What Goes into Making ASJA Magazine
When I assign stories or receive Member News posts for ASJA Magazine, I’m frequently met with surprise about our publishing schedule. Our lead time is fairly long in comparison to online publications. Several traditional print outlets also have tighter turnarounds.
Our timeline is based on our publication process and our status. Since we’re a nonprofit, we qualify for a discounted rate on printing and mailing. However, it also extends our production time. To give you an idea of how the magazine is produced, take a peek at our timeline for the Winter 2023 issue:
- Stories assigned/contracts signed
- August 20, 2022
- Stories turned in for first edit by editor
- September 15, 2022
- Stories sent to proofreaders
- September 22, 2022
- Edits collected and sent to designer
- September 30, 2022
- First page proofs sent to editor/publications chair
- October 14, 2022
- Changes sent to designer for final page proofs
- October 27, 2022
- Second page proofs sent to editor/publications chair for final signoff
- November 1, 2022
- Magazine sent to printer
- November 3, 2022
- Printer page proofs sent to designer/editor/publications chair
- November 7, 2022
- Edits sent to designer for printer
- November 15, 2022
- Final printer page proofs sent to designer/editor/publications chair
- November 22, 2022
- Final page proof signoffs from designer/editor/publications chair
- November 28, 2022
- Printer production time
- December 15, 2022
- Magazine mailed to members
- December 29, 2022
What the Timeline Means to You
If you’d like to write the magazine, send timely pitches in advance. For example, if you wanted to write a story about New Year’s Resolutions, that pitch should be made in August. I just finished planning out the rest of our 2023 ASJA editorial calendar. Here are the themes I’ve identified:
- Spring 2023: Spring Cleaning
- Summer 2023: Work/Life Balance
- Fall 2023: Back to School
To pitch the Spring issue, please send your ideas by November 30. For Summer, I’ll need pitches by March 15, 2023. And for Fall, the deadline for story ideas is June 15, 2023.
With our current budget, we pay $350 for features that run about 1,200 words. Each issue includes four features. And we pay $150 for department pieces, which include Tools of the Trade, Market Reports, and The Last Word.
Get an idea of the types of stories we run by reviewing past issues. Our archives are available online. At the bottom of that page, you’ll find a form where you can send your pitches.
Please note, you need to be logged in as a member to access the archives and pitch form (which is at the bottom of the page). I will try to get back to you within a week. If I don’t, feel free to follow up.
The other reason the timeline may be relevant to you is if you have Member News you’d like to share. It helps to plan ahead if you’re hoping to be included in a specific issue.
Whether it’s articles, pitches, or suggestions on how we can improve, I’m always open for ideas for the magazine. Please feel free to reach out to me. My biggest goal is to make ASJA Magazine a valuable resource for you and your business.