Blog Magazine

My Favorite Magazine

Today we continue our series, "My Favorite Magazine," in which we talk to a magazine reader that is passionate about a particular magazine. This month's reader picked a Magazines.com customer favorite--Real Simple magazine. This year has been a big year for Real Simple--the Time Inc title is celebrating its 10th year, no small feat in the magazine industry.

A little bit about Real Simple magazine: A little bit about Real Simple magazine: Real Simple magazine features creative solutions for everyday challenges of busy women. In each issue you'll find advice on beauty and style, entertaining, etiquette, family, finance, food and health, home, pets, technology and more.

1. Tell us who you are, what you do and what you are passionate about.

My name is Brittany, and I live in Nashville, where I work as a part-time nanny and the managing editor of Fringe Magazine. When I’m not dancing ballet with a 2-year-old or burying myself in a stack of unedited articles, I enjoy exploring East Nashville, cooking, camping, drinking tea and being with my husband, Ben, and our new puppy, Tilly.

2. When did you start reading magazines?

To be honest, my first magazine was probably Highlights, a kids magazine that taught me about animals and letters and seemed to always have a hot air balloon, or something of the sort, on the cover. From there, I moved on to whatever my mom kept in the bathroom—primarily Reader’s Digest, which sucked me in with its "Drama in Real Life" feature and the jokes used as space-fillers after articles. As I grew older and had my choice in magazines, I began reading RELEVANT magazine, GOOD, Paste magazine and Real Simple.

During my junior and senior years of high school, I worked at Barnes and Noble, where I frequently spent my lunch break at a table in the cafe, accompanied by magazines of all genres. Since I didn’t actually have to purchase any of the magazines, I read anything from The Economist and Time magazine to wedding magazines and Martha Stewart Living.

3. What is your favorite magazine?

After reading plenty of national magazines and working for local ones, my consistent favorite is Real Simple magazine. It’s simple. Really. Every time I get it in the mail, it sits on our kitchen table for a couple of days before I have time to even open it, and I just admire the cover. I can’t think of another magazine with the ability to make me giddy month after month just by gazing at that cover. Maybe it’s a vintage chair by a hanging red dress in a perfectly organized closet. Perhaps it’s a shoe—just one shoe—and a handbag. Whatever it may display on a given month, the cover of Real Simple is always stunning.

And it doesn’t end there. Once I’m thoroughly entranced by the front and finished impatiently waiting for an available moment, I actually get to enjoy the magazine cover-to-cover. I love the tidbits and tips that make me smile and then make my life a little easier. Really? I can store my jewelry in an ice cube tray? I can take a scratch out of a wood floor by rubbing a walnut over it, releasing its natural oils? Thank you, Real Simple. Thank you very much.

4. Why and when did you start reading Real Simple magazine?

Hmmm … I think I started reading Real Simple during my time working at Barnes and Noble. Because of its aforementioned cover, the magazine was consistently displayed at the front of the store by the cash registers, where innocent shoppers (or booksellers) couldn’t help but pick up the beautiful thing and want to take it home. I guess I was originally caught with that crowd, and I’ve been subscribing to the magazine ever since.

5. What are your magazine-reading rituals?

Generally, my husband gets the mail, since he often works from home. I’ll come home from a day at work and see a new issue of Real Simple lying on the kitchen table under a small stack of mail. After some form of rejoicing (rapid girly-clapping or maybe a little jump or the “ca-ching” arm movement), I’ll comment to Ben about how magnificent the cover of the magazine is. I may flip through it then and there, but I usually wait until I really have time to dig in. I’ll move the magazine to my bedroom and eventually start devouring it page-by-page before I fall asleep at night. Oh, and I prefer it with mint tea, but I’ve been known to make an entire pot of tea and fall asleep before it’s even cool enough to drink. There’s just something about reading a magazine with a cup of tea—even if it is just sitting there steaming.

6. What is your favorite column or writer in the magazine?

I would say it’s a tie between the “Your Words” and the “Solutions” departments. I love hearing from other readers in “Your Words,” because they often tell sweet stories of childhood or talk about what their kids mean to them or something inspiring like that. It’s always honest and happy. Then, in the “Solutions” section, they never fail to provide me with original ideas about how to use around-the-house items for other purposes. (For example, did you know a tea bag can double as a fragrant sachet?) It’s this mix of depth and minimalism that makes Real Simple just what it is—real and simple.

My Favorite Magazine

Today we continue our series, "My Favorite Magazine," in which we talk to a magazine reader that is passionate about a particular magazine. With the Oscars airing Sunday we've already got movies and entertainment on our minds so we're excited that this month's reader, Amy, coincidentally picked Entertainment Weekly magazine as her favorite magazine.

A little bit about Entertainment Weekly magazine: First published in 1990, Entertainment Weekly is a standout in its category, providing a comprehensive rundown of news,reviews, features and previews from the entertainment industry including movies, television, music and books.

1.       Tell us who you, what you do and what you are passionate about.
I’m Amy Dabbs. I’m the web content coordinator for Children’s Health System in Birmingham, Alabama. I am crazy obsessive and passionate about music, TV and University of Alabama football. I love going to concerts and movies, writing and hanging out with family and friends.

2.       When did you start reading magazines? 
The summer that I was 10, I spent afternoons at my Dad’s office. One day one of his coworkers asked what music I liked and what TV shows I watched.  I eagerly shared my passion for New Kids on the Block and my undying love for Uncle Jesse on Full House. The next day she bought me a Bop magazine. I was enthralled. The glossy pages! The pictures of the New Kids! The interviews, the articles, the quizzes! All of this in a little package that I could keep forever. And I would never be the same again. (And yes, I still have a few copies of those. What can I say? I’m nostalgic).

3.       What is your favorite magazine?
As you can probably guess from reading my bio and my first experience with magazines, I’ve grown into quite the pop culture junkie, so Entertainment Weekly magazine is my favorite magazine. Southern Living magazine is a very close second.

4.       When and why did you start reading Entertainment Weekly magazine?
I discovered Entertainment Weekly when I was in college. I started reading it because it covers everything I love in one magazine – music, TV, film, books, theater, pop culture, etc.
 
5.       What are your magazine-reading rituals?
This is a pretty weird habit, but I always scan the entire magazine first. If I run across something that I deem is a must-read, I’ll stop and read it. When I get to the end, I’ll go back to the front, read the letters to the editor and then proceed page by page.
 
6.       What is your favorite column or who is your favorite writer in the magazine?
I love Michael Ausiello’s TV column. He’s snarky and tends to like the same shows I do. I also love Stephen King’s monthly column. “Uncle Stevie” is always spot on with recommendations for everything from TV to music and of course, books. For the most part, their writers seem to each have their own personal passion and it comes across in their articles. I may not be an “Idol Loonie” like Michael Slezak calls himself, but I certainly appreciate and enjoy reading “Doc” Jensen’s “Lost” theories. If the writer is excited about the piece, then chances are I will be, too.

7.       What do you think about the future of reading magazines on e-readers?
I really love technology, but I love holding an actual, paper magazine in my hands more. I feel the same way about books. I spend enough hours of the day looking at a computer or a Blackberry screen. I’m not too thrilled about having another electronic device to have to haul around just so I can read my magazines.

I hope there is a happy medium for the printed word and electronic media. What I love about Entertainment Weekly is that they have recognized that the web piece of their magazine is just as critical as the printed magazine. Reading both gives me that old school satisfaction of holding a magazine while reading their site (or in the future, their content on an e-reader) gives me up-to-the-minute, current content.

I can tell you this, though, if I’m paying a subscription for a magazine, it better come to me in the mail and not on my phone, e-reader, or whatever the next craze is. I mean, come on, you know you want to have that Ryan Reynolds cover stacked on your coffee table for your friends to see, right? Well, maybe that’s just me.

Last minute Valentine's Day Gift Ideas from Magazines.com

Yikes! Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and you’re still looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetheart. Maybe you've been snowed in all week and haven't been able to get the mall; whatever the reason, skip the uninspired traditional Valentine’s Day gifts and instead give your sweetheart a Valentine’s Day gift that last all year long: a magazine subscription.

We've created a Valentine’s Day Gift Guide with you and all the procrastinators, ehem, last-minute bargain shoppers, in mind. Last-minute shoppers can shop by recipient, personality or price, and send instant e-mail gift announcements or print out gift announcements. Below are some of our recommendations:

For a Valentine’s Day gift for her: top-selling women’s magazine subscriptions like Food Network magazine, O the Oprah magazine, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping magazine.

For a Valentine’s Day gift for him: best-selling men’s magazine subscriptions like Men’s Health, GQ, Field & Stream and ESPN the Magazine.

For Valentine’s Day gifts for elementary-age kids: Highlights for Children, National Geographic Kids and American Girl magazine. For pre-school age kids: Your Big Backyard, Thomas & Friends and Highlights High Five magazine.

We've got more than 2,000 magazine subscriptions at up to 90 percent off magazine cover prices, so you'll easily find a Valentine’s Day gift for less than $25.

On Sale Now: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition at Magazines.com

Last night the cover of this year's highly-anticipated Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition was revealed on The Late Show with David Letterman. Supermodel Brooklyn Decker graces the famed cover under the headline "A Perfect 10."

As cover model, Brooklyn Decker joins a long list of now famous supermodels who have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine's Swimsuit edition including Kathy Ireland, Cheryl Tiegs, Hiedi Klum, Elle MacPherson, Tyra Banks and Petra Nemcova.

The Swimsuit edition hits stands tomorrow and is now available at Magazines.com.

7 Magazines Now Available at Magazines.com

Every week we add new magazines to our magazine title selection at Magazines.com. Today we’re starting a new blog series in which we highlight new titles we’ve added recently. The picks for this edition cover a wide-range of subjects including nature, off-road running, quilting and home design.

1.    National Wildlife magazine: The official publication of The National Wildlife Federation, this magazine is known for its spectacular wildlife and nature photography, influential articles and dedication to conservation efforts.

2.    Muscle Car Power magazine: This car magazine is all about the classic American cars built in the mid 1960s and early 1970s.  Muscle Car Power magazine includes full-color photos, a buyer's guide for the latest performance parts, and coverage of muscle car events and shows.

3.    Bloomberg Markets magazine: Bloomberg Markets is an award-winning political and economic magazine. Each issue provides in-depth articles on every aspect of global business.

4.    Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine: Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine is a regional home and gardens magazine for Atlanta and its suburbs.  

5.    Cloth Paper Scissors: This arts and crafts magazine is written for beginner and advanced mixed media artists. Find innovative techniques, detailed photos and step-by-step instructions for projects.

6.    Quilting Arts magazine: This quilting magazine is written for contemporary quilters, fiber artists, wearable art artist and art quilters. In other words, a wide range of quilting skills is covered. Find projects with easy-to-follow how-to directions, profiles on quilters, product reviews and so much more.

7.    Trail Runner magazine: This running magazine is written for anyone interested or passionate about off-road running. Regular features include inspiring in-depth articles on training, health and motivation. Special issues include a spring and fall shoe review guide, top trail guide and an annual race directory.

Can’t find a magazine on our site? We want to know! Email us at social@magazines.com or tell us on Facebook or Twitter and we’ll add it to our selection.

My Favorite Magazine: The Week

Last month we started a new blog series called “My Favorite Magazine,” in which we talk to readers about their favorite magazines. We’re happy to continue the series this month with an interview from Heather who picked The Week as her favorite magazine.

A little bit about The Week magazine: The Week magazine is a weekly digest of current affairs and editorial commentary from several news outlets; news coverage includes editorials from multiple political viewpoints are. In addition to news coverage, The Week magazine gives attention to the arts, with sections on music, film, television, and celebrities.

1.    Tell us who you are, what you do and what you are passionate about.
My name is Heather. I am a licensed massage therapist, working for an alternative medical doctor. I also write a food and exercise blog at Heather Eats Almond Butter. I love my husband, our two pups, massage therapy, yoga, cooking, and learning about anything health-related.

2.    How long have you read magazines? 
I have always loved magazines. Gosh, I guess it all started with my parents’ Reader's Digest. I used to love to read the funny stories and jokes sent in by readers. I then graduated to Seventeen magazine, and during college, I plowed my way through countless issues of Entertainment Weekly and People Magazine. Now, I subscribe to The Week, and I love Clean Eating Magazine as well as most other health-related magazines. Oh, and US Weekly magazine is a major guilty pleasure. 

3.     When did you start reading The Week magazine?
I began reading it over a year ago when one of my clients gave me a one-year subscription as a gift. I love how it summarizes the week's current events in such an unbiased and concise manner. I'm so busy with everything going on in my life, and The Week helps me stay up-to-date when I don't have time to watch the news or read the newspaper.

4.    What are your magazine-reading rituals?
 I like to read The Week whenever I can. The current issue usually stays in the kitchen or living room, and I'll read it with my morning coffee or while dinner cooks. I never sit down and read it all at once, and I ALWAYS start with the celebrity page...that's the US Weekly girl coming out in me. Hehe.  Speaking of US Weekly, another favorite magazine ritual is to go to a bookstore, get some coffee and sit and read a Hollywood gossip magazine cover to cover.

  5. What is your favorite column or writer in The Week magazine?
The first few pages summarize the week's current events with the stories followed by various editorials on each topic. Even though I always read through them, they kind of bore me. The rest of the magazine is much more interesting covering random stories from all over the world, and I really like the book review section as I'm always on the lookout for new books.

An Appreciation: Magazine Writing

Today we're taking a much-needed break from talking about our usual magazine industry-related subjects: digital future of magazines, ad revenue, circulation numbers to name a few. Instead, we want to talk about magazine writing. Not content. Writing. Writers. Stories. Opinions. Features. News. The good stuff.

It's so easy to forget in our world of information-chugging that it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears from people whether writers, editors, proofreaders and the like to write. And we're not just talking about the long-form journalism and essays of high-brow magazines like The New Yorker, Harper's, Esquire and The Atlantic. We mean writers and editors for all kinds of magazines.

With so many great magazines closing lately it seems more important now than ever to cherish great magazine writing. But that's not really true. No matter what's happening, we should always appreciate it.

We were reminded of the need to appreciate with the release of this year's edition of the annual "Best American Magazine Writing" compilation last week. Like it does every year, this book highlights a mix of the year's most exceptional essays, fiction reviews, features, profiles and reporting.

Seventeen articles are featured; all are finalists or winners in the annual American Society of Magazine Editors National Magazine Awards contest.  Wired magazine editor-in-chief Chris Anderson wrote an introductory as did Runner’s World editor David Willey.

Today we implore you to stop chugging your information and instead sip some great magazine writing.

My Favorite Magazine: The New Yorker

Dear People of Earth: Today we are starting a new blog series called “My Favorite Magazine.”  As you might have guessed from the title, we’ll be asking people to tell us about their favorite magazines each month.

Why are we doing this? Well, we spend a lot of time following the magazine industry and we know the way we read magazines is evolving.

We don’t know exactly what the future for the magazine industry holds, but we do know one thing: it will include people who love reading magazines. And we don't think there's enough focus on this important fact. So each month we will post a Q&A with a magazine reader. Here we go:

Our first interviewee, Jerry, picked The New Yorker as his favorite magazine.

A little bit about The New Yorker magazine: First published in 1925, The New Yorker is famous for its award-winning reporting, fiction, poetry, political cartoons, commentary and reviews. The New Yorker focuses on the cultural life of New York City, but also reports on national and international affairs. 

1.    Tell us who you are, what you do and what you are passionate about.

Let’s see...I live in Fort Worth, Texas.  I work a corporate job, write rock songs, design clothes, take neighborhood walks, drink Guinness, watch movies, and pal around with friends.

2.    How long have you been reading magazines?

 My relationship with magazines started tentatively.  I would go to the grocery store with my mom as a kid and find myself bored and listless at the magazine racks.  I’d skim heavy metal magazines and MAD but those titles didn’t really do it for me.  I think it was the high school library that finally sucked me into the world of magazines. I’d pick up whatever they had – GQ, National Geographic, Time, um, Glamour – and my world instantly opened up.  Those magazines contained a secret universe.  I’d read stories about fashion, art, travel, music, and occasionally stumble on a picture of a naked woman.  It was exciting stuff.

Now you have me reflecting on my history with magazines.  Let's see: Tennis, GQ, and eventually - mid to late 90's - I obsessively read music magazines like Spin and Magnet. I was sort of interested in urban planning, architecture, design, environmental issues, etc so I had a subscription to Dwell that recently lapsed.  (side note: My friends Jackson and Heather bought me a subscription to the now-defunct Domino magazine because they knew I was too embarrassed to buy it on my own although I always ended up skimming it at the magazine stand.) But really, I think the New Yorker is the coolest: movie criticism, music criticism, Malcolm Gladwell, fiction writing, and all the rest.

 3.    Why did you start reading The New Yorker?

 I told a friend that my favorite magazine was The New Yorker and she said it sounded pretentious.  Well, I’m here to defend the magazine as one of the last retreats for the general reader who likes good fiction, interesting essays, and compelling music and movie reviews.   Plus, it’s always held a personal appeal for me because so many writers I have liked have been regular contributors to its pages over the decades.  More than anything, I find the stories and essays to be consistently entertaining.  Most recently, I enjoyed the profile on director (and fellow Texan) Wes Anderson in the magazine’s cartoon issue.

 4.    What are your magazine-reading rituals?

I keep things fairly simple.  No favorite chair but I do prefer to have my feet propped up with a hot beverage within reach.  Usually I start at the back of the magazine and work my way to the front.  Sometimes I sit cross-legged on the floor against the couch.  Either way, it’s a pretty blissful way to spend part of an afternoon.

What’s your favorite magazine? We’d like to hear from you, too. E-mail us at social@magazines.com and we’ll feature you in an upcoming edition of “My Favorite Magazine.”

 

Magazines.com Celebrates 10 Years with Deals, Contests and Sweepstakes All Year-Long

  In case you didn't hear yesterday, we're celebrating our 10th birthday this year and we're excited!

We’re inviting everyone to join us in the fun of celebrating. Magazines.com kicked-off a year of 10th Birthday Celebration festivities yesterday with our "$10 deals for 10 days," featuring some of our most-popular magazine subscriptions like Weight Watchers, Budget Travel and Better Homes & Gardens for the special price of $10.

    

The Birthday Celebration deals will continue on February 10 for the rest of 2010. On the 10th day of each month, Magazines.com will offer a special deal on a featured magazine subscription for one day only.

    

In addition to the incredible deals, Magazines.com will launch its 10th Birthday Celebration Sweepstakes on January 13, 2010. Magazines.com will announce further promotions including a Facebook contest throughout the year.

    

"We are so thankful for all our loyal customers that we want to celebrate all year-long," said Jay Clarke. "We wanted to do something big."

       

Ten years ago we didn't have an iPod, there wasn't an app for anything and only birds tweeted. Ten years ago, reading magazines meant one thing: reading print...on paper. The economy was stable, *NSYNC was at the top of the charts and dot-com businesses were all the rage.

 

We thought it was the perfect time to launch an online magazine subscription service. We wanted to simplify the magazine subscription process for consumers by creating an online store and providing a huge selection of magazine titles.

    

And then the dot-com bubble burst.

    

Ten years later, we're still here and we're stronger than ever. Today, Magazines.com is the largest magazine subscription agent on the Internet, with 1 million active users and more than 2,000 magazines available.

    

"Celebrating 10 years is a rare and significant accomplishment," said Jay Clarke, President and CEO of Magazines.com.  "Most start-ups only make it a year or two.  We've made it through our first decade in spite of better-funded competitors like enews.com, the dot-com crash of 2000, and the shuttering of some well-known magazine titles."

 

Visit Magazines.com and sign-up to receive e-mails or become our fan on Facebook and be the first to receive daily updates on our 10th Birthday Celebration deals, contests and sweepstakes.

 

Alabama Crimson Tide Fans: Get Your Commemorative Sports Magazine Editions at Magazines.com

Last night college football fans watched as The University of Alabama Crimson Tide and The University of Texas Longhorns faced-off for the coveted BCS National Championship title. After a fierce battle on the field, the Crimson Tide captured the victory with a 37-21 win over the Longhorns. Crimson Tide fans rejoiced over this much-anticipated success and the football program’s 13^th National Championship title.

 

To celebrate Alabama’s epic win, Magazines.com is offering Crimson Tide fans single keepsake commemorative editions of Sports Illustrated magazine, Maple Street Press’s Alabama Football magazine and Lindy’s National Championship Alabama Special featuring their beloved team.

 

Each keepsake magazine edition is on sale for less than $10 or can be purchased together for the low price of $25.97. These specially published issues are not part of any subscriptions and feature extensive stories and photos of the BCS National Championship in Pasadena and game recaps of the Crimson Tide’s incredible season.

 

In addition to the keepsake commemorative magazine issues, Magazines.com is also featuring the one-of-a-kind collectors’ book, "The University of Alabama National Championship Football Vault,” the latest edition to the College Vault book series.

 

"The University of Alabama National Championship Football Vault,” is part history book, part scrapbook that chronicles the winning season of the Crimson Tide including the victory over the Texas Longhorns for the BCS National Championship title. The coffee-table-sized hardcover book includes a slipcase.

 

Congratulations to Alabama fans! Visit www.magazines.com/nationalchamps to get your keepsake commemorative magazine issue today.