'allo!
The 2002 Year End Awards issue is feverishly coming together, and once that's out the door, it's time to concentrate on 2003.
That issue, #47, will be sent to 300 labels and media sources as part of the 'keep LotFP in the industry's mind', and is the perfect issue to do so with because by saying what was the BEST of 2002 and why, should let them know what promotional material is relevant and what promotional material is better left unsent.
The winners of the CDs and promo glossies will be drawn at the time the #47 mailing is being put together, as that's just before new subscribers' names are loaded into the mailing label software and the old names removed.
After that, tons of interviews in the can. Manticora, Necrophobic, Wuthering Heights (argh this still isn't printed!), Masterplan... and a three and a half hour Dan Swanö interview conducted earlier today (well technically yesterday now). Madder Mortem interview is scheduled for next week. And 2003 promos are already streaming in so no excuses for weeks without issues.
I should also mention that one of LotFP's columnists, Garth Ferrante, has resigned his position due to career demands. I'll be working to find a replacement for him in the coming weeks, and hope I get lucky enough to find someone able to write articles half as interesting as his...
So then...
The two main goals for LotFP in 2003 are:
1- TIMELINESS
2- PROMOTION
Timeliness. Obviously LotFP Weekly hasn't been weekly, and it's mostly the second half of 2002 where that fell apart. I mean to correct that and get my shit in gear.
LotFp #47 has a reader survey which I hope every LotFP reader will respond to. It basically asks which features you like, which you don't, and what you're looking for as far as interviews and reviews. Having a focus can only help my writing happen faster.
Here's a butt-in-gear motivator. Starting after LotFP #47 mails, if more than seven days passes between notification of mailout on this board and there are no prior notification that an issue should be late, respond to this message and a random subscriber will get 5 issues added to their subscription! How's that?
Here are a few times where there likely WON'T be any issue:
Week of January 19, as I'll have a visitor from overseas that week and am going on a roadtrip to Washington DC to check out Opeth and Brave (and the bands playing in between).
In May I should be off to Finland for the entire month and if that does turn out to be the case, there simply won't be any means of producing LotFP as there isn't a computer where I'll be staying. I hope to snag a load of promos and interviews while there though.
ProgPower week (date undetermined so far) is a time when it's really delusional for me to expect to get a lot of work done. Luckily Glenn is once again giving me the opportunity to sponsor a band at ProgPower USA IV and we're communicating back and forth now as to who would be A- appropriate for the fest, and B- someone I'd feel comfortable sinking money into.
As for promotion... Between the PP sponsorship and the Finland trip this year, I'll be strapped for cash through November. But of course I'd like to see subscribership grow and grow... so if anyone's got any ideas for cheap ways of promoting LotFP... I'm all ears!
The 2002 Year End Awards issue is feverishly coming together, and once that's out the door, it's time to concentrate on 2003.
That issue, #47, will be sent to 300 labels and media sources as part of the 'keep LotFP in the industry's mind', and is the perfect issue to do so with because by saying what was the BEST of 2002 and why, should let them know what promotional material is relevant and what promotional material is better left unsent.
The winners of the CDs and promo glossies will be drawn at the time the #47 mailing is being put together, as that's just before new subscribers' names are loaded into the mailing label software and the old names removed.
After that, tons of interviews in the can. Manticora, Necrophobic, Wuthering Heights (argh this still isn't printed!), Masterplan... and a three and a half hour Dan Swanö interview conducted earlier today (well technically yesterday now). Madder Mortem interview is scheduled for next week. And 2003 promos are already streaming in so no excuses for weeks without issues.
I should also mention that one of LotFP's columnists, Garth Ferrante, has resigned his position due to career demands. I'll be working to find a replacement for him in the coming weeks, and hope I get lucky enough to find someone able to write articles half as interesting as his...
So then...
The two main goals for LotFP in 2003 are:
1- TIMELINESS
2- PROMOTION
Timeliness. Obviously LotFP Weekly hasn't been weekly, and it's mostly the second half of 2002 where that fell apart. I mean to correct that and get my shit in gear.
LotFp #47 has a reader survey which I hope every LotFP reader will respond to. It basically asks which features you like, which you don't, and what you're looking for as far as interviews and reviews. Having a focus can only help my writing happen faster.
Here's a butt-in-gear motivator. Starting after LotFP #47 mails, if more than seven days passes between notification of mailout on this board and there are no prior notification that an issue should be late, respond to this message and a random subscriber will get 5 issues added to their subscription! How's that?
Here are a few times where there likely WON'T be any issue:
Week of January 19, as I'll have a visitor from overseas that week and am going on a roadtrip to Washington DC to check out Opeth and Brave (and the bands playing in between).
In May I should be off to Finland for the entire month and if that does turn out to be the case, there simply won't be any means of producing LotFP as there isn't a computer where I'll be staying. I hope to snag a load of promos and interviews while there though.
ProgPower week (date undetermined so far) is a time when it's really delusional for me to expect to get a lot of work done. Luckily Glenn is once again giving me the opportunity to sponsor a band at ProgPower USA IV and we're communicating back and forth now as to who would be A- appropriate for the fest, and B- someone I'd feel comfortable sinking money into.
As for promotion... Between the PP sponsorship and the Finland trip this year, I'll be strapped for cash through November. But of course I'd like to see subscribership grow and grow... so if anyone's got any ideas for cheap ways of promoting LotFP... I'm all ears!
