Magazine publishing masterclass

A few years ago I ran a series of magazine publishing masterclasses at the Guardian. They were always really interesting and a brilliant way to discover new magazines in their early stages, so when the Design Museum asked me to do it again I jumped at the chance of hosting their Magazine Publishing Masterclass.

We’ll be at the Design Museum’s new site in West London on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 February, spending the full weekend delving deep into the intricacies of magazine publishing. The class is open to anyone with a magazine project at any stage – you could be a couple of issues in and looking to sharpen up a few details, or kicking around an idea that you think might have potential. The only requirement is that you’re willing to talk about it and share your ideas with others.

The first day will be dedicated to ideas, exploring and developing the magazine concepts brought by students, and understanding how those concepts can fit within the wider independent magazine industry. And we’ll have a presentation by Jack Self, editor of Real Review, our Stack Awards Launch of the Year 2016, on the ideas that drive his magazine.

Then on the second day we’ll switch to the practicalities of putting those ideas into action, understanding the different options available to publishers and noting the common pitfalls to watch out for. We’ll have Danny Miller, publisher of Weapons of Reason, introducing his Publishing Playbook; Megan Conery and Molly Taylor will speak about how they made Hotdog magazine happen, and Steve Ilott from Park Communications will be on hand to provide print advice.

Tickets cost £125 for adults, £100 for students or £75 for members, and I can guarantee an intense weekend of magazine study. I’m looking forward to seeing which new titles we’ll discover this time…