Popular Woodworking

[Handplanesandmore]

Content (or the lack of it) problem is not just for PW (which I unsubscribed several years ago as it became more and more a publication of Chris S. (almost every issue is dominated by his contributions) or his friends in the small circle). FWW, too, is releasing articles that have little substance other than great photography.

I have little doubt that print magazines are dying and woodworking magazines are no exception. May be after another 20 years, only very few including those that are financially supported by their parent companies (WWJ by Rockler and WC by Woodcraft store) will remain. May be the need for their existence is just vanishing.

Simon

[AHill]

Too bad Shop Notes went TU. I liked that mag.
I have a bunch of them scattered around here.

It didn't disappear entirely.  It was just folded into the Woodsmith magazine.  There's more content in Woodsmith now vs. when they were separate.  I hear what you say, though.  It was a great standalone magazine.

[Steve N]

Plus they had a very successful market, and changed it, or at least added to it, and what they added was lost on me. My biggest gripe was the actual cheapening of the rag itself, not just the content. I read "books" on a Kindle, but prefer my magazines to be a paper offering, that if need be can go with me to the bathroom. The paper quality is like dried slime, and the ink is the worst. It never dries, so you only get one chance to read it, trying to go back it's all smear. Now Huey, Lang, and Bender who were the actual woodworkers are gone. Add an inflated price, nothing there for me.

Even the blog has fallen off the edge of the earth. For a short time after they booted Huey, Lang, and Bender they brought in an Englishman Graham Haydon, and he was a good writer, and offered a decent basic blog. Haven't seen him for a while, and now it's back to Schwarz, who knows just a few things about woodworking, and keeps spitting them out over and over again. Yeah, it's a lot more than running a woodworking mag is a competitive thing, they have given up.

[Steve N]

I subscribed to Shop Notes. I loathed WoodSmith and their tired Oak plans. Does anyone even know if the new owners are going to field an entry?

[akertesz]

Woodsmith is one of the few I still subscribe to, WWJ and PWW are the other two. FFW is a great and well laid out magazine it is at least 50% advertising and for $35 a year I'll get my ads somewhere else.

[Bibliophile 13]

I still subscribe to PWW, and for the price of a year's subscription, I've got no major complaints. The writing and photography are still good, and I learn a thing or two with most issues. I always look forward to Peter Follansbee's column, and the finishing column is usually helpful.

I do miss the good paper it used to be printed on. The current paper is awful. I'd pay more for better paper.

But you know what, folks? If you think these magazines could be improved, you CAN do something about it. Write up an article and send it to them. They nearly all accept unsolicited submissions, though you should look at their submission criteria first. You never know. Your next project could be featured.

[Handplanesandmore]

But you know what, folks? If you think these magazines could be improved, you CAN do something about it. Write up an article and send it to them. .

I hope this isn't what any publisher relies on to keep their magazines floating. It is the job of a publisher to produce a good magazine including actively seeking and reaching out to good or experienced writers and not the other way round. Publishers today need to be pro-active and find ways to beef up their issues.

If paper is an issue  (I had had no problem with PW's paper when I was subscriber), deal with it. If every issue features the same group of people whose number that you can almost count with one hand, expand your pool. Whether it is PW or FWW and whatnot, make the articles concise but clear, not longer in order to fill the page quotas. I understand ads are essential and a 100-page issue is not easy to deliver. But quality is more important than quantity. Use better paper and get a 80-page issue instead, for instance.

If the trade (non-woodworking) magazine I have inside knowledge of is an indication, I wouldn't be surprised if the print subscriptions for woodworking magazines have gone down by 30% in the past five years or so. May be more.

One last thing. It is false economy to say so-and-so just costs $3 an issue or $30 a year. I hate to spend even $10 on something that is of little value to keep. My local library has some of the woodworking magazines that I don't even bother to flip any pages when I pass by the shelves where they are kept.

Simon

[DogwoodTales]

Unsolicited submissions ... that is a good idea.

I would also suggest 360 Woodworking. I just took advantage of their special pricing and got a subscription for $36 a year forever (I think). There's lots of quality written and video content and something for everyone to learn. The only drawback is that, since all their content is on line (unless you print out an article ) you don't get that feeling of holding a paper base product in your hands. That I do miss, but I'm greatly satisfied with the content thus far. $36 a year well worth it imho.

[DogwoodTales]

Also if you like.something more eclectic and paper in hand, try Popular Mechanics. They don't get into detailed plans as much and ww projects are just a small part of what they cover, but it's a great magazine with something that can be inspiring for everyone.
It's like a magazine for the Makers (a very broad topic used to refer to, well, people who make things regardless of the medium ) rather than just for, say, woodworkers. The subscription price is cheap too. I get mine for about 10 or 15 a year.

[rudedan60]

I just received a offer from PWW in the mail 2 yrs. for $20.  This last summer when my American Woodworker subscription would have expired. They offered me $14.95 for both digital and print.  I was going to let it die, for the time.  Then they sent me the 2 yr offer, so I may renew. Dan