Making an indie magazine is a slow, considered process. Most take six months to a year from start to finish, with each stage shaped by small teams who care about every detail. Here's how it all comes together...

1. It all starts with an idea

An indie magazine usually begins life as an idea from a small team, or just one person, with a specific vision. The editor sets a theme or focus for the issue. Whether it's based on a gap in the magazine world, a personal curiosity or built on a project they’ve already been working on, this decision will shape what the issue covers. The theme might be a country, subject, question or a feeling.Tonic,for example, started with a question: what kind of stories did we actually want to read? Once a theme has been decided, the creativity begins. Making an indie magazine takes time, typically six months to a year, as each decision is considered carefully.

2. Pulling the issue together

Each magazine works a little differently. Some indie magazines are made almost entirely by one or two people, others may have a wider rotating cast. From commissioned writers, photographers and designers, each role is pivotal in shaping how the magazine comes together. Some are long-standing contributors the editor returns to. Others are new voices that are sought out for a specific piece, or have offered a submission.Friends on the Shelfoffers a mix, taking submissions from new and returning writers that create a warm, personal feel.

3. Design and layout

Once the words and images come in, it's the designer's job to shape how each piece will look on the page. In many indie magazines, the designer or art director has an equal voice to the editor in shaping the visual identity across issues. They choose fonts, layout spread and decide where images sit. Like Lodestars Anthology,with its hand-lettered covers and a sliver of a photograph on every spine, so issues sit together as a set. It’s ultimately these choices that pace the issue and can take months of work at a time. We think it’s worth it, as it’s a big part of why indie magazines look so distinctive. 

4. Printing

Printing brings each carefully selected detail to life. Many indie magazines use the same printer for years, building a close working relationship as each issue comes together. Indie magazines are printed in smaller runs, so publishers have more of a say over how the final product looks and feels in your hands. From GSM to the paper finish, these choices will influence how the colours and words appear on the page. 

5. From printer to shelf

Finished copies then arrive from the printer, often to the founder’s home or studio. They often pack subscriber copies themselves, by hand, from a kitchen table or small workspace. Then founders may work with distributors, or sell directly to shops like us. Some magazines mark the launch with events or release parties to celebrate the work that's gone into it. A launch night might be at a local bookshop, a magazine fair or sometimes at the printer itself.

6. On the shop shelf

Choosing which titles to carry in the shop takes real care. Each magazine we stock does something a little differently and offers something new to our customers. Our team reads widely, follows indie publishers on social media and attends events to find new titles.Translator caught our eye at an event recently and we knew immediately it was one for our shelves. Every issue is read carefully to work out the type of reader it will suit, looking at voice, production values, subject and how distinctive it is.

7. Into the reader's hands

Then it's the final stage, when the magazine reaches you. Each order is packed by hand, often with a small note or extra touch, then makes its way to the customer to enjoy. Some readers tear through an issue in one sitting. Others leave it on the coffee table and dip in over weeks. By the time an indie magazine reaches you, it's been shaped by months of work and dozens of hands. 

If you want to see the end result for yourself, have a browse of our shelves. Every magazine has made this journey and each one is worth the time it took to make.