the bloke who negotiates the adverts which pay for everything. And this time I had to do everything else too, from proof-reading (the really hardest bit, TBH) to dealing with my art editor and even buying the print. None of which I had done before.
I had one false start with a company that could do the whole job, before I found that the One, the ONLY Initial G, Mister Graham Morecroft, could be my man. That designer is a genius and makes the magazine look so good. He’s like a chef, given posh ingredients, cooking something delicious. I love him.
With a specialist printer of niche magazines, (I think they print a different kind of rubber boutique magazine for another customer..) I had a product. That I had then a terrible loss-making learning curve about postage costs and packaging was almost funny but I got through it. All magazines and everything else that goes out is beautifully packaged and sent out almost as obsessively rapidly as Reece Sayers with his Balls of Steel ammo business that everyone uses.
I have had good nag with my Big Three Players, Simple Shot, ProShot and WASP and to a stalwart man, each has pledged their continuing support. For that I am deeply grateful. Without any one of you, it couldn’t happen. Thank you guys so much.
OK, so you read this much emo piffle and now you want to know, ‘WHAT YOU GOT PLANNED, FAT BOY?‘
Issue Five is the Catty Celebs Issue. I have Keith Dighton writing about target shooting philosophy, Mark Clark writing a story about his youth, in Adventures, Scrapes and Misdemeanours and Jöerg Sprave in Access All Areas. I have an only-formative plan right now, suggested by Nathan Masters about the progress of the sport from pub car park to participation in the Olympics with the World Slingshot Association.
There are new products from WASP and we are going to try one of those crazy speed shooter frames from China. There are mooching stories to make and HOW TO is a thing we have been asked to do more of. So HOW TO START A CLUB will be a thing, as well as lots more ideas still being baked. In particular, I am keen to talk to high end frame makers, as I have plans to cover more of them.
As yet, I can only say that publication is planned to be in Summer, as the deadline thing is impractical. The catapult world can be like trying to herd cats but it’s been done four times now, so I know it’ll be alright on the night.
Any ideas, suggestions, or better yet beautiful slingshot pictures? Let me know on Facebook!
