Chris Schwarz is leaving PWW

[ZachDillinger]

I don't agree, and let me explain. PWW was NOT the top magazine in the craft by any means, in fact, it was Chris Schwarz that brought it up from out of the ashes and turned it into the magazine he had the vision to create. He went out on the limb and double downed on hand tool work. There was virtually no writers at the time, and it was Chris who put together the team with Bob Lang, Glen Huey and Megan Fitzpatrick.

Above it was mentioned that Chris used Wood Magazine as a test for the style he was introducing, as a test have you...but I think this was just the way that Chris thought and the magazine was a result of his vision. I just think he was doing work as he would and it came out well.

It was Chris who built up the following of the magazine, I certainly was never interested in PWW until he got there and mostly resorted to FWW when I did buy a magazine back then.

The long term problem as I see it is that publishing is changing because the Internet is having a huge impact on it. As noted with pricing, it doesn't seem to make sense for many of us. If the magazines can garner advertising $$$s, then it's good at the end of the day, but the trend is not for magazines to grow in this landscape, the trend is to die.

People keep their magazines for years on end, Simon mentioned having every issue of FWW back to #1. What if you could just search on the Internet when you needed to find similar articles? What if you found a YouTube video to explain what you're interested in...where the author can interact with you, where you can get more from their 10 minutes video that you would by reading the same article over and over for 5 times...I just think this new frontier is causing a sea of change...do you really think that writing books and publishing has the same business model today? I don't see it, IMO, and I'm not saying that publishing is dying, it's just changing. People subscribe to services on the web, even services that FWW offer. Will those people go out and buy a $40-$50 book? Will books be able to sell at half the price? A lot of those questions are not answered yet, but the choice over web services and purchasing  a published book has always waged it's battle against each other...

The writing is on the wall...lead, follow or get out of the way...that train is rollin' through...whether any of us like it or not...


Alan

As you might expect, I am familiar with the history of the magazine. It became the top magazine for hand tool work under Chris and I never suggested otherwise. My point still stands; we were spoiled having Chris and Megan in charge as they shared our interest, an interest which is not shared by a vast majority of woodworkers. As for all the other points re: the future of the publishing industry, well, I'm not quite ready to commit suicide over the whole thing. There will always be a market for quality publications. Just look at the rise of Mortise & Tenon Magazine, which I believe to be arguably the best publication on the topic today.

Obviously the publishing business is different today than it was ten years ago; name an industry that hasn't drastically changed due to technology in the last decade. My problem with the rise of YouTube / online services etc. that you mentioned is that there isn't always a vetting process which confirms that the content creator has any clue what he is talking about or is actually competent to discuss the topic. As with anything, if you want solid advice, you go to a respected source, i.e. go to a scientific journal and not Wikipedia when you have a question about astrophysics. Whether or not the magazine industry continues to publish actual print periodicals or moves to a wholly online interface, the need for qualified, intelligent, competent craftsmen who can write will never go away. There are plenty of us out there who don't care to subscribe to a video service at all. Give me the written word any day of the week.

Nice talking with you Alan.

[TraditionalToolworks]

As you might expect, I am familiar with the history of the magazine. It became the top magazine for hand tool work under Chris and I never suggested otherwise. My point still stands; we were spoiled having Chris and Megan in charge as they shared our interest, an interest which is not shared by a vast majority of woodworkers. As for all the other points re: the future of the publishing industry, well, I'm not quite ready to commit suicide over the whole thing. There will always be a market for quality publications. Just look at the rise of Mortise & Tenon Magazine, which I believe to be arguably the best publication on the topic today.

I'm embarrassed to say that I am not even familiar with Mortise & Tenon Magazine. I don't watch TV, I don't use FaceBook, I don't want to hear any news as it will just be bashing the President of the United States. We have gotten to a point that our world is not even believable anymore. We hear things and are not sure if it's true or not.

Obviously the publishing business is different today than it was ten years ago; name an industry that hasn't drastically changed due to technology in the last decade. My problem with the rise of YouTube / online services etc. that you mentioned is that there isn't always a vetting process which confirms that the content creator has any clue what he is talking about or is actually competent to discuss the topic.

This is true. But how many people here watch Matt Cremona? How many people watch the Samurai Carpenter? How many people watch Mr. Chickadee? Wood Whisperer? MarkS is a perfect example who got on board with the Inet in the early time, and that trend continues to snowball with new people. But it's not only about professionals, it's about people like you and me going out and creating videos of what they are passionate about...rather than using forums like this one, there is a trend for people to post on YouTube. Look at the turmoil over advertising on YT? Some people are expecting income streams from it...and it's the google ads that are destroying the Inet...in the end we will have advertisers in our face everywhere on the Inet just like we did with TV...a sad but fact that we can't get away from.

As with anything, if you want solid advice, you go to a respected source, i.e. go to a scientific journal and not Wikipedia when you have a question about astrophysics. Whether or not the magazine industry continues to publish actual print periodicals or moves to a wholly online interface, the need for qualified, intelligent, competent craftsmen who can write will never go away. There are plenty of us out there who don't care to subscribe to a video service at all. Give me the written word any day of the week.

And that is all good Zack, we all have a choice. My point was that since the Ineternet has been brought upon us, the trend has been for traditional publishing to suffer. This is always the case. Nothing has huge gains without something/someone suffering. May the best person win, that is what capitalism is about, heh?

Nice talking with you Alan.

You are certainly one of the old names around this forum, I see you have a couple books now...I lust for a '41-'46 Chevy/GMC pickup and since '42-'45 was the war it makes them a bit rare but they are out there...I hope your books sell well, just that you must realize that the Internet has thrown a monkey wrench in more than one sector...it has been one of the biggest disruptions ever.

Alan

[Handplanesandmore]

People keep their magazines for years on end, Simon mentioned having every issue of FWW back to #1. What if you could just search on the Internet when you needed to find similar articles?
The writing is on the wall...lead, follow or get out of the way...that train is rollin' through...whether any of us like it or not...


Alan

For the record, I have owned the whole paper collection because some guy sold his for the pennies (he has switched to the DVD version), not because I have been a subscriber since issue #1. I am not that old!
 

But if I need something, FW paper issues are NOT the first thing I go through, I Google. I would go to the paper copy if it so happens that the Google search points to a FW article.

The magazines are dying that is undeniable, although the strongest will survive at least in my life time. More than half a dozen woodworking/craft magazines have vanished over the past 6 years or so. Previous owner of this forum, Woodsmith, has now put ShopNotes as part of its flagship issue. Trimming fat happens everywhere.

The newspaper industry (as well as the retail) tells us mobile is the key. The younger and future generations no longer reliy on paper to live their lives. They have gone visual/digital; even the schools encourage kids to do so; some of them don't buy hardcopy books anymore!

Simon

[mvflaim]

My editor friend told me illustrations\drawings are costly. Quickly eats up his budget...and according to him, only big ones can afford in-house illustrators. Most rely on contractors.

Simon

Someday there won't be any woodworking magazines left. Only YouTube videos from dudes with table saws in their basement and Facebook woodworking sites where people will ask "what wood is this?" Old woodworking magazines will be going for $10 an issue on eBay and you won't even be able to go to the book store to browse books. Everything will be brought to you by large corporations who'll try to sell you books so you'll buy their tools. "Stanley Black and Decker Outdoor Furniture" or "Festool Birdhouses in a Day Workbook."

[Bibliophile 13]

Adam, good to see you here again!  Glad to have your insight into the whole issue.

I recall Chris Schwarz mentioning on his blog that Woodworking Magazine did make money every year.  It wasn't finances that killed it.  The problem, I think he said, was that they had one magazine staff trying to produce two magazines every month, and it was just too much after a while. 

I didn't realize that Schwarz still had a contract with PWW.  I knew he wrote articles regularly--I always enjoyed them, even if they weren't anything like something I would build myself--but I guess I thought each one was a one-off.  It all makes sense now! 

As to Megan's dismissal, well, that irked me.  I have no idea what happened, but I do know that she put a lot of life into that magazine, and I like where she took it.  The magazine business is cutthroat, though, and firings are often not about misconduct but about skill sets, differences in vision, and even pay scale.  We've seen these kinds of shakeups in the past, as has been noted above, and I'm sure we'll see them again.  Here's Chris Schwarz's post.

Thus far, it's too early for me to tell whether I'll keep my PWW subscription or not.  I do always enjoy the Design Matters column, and Peter Follansbee is always worth reading.  The project articles haven't been very interesting to me of late, though.  We'll see what I think once my subscription is up for renewal.

I've been thinking of picking up Mortise & Tenon again, instead.  I really like the direction those people are going, and of course Megan is now working with them.  

[url=https://blog.lostartpress.com/2018/08/22/you-might-as-well-hear-this-from-me/][/url]

[Tony Z]

As I've already posted, I have given up my aubscription to PWW, as well as vitrtually every other mag I subscribed to, including my non-woodworking ones. I have one left, "Rifle", by Wolfe Publishing, with that sunscription coming to a end soon, also.

Why? I'll be 66 in another month, my eyes are not as good as they used to be and I prefer books to magazines. More importantly, I've learned it's better to be doing, as opposed to reading about it. Youtube? No interest until such time it is better organized so viewers can separate the wheat from the chaff. DvVD's? I got ever Saint Roy made, plus Paul Seller's series, and a dozen other titles, that I enjoy watching.

[TraditionalToolworks]

For the record, I have owned the whole paper collection because some guy sold his for the pennies (he has switched to the DVD version), not because I have been a subscriber since issue #1. I am not that old!

FWIW, I've done the same and then thrown them out after I read through many of them. I am sure I didn't read all the articles that shined in them, but at some point it's just ad nausea...that goes for old Woodsmith mags also, there was some great articles in them...ok, I don't need an article for every single thing I do anymore...I want to cut a dovetail joint, I know how I go about it. I need to chop a mortise, I know how I go about it...same with tenons, crosscutting boards, using molding planes, a tongue and groove plane, etc...

When I was getting started I would always like to read some type of article for what I was doing at hand, but over time as you gain more skills do you really find value is a stack of magazines that are waist high? I wouldn't put them on shelves, I reserve that space for tools.


In the end I should have sold them to someone else, but it's so much, so heavy, and just not worth my time to do so...as what will someone pay, $1/issue or $0.50/issue? Nobody is getting rich off selling collections of woodworking magazines, whether they're Woodsmith, FWW, PWW, Woodworking, et al...food for thought...if people were buying them for 2x the list price it would be different, but most people are buying these collections at pennies on the dollar, just like you and me bought them.

I predict you'll thrown them out eventually, just like me...but OTOH, maybe you'll pack rat them all your life...and the people that sort our your estate will throw them out.


Alan

[Handplanesandmore]

I predict you'll thrown them out eventually, just like me...but OTOH, maybe you'll pack rat them all your life...and the people that sort our your estate will throw them out.


Alan

I am planning to sell all my woodworking machines and tools when I decide to quit woodworking (in my 70ish; definitely before I turn 80 even if I live that long). I don't want my family to sell them after I die because it will be a lot of work to them, and if not, that means they will be sold like garage sale junk. Age 75 is probably my time for disposal of my collection of tools, earlier if health becomes an issue, and working wood is no longer something to enjoy.

I admire those elderly people who rarely work in their shops but still hold on to their large collection of tools and machines. Of course, eventually those tools go to an estate/garage sale or auction, and often without their inputs or physical participation. I have gone to several of those events, and usually things are marked down to about 10% to 30% of their retail values. Lumber is sold in unbelievable low prices.

The whole FW collection will of course go...either free with whoever will buy my woodworking stuff, or listed for free pickup on Craiglist or the like.

Simon

[Timberwolf]

I am planning to sell all my woodworking machines and tools when I decide to quit woodworking (in my 70ish; definitely before I turn 80 even if I live that long). I don't want my family to sell them after I die because it will be a lot of work to them, and if not, that means they will be sold like garage sale junk. Age 75 is probably my time for disposal of my collection of tools, earlier if health becomes an issue, and working wood is no longer something to enjoy.

I admire those elderly people who rarely work in their shops but still hold on to their large collection of tools and machines. Of course, eventually those tools go to an estate/garage sale or auction, and often without their inputs or physical participation. I have gone to several of those events, and usually things are marked down to about 10% to 30% of their retail values. Lumber is sold in unbelievable low prices.

The whole FW collection will of course go...either free with whoever will buy my woodworking stuff, or listed for free pickup on Craiglist or the like.

Simon

..........................
I remember the days when magazines came out one issue a month.......every other month was unheard of....I used to get Popular Mechanics {still do}, Field and Stream and Argosy.....and American Rifleman..it still comes out each month...

[TraditionalToolworks]

I am planning to sell all my woodworking machines and tools when I decide to quit woodworking (in my 70ish; definitely before I turn 80 even if I live that long). I don't want my family to sell them after I die because it will be a lot of work to them, and if not, that means they will be sold like garage sale junk. Age 75 is probably my time for disposal of my collection of tools, earlier if health becomes an issue, and working wood is no longer something to enjoy.

Not me. I"m leaving them how I leave them. I don't see a problem, I'll be leaving them a house with a shop, they won't have to move them unless they want the space.

It is what it is...I have friends ask me occasionally what will happen with all the machine if something happens to me...it's not as if I'm being rude, but I'm enjoying my machines and don't want to give any of them up just yet. Maybe I'll feel different when I'm 75, but I still want to be fiddling with stuff, taking $#!T apart, and breaking it...I like to do that kind of stuff...
  Occasionally I get one back together,  and that small moment gives me to drive to keep doing it.

I admire those elderly people who rarely work in their shops but still hold on to their large collection of tools and machines. Of course, eventually those tools go to an estate/garage sale or auction, and often without their inputs or physical participation. I have gone to several of those events, and usually things are marked down to about 10% to 30% of their retail values. Lumber is sold in unbelievable low prices.

Yeah, I've been to a few of those myself...and I don't know what will be with mine, but my son is going to inherit an pretty complete shop. It will have both woodworking and metalworking tools. They'll be enough tools there to build an entire house! In fact I will have used them to do just that!  


What if he needs to fix something on the house? What if he wants to build something out of wood? Metal? He'll have a shop to do whatever he wants with. Maybe he'll be like some of the other children that sell off their Dad's machines and tools at really low prices because they don't care about them, but I don't see why anyone wouldn't want to have a shop in a home they own...oh, that might be because most of their self centered people just want to sell their parent's home to begin with, machines and tooling are just another obstacle.

My kids won't sell this house, I pretty much can assure you that they will pass it down through generations...I hope I am able to teach them how to maintain it properly, because timber homes require more maintenance.
 Just in tonnage alone, my kids are gonna do ok even if they scrap them for the cast iron.

The good thing is that I have some machines (not all) that people are trying to find and willing to move themselves. Most of it anyway, not all...but I like quality machines and tooling when I can. There's not a lot of Harbor Freight crap in my shop.
They get stuff like Starrett, Maur, Fowler, Lie-Neilsen, Stanley, Lufkin, Goodell-Pratt, Miller Falls, stuff like that...a number of Yates-American woodworking machines, Parks, South Bend, Nichols, et al I have a couple machines I bought new, like a DeWalt slider, Jet Band Saw, Jet Drill Press, but I learned early to buy vintage and/or used tools, I could never afford to buy what I buy new...I would never have been able to even buy my house...or build another! 

The whole FW collection will of course go...either free with whoever will buy my woodworking stuff, or listed for free pickup on Craiglist or the like.

If you read them and go through the articles, they are of great value, and if you have them for reference they are XLNT, don't get me wrong. I've come across some magazines that have helped me greatly, a few I still keep...I just don't read them anymore. I prefer them digital in some cases as I can make the font big.

Alan