GW, the organization I think you're referring to is WNPA (Washington Newspaper Publisher's Association) and they are not in the business to taking someone by the hand and teaching them the trade. (Besides the fact that most of them are slowing going under too.)
I've already told Chad where he can get an 8-page tabloid printed for barely over $100 and you can't get much cheaper than that.
There are MANY jobs (professions, really) that Chad has to learn: how to write, edit, proofread, do layout, design, write headlines, do the typesetting, sell advertising, do distribution, the bookkeeping, taxes, and running the office and warehousing stuff. This also doesn't include the time to research, study and think-through what you're writing about.
Even knowing what you're doing, putting out any kind of a publication regularly is a whale of a big job, and starting one from a dead start had better have a lot of thought and preparation put into it first.
You've given Chad some good advice, and I'm just saying this project should be a little smaller to start off with, and either have him learn the ropes first, or as he goes.
And it was a great suggestion - one I am incorporating into "The Plan"
There are MANY jobs (professions, really) that Chad has to learn: how to write, edit, proofread, do layout, design, write headlines, do the typesetting, sell advertising, do distribution, the bookkeeping, taxes, and running the office and warehousing stuff. This also doesn't include the time to research, study and think-through what you're writing about.
I hope you didn't inadvertently get the impression that I'm doing this by myself LOL. NO WAY. This is going to be done by a team, or not at all. :0)
Even knowing what you're doing, putting out any kind of a publication regularly is a whale of a big job, and starting one from a dead start had better have a lot of thought and preparation put into it first.
I also hope you didn't get the impression that I was planning to print tomorrow, or even next month - this is only an initial step to research, think, research some more, think, plan etc... :0)
You've given Chad some good advice, and I'm just saying this project should be a little smaller to start off with, and either have him learn the ropes first, or as he goes.
Well, I'm certainly going to learn a lot - but as I mentioned, I have absolutely NO intention of doing this on my own :0)
Give me five people, including myself, and I could give you a very nice, 20-24 page monthly newspaper. One person for the billing, business end, etc. One editor/production manager/delivery person; an editorial assistant; and two salespeople. Most writers would be on a free-lance basis. Don't need an office or a warehouse. We'll print up 15,000 copies to start.
I personally could do the first 7 things you listed above. Not that I'd want to.