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Meet Berta Cohen our June Guest Writer! Owner and publisher of In the Round Amigurumi & Craft Magazine. Learn how Berta started the magazine and how she continues to put it all together from start to finish every month.
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Meet Our Guest Writer!
 
Berta Cohen is a Pattern Designer with Patterns available in drbrcohen Ravelry Shop.  She is also the owner and publisher of InTheRoundAmi Mag.  In this issue of the GlassEyesOnLine newsletter, Berta shares her insights and experience owning and publishing a monthly Online Crochet Pattern Magazine

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HodgePodge

Hello all! My name is Berta Cohen and I am the owner of In the Round Amigurumi & Craft Magazine(ITR). ITR is a crochet magazine that comes out every month and is available as both a digital as well as hard copy. I started the magazine in January of 2018 and we are now half way through our second year and are still going strong! Much like any business, I’ve have to learn the ins and outs of running a successful company. In this article, I’d like to give you a small insight into what it takes to run a digital magazine.
 
First things First: The Big Questions!
 
The first thing I did was answer these questions:  “What do I want to showcase? Is there a demand for this? Is anyone else doing this? Do I have the manpower and right staff to get this done? How much time can I realistically invest? What is my necessary financial investment? ”
For me, I have always had a soft spot for amigurumi. I thought about the fact that there were no magazines dedicated to amigurumi and figured that this was a niche I would gladly like to fill. So in January of 2018 ITR was born. 
 
 
Designers & Testers:
 
Essential to any business is securing the necessary people to help run your business.  The first thing that I established was securing designers. I was lucky enough to have been a crochet pattern tester for a number of amazingly talented designers so I had wonderful people that I could invite into this venture. Your company is only as good as the assets you fill it with and I filled mine with amazing talent.

How do we come together? The nuts and bolts of meeting Online:

Next I needed to figure out what the best way to present this venture to the world would be. Again, in the digital age we live in, a digital magazine is the best way to get your product out.  Deciding on your venue dictates how you will conduct and manage your meeting places.


In the digital world we live in, this is easily accomplished through social media. I setup a designer and tester group for ITR on Facebook. In addition, we use designated chat groups to navigate ideas, concerns, post tests that need to be conducted, schedules, and have general discussions.

To accomplish this I use a bevy of communication routes.  There are apps and software you can incorporate into global communication with your staff like Skype, virtual workplace office, Facebook messenger, and of course there is always the phone! Just remember different forms of communication are the key to bring global talent into one place.
 
 

In testers we trust:
 
Testers are one of the pivotal cogs in the magazine machine. Without reliable testers, can you really rely on the patterns you are publishing? 

Testers are initially vetted through a screening test pattern. Once they passed the initial test pattern they are invited into the official group as ITR testers. Testers are part of the heart and soul that make ITR run!

When it comes time to test patterns each month in the official group, a tester call is put out by individual designers for their pattern. Much like in science where studies are conducted in multiples, patterns are tested by multiple testers. To accomplish this, the designer sets up a tester call then chat group in which people are expected to test a pattern for errors such as stitch counts, grammar, spelling, funny wording, missing sections and anything else that they felt would enhance the pattern. Patterns are then reviewed by the designer and sent to me for final edits and review.


 
Designers: Where imagination becomes reality!
 
Another critical part of running ITR is having designers. I have been so very blessed to have some of the most incredibly talented, generous, creative and fantastic designers contribute to ITR. Their work ethic, creativity and innovation never ceases to amaze me!  They take themes chosen for the year and get to work bringing their imagination to life!
 
Themes, Schedules, Deadlines
 
Now that I had the people in place I got into the nuts and bolts of the enterprise.  Within the designer/tester group, I setup themes for the entire year. Each month’s issue revolves around this set theme. Designers comment as to their concept for that month, they post their patterns for testing, run a chat group for individual test, then submit their patterns and picture for publication. I am a firm believer in schedules and deadlines. Although this may seem harsh to some, an efficient business runs on set deadlines being met. We are human and creatures of habit. If we know what to expect we feel more at ease. It has worked really well for us.
 

 
Layout & Publishing:
 
Finally, once I get all the submissions, I sit down and go through every pattern to check for proper ITR formatting, pictures, stitch counts, and to make sure that tests have been completed. Then we move over to layout.

Tina Marie is my layout lady. She is amazing! Tina takes the patterns and pictures and creates the magazine layout. Once she has completed this it comes back to me for review prior to creating the final pdf and uploading to Ravelry prior to publication. We also have a website where customers can purchase the issue.
 

 
Advertising:
 
Another critical thing to keep in mind is advertising. You need to get the word out that you have this amazing product and everyone needs it! To accomplish this we have a Website, post through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

We have an amazing CAL group where you can find discounts, tips and camaraderie!

If you subscribe to the magazine at the ITR website you will get each issue at a discounted rate.  Hard Copies are available as well.
 
Using a mixture of videos, pictures and sales helps grow a business!   My staff, organization, diligence, advertisement, schedules and of course a good amount of fun helps me to run a successful online magazine publishing business!  
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