Freelance Tech articles for JP

I have always wanted to do this as a hobby. I think I could contribute great contint to the mag. What's required just to submit a few articles every now and then , say once every couple months. Some Idea's that I have is 40 spline dana 60 rears with selectable lockers!37 spline front 60 axle shaft upgrades , rockcrushers new center section builds, etc. Most of mine would be strictly axle oriented. I would really like to see this happen please fill me in with info.

Thanks Chris

Your best bet is to start a web page.  Gather a few people around you who are technical in mechanical skills, writing skills and web skills.

Once you have all this ... start your own site.  Paper is on it's way out (look at Penthouse Magazine if you don't believe me).  

Pete  

"Paper is on its way out"   <---- wrong

Paper is out in the porn industry because their are millions and millions of web pages and millions porn ads supporting them. Not to mention, millions of people surfing the web for porn.

On the contrary, there are relatively few truck and auto related sites, especially enthusiast ones, and less advertisers and people surfing them. Automotive magazines will be around for a long time.

Paper is on its way out!!!! <--------RIGHT

All MAGAZINES will eventually go to digital delivery. The use of the internet will make it mandatory for all publishers to go to an all digital format. For instance you your self were using this site.  Many magazines will routinely use the internet to publish content within the next 5 to 10 years.  Most of the information you see in a magazine is 3 to 4 months old by the time you recive it.  Mailing costs are on an ever increasing cost.   Advantages of Digital Publishing: Errors can be immediately edited even after being published.Lead times will probably be less than 3 to 4 weeks.  Immediacy of content will be a large part of the viability of a magazine. For a good example, race results new product review etc.  To the consumer the ability to archive your magazine collection on your hard drive instaed of cardboard boxes in a closet. The ability to search an archive to find the article you read but can't remeber which issue. The ability to down load instructions of a how to article and print it out when needed and more importantly not having to worry about greasy fingerprints and smudges ruining your copy of the magazine.  I for one can't wait until the Internets funtionality is fully implemented.  Also since production costs for a magazine will go down exponentially. Printing cost, postage, missing issues, getting old issues, probably more articles per issue and more and larger sidebars, downloadable images with greater detail. And most importantly reduced subscription prices to us the readers.

RICK  

Technology will not dictate direction as much as consumer demand will. What you speak of is so far in the future it is irrelevant. Furthermore, it entirely depends upon the market you are speaking of. That is so important to take into consideration. Yes, the general magazines, especially the news ones, have suffered much because of the web. Car magazines are a very different deal...

I'm not arguing the original point of this thread, just sticking up for the magazines. These "web only" people pick on them too much. I wish they'd stop reading and just go away, they don't amount to much anyways

Couldn't say it better PeteBarton!

I have a whole stack of JP next to my manuals and drawings in the shop. The newer mags are in the "reading room".

I like this new computer stuff but paper is where it's at!

4JEEPSLATER 

"On the contrary, there are relatively few truck and auto related sites, especially enthusiast ones, and less advertisers and people surfing them. Automotive magazines will be around for a long time."

Dude, what rock do you live under?  I can give you 1,000's of websites that have much more tech in them than most mags especially JP.  Most of the websites are actual experiences not copy from an advertiser's literature.  You watch, 4wheelparts wholesale new monthly advertisement has more usefull tech articles than the past two JP mags.  Paper vs. digital is not what will be the downfall of paper.  It's the CONTENT of paper vs digital that will be the demise of the paper.

As to the guy who started this thread, I agree that you need to set up a website.  Unless you work for a company that advertises alot with JP you won't get any paper space.  Now if you have any more pratical jokes to pull on a jeeper or have any good drinking games to play on the trail, you may have a good shot for getting published here.  

I personally can't wait for the next JP mag.  I heard Cappa was going to do a tech article on the proper way to swing at a mail box from the back of a late model tj. 

Here's a thought ...

Maybe one of us could start a new thread with 'most usefull' websites.

This would help those of us who want to post, and who don't want to waste time surfing for the good stuff.

Pete

PS ... If need be, I can start a web site.  

That's not really cool to come on someone else's BB and tout another boards or sites.  JP's advertisers wouldn't like that one bit (rightfully so).  You can send me an email and I'll send you some good tech sites.

I think that the people at JP are mature enough to realize that they are not the only website out there.  

This is an open forum.  Listing other websites will help this forum ... as people come here looking for help and will come back here more often if they find help.  I think the intention is to get help from whatever source possible.  JP lists lots of websites in thier magazine, why not here?

Pete  

I am a subscriber  and have been involved in the 4 wheel drive hobby for many years.  Paperless magazines are right around the corner. JP magazine for instance has this site.  consumer demand is an issue.  Consumer demand as many surveys show that subscribers want electronic media distribution. The current magazines cannot begin to match the immediacy of the content.   A review of a product or new vehicle is now not 2 to 3 months from now. Consumers want information on products when they are new nit 3 months old.  When I made my prdiction of within 10 years I was being pessimistic. My estimate if optimistic may be as short as 2 to 3 years. For comparison a little known fact for Snail Mail, The price increases in postal cost is going up due to the decrease in regular first class mail. The post office now makes the bulk of its revenue from mass mailing (read junk mail), package shipping etc. In the next few years postal rates will start to soar as the postal service tries to maintain profitability.  Look at recent new and watch for  the government trying to control the Internet, collecting sales taxes etc.  Remember that with a good printer that electronic printing does not mean paperless. You could easily printout the whole magazine. Is't better to only print out the actual articles that you only read. Printing expenses, Postage cost and distribution expenses are the MAJOR expenses incurred in publishing a magazine.  Electronic publishing of a periodical could reduce subscriptions from 50 to 60 percent. I for one would welcome the savings.  The reduced subscription price would allow me to save more money and give me extra spending money for what I would really like to do Spend it on my Jeep or finance my trips.

Rick  

I'm speaking of overall traffic, not just the number of websites. Anyone can make an auto website, as many people have. But what do you have? Hundreds of little websites from individuals. I work at an internet company, trust me, auto tech websites are growing but still relatively small. How many large truck websites are there? 4?

Like I said, you don't like the magazine? Go away. It seems like there are many people here who spend their time ripping on the mags I grew up with, what's with the anger?

Do you think the magazine guys spend their time ripping on the websites?

Do you think the magazine guys spend their time ripping on the websites?

Obviously you don't remember cappa's editorial a while back rippen on web sites.  

As someone who works in the publishing industry, I agree with you that forgoing paper and publishing magazines electronically could significantly reduce the cost of a subscription. The problem is, nobody is willing to pay for a sub to an electronic publication. There's this concept that if it's on the Web it should be free, however, if you want good editorial written by credible writers and experts in the field, it's going to cost real money. I don't know anyone who maintains a Web site when they're running in the red.

At the end of the day, when professional writers work full-time to produce material you see on the web, we need to feed our families. So, my question is, if you could get publisher-quality (not Jp-style quality) material on the Web, would you pay for it?  

No!, I can't take my desktop pc to the bathroom with me. Maybe if I had a laptop, well still no. Where else do you read a 4x mag.?

As far as the concept that "if it's on the web, it should be free" why do you have to give your credit card # to get the GOOD porn?

When the time comes that I can't pay cash for something, write a check, start a fire with junk mail, or roll up a 4x mag, stick it in my back pocket, and head out to the garage, it will be a very sad day. Especially since I work in the paper industry. I'll be out of a job, and entry to mid-level high tech don't pay s###!