Start a newspaper publishing business?

Chances are good that you can start a successful publishing business in your town or community. People with less talent, experience and equipment have started and operated newspaper publishing businesses all over America. You can make it a regular newspaper or a special-interest publication, such a Christian Family, Farm Community, Ski-Lodge News, New Home Buyer’s, or Downtown Business News type of paper. (The ideas to do something that’s challenging and fun for you and truly useful to your chosen market or area.)

What does it really take?

To be successful in any business you need a real desire. You need a basic and continuing desire because any kind of successful business requires work.

But work is good! Work is necessary for human happiness, no matter how much we joke around or daydream about never working again. For work to be truly rewarding (beyond a paycheck) we need to be doing something that really matters, something close to our hearts.

While newspaper publishing may not be the specific “big dream” you have nurtured since childhood, you may have other desires, ambitions and abilities that will make it work.

For example, let’s talk about starting a community newspaper. Do you want to see positive and lasting changes in your community, your town, your region? Would you like to play a meaningful part in helping to make good things happen to the people who live and work around you? Are their programs, students, teachers, community projects, quiet heroes in your area that might accomplish more if given a boost?

How to Make a Difference

You can supply the extra attention that good things need in order to explode. You can make it possible for small businesses to advertise and grow. You can publish photos and stories that encourage the good kids to keep going. You can research and print facts that help make families stronger, that encourage good people to start their own businesses or develop their artistic and creative abilities. You can publish news and tidbits that help bring a little sunshine into the homes of shut-ins and into the lives of others struggling with heavy stress and discouragement or even depression. You can help dogs and cats find new owners, moms and dads to find good used bicycles for their children, and local schools to promote their fundraising activities.

In other words, you can make a huge difference in your area while you make a living for your own home.

What’s involved in operating a town or neighborhood newspaper?

You’ll find details on the Newspaper-Info website but here’s the basic idea: Visit businesses and community leaders in the area, selling ads for the pages in your newspaper. Gather announcements, information, news stories, interviews, photos, etc. from the area. Type the information into your computer. Arrange the stories, photos, notices, etc. on pages that will fit your publication (usually a tabloid page format, such as 11×17 inches). Save the pages to a file format commonly used by print shops (such as Adobe’s PDF format). Have the newspaper printed and folded. Label the papers for mailing, or sort them into streets and neighborhoods for personal delivery. Take small stacks of them to local libraries, retail stores, gas stations, etc. for sale or free distribution. Begin the next issue.

Buy software and necessary equipment at discount stores (such as Best Buy, Office Max, etc.) or online at sites like eBay. To find out what exactly you’ll need, visit the Newspaper-Info website. You can also build some things at home, such as a light table (if you decide you need one. Free instructions for a light table are on the website.

You’ll also find specific information on ad sizes, ad pricing, basic page layout for newspapers, how to sell ads, news content, and more right on the Newspaper-Info.com website.

You can start a newspaper at home.

You can start a newspaper with a home computer, a digital camera, and some easy-to-find software.

You can start a newspaper with little more than the willingness to work at doing what it takes.

I started one with no capital at all, and with less equipment than I really needed to do it right. But I got the paper going just fine, and it looked better than all the other weekly papers in the region. I had a desire to make an interesting, attractive and useful newspaper.

If you want to become a newspaper publisher, chances are very good that you can do it, too.

You’ll find more details, free information, free helpful tips, and free instructions here: www.newspaper-info.com

Jim