Brainstorming

I have so many different ideas for my future magazine spread, but it's like they're all playing their own game of tug-of-war in my head, all trying to be the one idea that will prevail at the end of my brainstorming process. However, in the past few days, I’ve been mining away at my writer’s block for the topic of my magazine and envisioning the product I wish to produce. All the thinking I have done has made me realize that if I really want to create the best magazine spread I possibly can, to be well-informed and accurate for its specific genre, the spread needs to be about a topic that I am somewhat interested in and know a great deal about. This leaves me with a few directions I can explore:

• science
• math
• current events
• history
• fitness
• travel

Each of these topics has prime examples of magazines that I can draw from and make a possible decision. I’ve also devised a couple of further steps to take that can help me choose a theme for my magazine spread that will allow for me to narrow down my list of possible selections:

Genre:
When it comes to genre, I want to pick a genre that can be widely disseminated and can be a household name.  At the same time, I don’t want my magazine on a top that is too vague; there needs to be a sense of purpose that guides the reader through the magazine. Also, the type of magazine that I primarily would like to produce would not be heavily distributed in public places such as supermarkets and gas stations. Rather, I envision my magazine to be distributed on a subscription basis, which can be accessed in print and online.

Target Audience:Ideally, I want for the target audience of my magazine to attract a wide range of age groups, from teenagers all the way to adults roughly in their 50s. I want to pick a topic that can speak levels to multiple audiences. I also want to direct my attention to an audience that is somewhat educated and does not live under a rock.

Ability to Execute:This criterion I have set for myself is the most important one because the guidelines for my magazine cover requires that all the content on the spread has to come from me and nobody else. I must implement the tools and skills that I personally have to create the best spread I physically can. Therefore, I must have some ability to take pictures of the topics that I am discussing. Thus, it would be in my best interest to stray away from topics such as science/math because each of these topics require a great amount of knowledge in these areas and I do not have much access to the latest breakthroughs in science, where I can just walk in and take pictures of what is happening.

With all of these considerations to take into mind, I plan to narrow down the choices and make a final decision. Stay tuned for my next blog post, where I hopefully figure out at least what theme I want to venture. Until next time!