During the planning phase you will need project both your expected revenue and operational costs. Designing and laying out the magazine can be performed in-house or outsourced to a qualified production firm. Major magazine design programs include Quark Xpress and Adobe InDesign.
Test pages of the magazine's design and layout should be submitted to the printer before the magazine is printed. A publication printer will have standard magazine sizes, page counts and paper stock to choose from. According to Magazine Publisher, minimum print runs usually begin at 5,000 copies.
Timely distribution is equally as important as producing a quality product. Selecting a magazine printer with an in-house mailing facility for distribution will save publishers from paying two shipping bills. Before submitting a mailing list to your printer, obtain a copy of the submissions guidelines to make sure your list meets the required specifications.