Wanna Make a Magazine? U.K. Editor Offers Advice and Inspo

Josh Jones has developed print pubs for Nike, Red Bull and more

Just Make Your Magazine. That’s the name of Josh Jones’ newly-published guide to creating periodicals. It’s also his mantra. The U.K.-based editor and writer produces all sorts of magazines (plus books and zines), including the bi-annual food culture bible Sandwich, each issue inspired by an iconic sandwich; Huck, a bi-monthly celebrating creatives and activists who go against the flow; and the colorful, quarterly pop culture title Ralph.

Here, Jones explains why he remains passionate about print in the digital age. He also reveals what brands can get out of publishing their own magazines and why publishers should always pay their writers.

MUSE: As a writer, I still find it really special to have a story printed in a magazine that I can purchase at a newsstand like NYC’s beloved Casa Magazines, which is where I spotted Just Make Your Magazine. Why are you so passionate about print media in an age where so much focus is on digital?

Josh Jones: I guess I’m lucky in that I’m a child that grew up with a foot in both pre- and post-internet culture. Mainly pre, though. So, the power of print and joy of reading something that isn’t digital is natural to me. There’s a lot to be said for tangibility. I’ve yet to see someone enthusiastically smash an iPad into their face to smell a new website. But give them a beautiful magazine, and inhaling the ink fumes is one of the first things they’ll do, quickly followed by: “I love the smell of magazines!”

I think that in today’s world we’re also aware that anything written online can be wiped instantly. We used to think it was forever. But look at what happened to all those stories on Vice’s website. If you have your own copy of a magazine, especially if you’ve got a story in it, you know you can keep it for life.

I’ve edited websites, and it’s soul-destroying knowing that there’s no end to it. A magazine has a set number of pages you have to fill, and then it’s done. A website has infinite pages, and they just cascade into the abyss.

What can brands get out of making their own magazines?

We’re all a bit sick of social media. How much value do brands get from social media, or from paying influencers, other than a bit of recognition? Being able to create something yourself, that is specifically targeted to your consumers and audience, who will love it and keep it, is way better than a post that gets scrolled past in seconds. Print is much sexier than digital.

I launched a new project, International Magazine Gang, because I have seen this move back to print. It’s a global network of brilliant magazine makers that brands can approach to create their publications. If a brand needs a magazine, then it makes sense they speak to people who are experts at making them. I wouldn’t ask an editor to make a TV ad. So, why go to a creative agency with no editorial experience to make a print publication? 

Tell me about some print projects you’ve done for brands.

I’ve made zines, magazines and books for Red Bull, a coffee table book for The North Face, a magazine for Nike celebrating the creative communities of the East End of London, the in-room magazine for Pikes Hotel in Ibiza and zines for the youth brand Ibiza Rocks. I’ve also created a book for the Saatchi Gallery Summer Show, a luxury lifestyle title for Suntory and a Grammy-nominated publication for Interscope Records.

Each of them are different. But I think each brand loves the fact that their messaging gets room to breathe. We can create a compelling story together, and they have something that you can touch, hold in your hands, smell and be proud of. Making a physical object that represents a campaign or project seems more fulfilling than something kept on a server somewhere.

As a writer, it seems obvious to me why our work should be valued. But for those who don’t get it, can you tell me why writers need to be paid fairly?

I’ve been a freelance journalist, and I know how far the rates have fallen and how much hustle it takes. It’s a lot of work to write something for a publication, and that work should be rewarded. It’s not just the writing. It’s the research for the pitch, putting together the pitch, the research for the piece, the travel to the interview/gig/film festival/refugee camp, the brain space it takes up while you’re constantly thinking about the piece you’re writing.

You’re also paying for experience and contacts. Even if you have small budgets, as a publication you should be upfront about that and offer to pay what you can. Exposure is not payment. It makes me angry when you see some publications, or brands, say they can’t pay a writer until they’ve been paid by another client, brand or advertiser. You wouldn’t commission a builder for a garage and then tell them you haven’t got any money till someone else pays you in six months. Why are writers treated differently?

Why it is important to work with a skilled art director to create a magazine? 

I’ve had this talk a lot recently with editor mates, and it turns out some are way more megalomaniacal than me. They’re making all the design decisions. That doesn’t make sense. I’m not trained in the science of design. And it is a science. Seems like a good idea to work collaboratively with someone who’s studied design for 3-plus years, because there’s usually a good reason why they’ve put something in that place, or used that color. For me, and it’s a personal choice, I like to leave art directors and their design teams to get on with it and have update meetings to go through it all.