As one who has also had material published in non-S magazines,I have to agree with Brooks. The subject has to be something that applies across the whole spectrum of model railroading. Of course, if there's a way to show how it can be done in S, that's only frosting on the cake, as Brooks has demonstrated.
With the ILLINOIS MIDLAND article (I don't remember which Kalmbach publication or issue, their own search engine can't find it and I don't have time for a lot of serious head scratching), I demonstrated how that layout could be built with little effort using existing S scale off-the-shelf products and have a realistic operating theme. I even went so far as to show how it could be built with American Flyer components with no loss of operating (key word, there) realism, should someone desire to go that route. Many of the current little "point and shoot" digital cameras are now in the 12 megapixel range, which matches some of the professional equipment out there. There may be other issues with these cameras, but I bought one recently for my wife, and the quality of the photos (not composition, a whole different animal) appears excellent. I have to agree with those who feel that the major magazine dealings with S is a little lopsided, but one editor once told me that they would like to do a "how to" article on building a S scale layout. I would like to have provided one, and feel that SHABBONA RR would be a good candidate, but when it comes to putting words on paper, I have a problem with that "rooster and egg" syndrome. I also feel I let what I consider to be a lot of valuable air out of my tires on lists like this one, since to the choir where the most interest would be found, it would simply be deja vu. Plus non-model railroad writing and photography for non-model railroad publications keep me busy, as well. I'm glad I'm retired - I don't know when I'd find time to work! Bob Nicholson _________________________________________ --- In [email protected], "bcgsteam" <bcgst...@...> wrote: > > ... > > The key is to provide articles that are of interest to the WIDEST POSSIBLE > NUMBER OF READERS. Do articles on building structures, cars or locomotives > that can be applied to any scale, weathering techniques, layout stories that > emphasize the prototypical nature or other unique aspects of the layout > design (not it's scale or simply 'here's how I built it'), or ideas on > improving realistic operations that have applications to those operating in > any scale or gauge. > > . . . I specifically did a 'sidebar' for the GMR 2011 article on how to take > good photos with an inexpensive camera to help others with what is often the > 'deal breaker' from the magazine's standpoint...poor photos. The author has > to provide those. > > My conversations with editors indicate they are ALWAYS eager to publish > quality articles that have unique and interesting content...they never have > enough of these. I don't believe they care what percent of the readership is > "S"...they care that most people who pick up the magazine can apply something > (preferably a lot) from the article to THEIR scale. And I can't understand > why there would be any connection between who advertises in the magazine and > who writes the articles. > > Guys, we spend way too much time bemoaning the lack of articles by S authors > in magazines (and generally putting the blame on the magazines!) and too > little time submitting quality articles on unique projects that just happen > to be in "S" scale. I simply do not believe that there is any prejudice > against "S" by any of the major magazines (and I know the editors of them > all). I do believe the existence of the several "S" only publications 'uses > up' some articles that otherwise might appear in magazines serving all > scales, but that's another story. > > I will repeat the offer that I made on this site about a year ago. I'd be > willing to help anyone who has a good idea for an article with getting it > ready for submission to a major magazine. Let's not rationalize why > magazines don't want "S" articles. Let's write good articles on interesting > model railroading topics with good photos that just happen to be done in "S". > > > Happy modeling! > Brooks > > > > > --- In [email protected], Bob Werre <bob@> wrote: > > > > There are basically three reasons an article is rejected by MR or any > > other publication. I submitted a layout feature asrticle for a large HO > > club layout. Their answer was they had several similar articles "in > > stock", so they're not going to spring for my fees until needed. I most > > recently proposed another layout which they bought into because it > > apparently fit a spot. I'm putting the final touchs on it now, but the > > financial conditions are tighter than they were in the past. Overall, > > we probably receive our fair share of S layout features of about one per > > year based on the subscriber base of the magazine. Right now if we're > > 2-5% of the subscribtion base they will run about that per cent of > > articles. Another reason is simply that if there were 10 full pages of > > S ads in the magazine, you could be on a S article every other issue > > plus product reviews of the items in those ads--money talks! > > > > So those three reasons--1) they've got articles in stock, 2) we'll only > > get our share, and 3) S doesn't advertise, will keep us out of gaining a > > larger foothold in that type of publication. A fouth but much smaller > > reason might be that Kalmbach distributes the S Gaugian and therefore > > still makes money without having to listen to our needs the way we think > > they ought too! > > > > If you check out the current remaining modeling magazines, you will find > > them fairly thin, meaning they're feeling economic pressures due to the > > economy and internet based competition. Unfortunately this isn't going > > to change this November or even two years from now for those who study > > politics and election cycles. > > > > What has surprised me are the overall quality of the various historical > > publications dedicated to a particular railroad. They use thick high > > quality stock coupled with all the benefits of a smaller publishing > > setup. Face it Kalmbach has a full staff with benefits while the > > historical publishers typically handle couple of such magazines plus > > perhaps some local work for other kinds of firms, meaning lower > > overhead. These magazines typically run a couple dollars more than the > > RMC/MR crowd but they're closer interest wise in many cases. I just > > finished some photo work for Remember the Rock magazine again which is > > one such magazine that seem to be making it for the present time. > > > > If you look at the bigger picture, it doesn't take long also to find > > that any grouping of models builders of any kind all you generally find > > are really old guys. At the train show this weekend, my wife pointed > > out all the guys (gals too) with their Hover/Rascal motorized > > wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and the like. > > > > Bob Werre > > BobWphoto.com > > > > > > > > > > Roger Nulton wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Brooks Stover's fine layout is in this year's (2011) "Great Model > > > Railroads" by Kalmbach. I just got it in the mail today. > > > Roger Nulton > > > > > > From: Tom Hawley > > > Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 11:34 AM > > > To: [email protected] <mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com> > > > Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Magazine interests > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Gary Chudzinski > > > . . . . . . . . There are a number of S modelers who have written > > > articles > > > for the leading model railroad magazines, except one, but are rejected > > > for > > > no good reason. . . . . . . . . . . . > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I caught up with some Kalmbach people at the NMRA convention in Detroit, > > > said something similar to them. Their response was "You people have > > > your S > > > Gaugian." But they also said we need to send them something good and they > > > will publish it. Not letting it drop there, I got a professional > > > photograher in our club to photograph a very nice scale layout one of our > > > members has. But I don't think photographer or layout owner ever sent the > > > pictures to MR. > > > > > > Tom Hawley -- Lansing Mich > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
