So far, Hollow City has proved to be more of a cerebral exercise for me. I’ve come up with the ideas for look and feel and need to figure out an application that lets me create a visual so I can, in turn, create the code (CSS, HTML, PHP, and etc.) for the product. I have hand drawings and should (probably) scan and post, just haven’t gotten to that as yet.

In short, this website is not forgotten, I am just trying to make things work AND I need to start finding forums and good science fiction and fantasy websites to frequent.

-John

So, I wish I could sit here and tell you that I am burning the midnight oil when it comes to Hollow City. However, I cannot. Instead, I sleep at midnight and wake and go to work and then come home and go back to sleep. The past week or two (or three) have been a little hard on me due to health reasons, but I am still trying to plug away. Just want people to know that this site isn’t dead, it’s not going to die, and (I hope) it will be a magazine someday. That is all.

-John

Okay, so, I last updated while at school and I’ve now been back home and at my “day job” for over a week. That means, update time. The current update is that I have nothing to report. I did find, accidentally, an example of how I want the (eventual) end website to respond (not look) and now I just need to figure out where to either get or buy the code. At the same time, I am still trying to figure out how to put money together that doesn’t directly take away from my family so that I can start paying for good hosting and have something to being paying authors. Honestly, this project looks more and more like it will be me pushing every step of the way until launch and after, but at the same time I think that is exactly what I signed on for.

So, at present, the movement on Hollow City feels a tad stagnant, but I am still working on it.

-John

I went to a panel discussion on literary journals yesterday in part because I was interested in what the panel had to say about small press publications (as a result I came away with a few good websites including a small press book distributor), and in part because I am the de facto tech guy on campus during the residencies. As an aside, the first full day we were trying to video the seminars and I was asked to stop the video and bring to the camera to the main house. When the seminar was done I discovered that it was never started. That meant, on Monday, I ended up running video on all seminars, sitting in one of them so I can get credit for it, and then delivering the video recorders back so the data could be downloaded and put onto a school website. In this case, they couldn’t get the video projector to work and one of the literary mags had a presentation he wanted to do. I was able to get the projector working and then had to grab my computer to create a secure computer to computer network (between Macs, far easier than trying to create a similar connection on a PC for a Mac to join) so the publisher of an online mag could get at his data. It worked and it didn’t.

Anyway, the point to all this . . . money is an issue. I don’t have a lot and Hollow City is a labor of love (and a different business model) which means information on how other people function in a similar (though maybe not related) field is invaluable to me as an editor, publisher, writer, programmer, and etc. I discovered two things, first that people will submit fiction even if it means no money, and second that some kinds of publications expect that a non-business model consisting of subscriptions, donations, and association with a university is sufficient to generate an income.

What does this mean? Well, first, one of the panel members said, and I quote, “You can’t make money with fiction online.” This is something people tend to repeat over and over again. I disagree. Second, using a traditional advertising model or swapping ads with another similar publication is one way of getting subscribers.

Here’s the thing. In order to increase readers you have to reach out. Reaching out does not include reaching out to those who are already reading a similar kind of publication – though that is a form of it. You have to give readers a chance to discover something new and (I believe) you have to give them a chance to pay for that something new. Granted, the model of “free” the internet has been built on for so long is compelling, but “free” doesn’t mean give away your bread and butter. In any situation where fiction is offered for free where donations, advertisements, or a subscription model doesn’t exist, you (as the provider) are making a big mistake.

-John

I am still looking at the software options available to me for Hollow City. I have some ideas of what I want the website to look like and I may need to just take the leap and install some software and start doing what it is I am going to do.

Some of the things I need to do:

• Make a physical list of publishers and Science Fiction and Fantasy providers (movie studios, networks, etc.) that I can send letters to about press releases and information in regard to upcoming and existing projects.
• Decide on preliminary software and install it.
• Create look of banner and look and feel of website.
• Add ads to website.
• Talk to more people about what I need to do.
• Write the business plan for business side of Hollow City.

Yeah, I think that will work as a list of things that need doing in the immediate future.

-John

I am not sure how often I will add information. I’ve got a picture of the proposed idea for the website banner that I need to move to my computer (or email) and then post. I am looking for software that will allow me to render with shapes rather than taking existing pictures and making them work. So . . . I am still trying to move forward.

Hollow City did have one setback this week. Specifically, the kick-@$$ programmer I wanted to help out on the project decided he was too busy with an upcoming wedding, finishing grad school, a side business, his job, and other projects that he isn’t bringing on any new clients. I won’t lie and tell you I am happy, but at the same time I know I will eventually find someone else as good who can either do the work I need done or contract with people that can. Actually, talking to the kick-@$$ programmer, he gave me some ideas that I may look into.

At the moment, though, Hollow City is still all about looking for money. So, still trying to find the time to build a business plan so I can set up meetings with groups that exist to help entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground. And hopefully I can find what one website termed an angel in the realm of financing. Right this second, that’s about it other than me trying to come up with the design idea I want the website to look like and then mocking it up so I can try my hand at website design and programming. Not something I do very often which means this portion of the project may take a very long time.

-John

Okay. So. I am trying to start a magazine. I had some funding ideas that would allow me a lot of control over how I got from here (starting a website) to there (paying authors for a period of 12 months and adding customized features). The funding option isn’t going to be a reality (at least not in the foreseeable future), while possessing the ability to pay authors off the bat is proving to be difficult. Plus, I now have to come up with some way to pay programmers for custom features and other stuff.

Anyway, I am still looking for a few things. First, I would love to have a Java based ePub reader that I can publish things to and that can launch from an icon on the website. I would also like to have Java based windows pop up when people click to read on an article. All of that is future-plans at this point. Moving forward its about finding the money to make things work in time and finding the right Content Management Software (sorry WordPress, you’re not it this time) as the software basis for the website.

That’s it for now. More in the future.

-John