The Numbers: 2019 Edition
Good data can predict, and even create, the future. It can also tell us what’s working and what isn’t. When you’re running a magazine (or anything, really), it’s vital to know exactly how you’re performing and be able to adjust based on more than a gut feeling.
We also want to share as much of our inner workings as we can with you to try and remove some of the mystery found in so many corners of the writing world. Selfishly, we’re also sharing it in hopes someone sees something here they think they could make better and offers (i.e., volunteers) to do it, as well as to provide information to other magazines who may want to swap ideas.
So, we present The Numbers: 2019 Edition.
Publication
The support we received from writers is, frankly, overwhelming. Look at those numbers for Issue 03! It became clear to us at the end of 2019 that we can no longer be a two-person team and still provide appropriate focus for each piece and quality feedback to our paid submitters. That said, it’s an amazing problem to have. Thank you for your support!
2019 Cover Artist: Gonçalo Viana
Acceptance Rate
2.8%
Submissions
712
Submitters
402
Submissions by Type
Withdrawn
37
Submissions: Paid vs Free
Acceptance Rate
2.3%
Submissions
841
Submitters
381
Submissions by Type
Withdrawn
42
Submissions: Paid vs Free
Acceptance Rate
2.2%
Submissions
988
Submitters
512
Submissions by Type
Withdrawn
31
Submissions: Paid vs Free
Readership
This is an important area for obvious, and some not so obvious, reasons. First, we want and need people to read Funicular in print and online in order to exist. Second, we need to grow our little community in order to sustain ourselves for years to come. What might not be so obvious is that while the numbers below are all fairly positive, they’re also a bit misleading. We do zero paid marketing and are inconsistent with our social media use. So while everything is trending up, that’s mostly organic growth from people in our immediate networks. We’ll have to make this more of a priority in 2020 to get beyond that. That said, we are overjoyed with the numbers from our first year and hope to continue this momentum with our next volume.
Print Readership
Circulation x Readers/Copy
Online Readership
Unique Visitors
Online Readership
Page Views
Popular Pieces
Most Read Online Short
Most Read Online Flash
Most Read Online Poem
Social Media & Newsletter
Followers
Engagement
Followers
Engagement
Followers
Engagement
Followers
Engagement
Costs & Revenue
We think it’s important that writers and readers both know the costs associated with producing a publication. Most literary magazines are volunteer-run and operate on small budgets. A small press does not afford you any riches, but it is immensely satisfying. Small presses are the outlet for many writers looking to build a name for themselves. It’s also where you’ll find the fresh voices and unique styles that shape what will be considered “great writing” tomorrow.
That’s not to say we don't have ambitions to be bigger than what we are–we do–but we have a long road to go before we get there. Part of that journey requires nurturing and support from those who read good writing and those who make it, or we’ll lose it. Another part of that journey is being fiscally responsible with the funds entrusted to us. Funicular is very fortunate to have been rewarded with a grant from the Edmonton Arts Council. It has allowed us to produce the exact magazine we envisioned and set us up for future success. We’re recording our numbers here, in part, as a report on how those funds were spent.
We appreciate every reader who has subscribed, bought an issue, or read a friend’s copy. We appreciate every writer who has submitted and we hope you found the experience respectful and rewarding.
Costs
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This amount includes costs for three issues to be printed by Friesens Canada and three pieces of artwork from Gonçalo Viana.
This amount includes postage costs for delivery of one contributor copy to each of the 57 writers published in our print issue.
This amount includes the cost to generate three periodical barcodes.
This amount includes payments to 57 writers across three issues of our print magazine.
This amount includes membership fees to AMPA and Magazines Canada.
This amount includes fees for both editors to attend AMPA’s Literary Magazine Summit.
This amount includes a month-to-month Submittable subscription that increases during submission periods and decreases when submissions are closed. It does not include their transaction fees.
This amount includes a Squarespace business plan and domain.
This amount represents a combined total of all listed costs.
Revenue
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This amount includes all grants and awards received for 2019.
This amount includes sales of subscriptions and single issues made from our website. It does not include sales made offline and in stores.
This amount includes all fees collected from writers who chose to pay a submission fee. It does not include Submittable’s fee.
This amount represents a combined total of all listed revenue.
Conclusion
So what have we learned from this? For us, 2020 will be focused on increasing our team size, increasing our marketing efforts, and putting out our first contest issue. There’s certainly more lessons, but that’s our focus for the coming year. We’re happy with where we’re at, but we need to increase our readership if we want to become sustainable without grants. We also want to cement ourselves in our local community with creative events, foster relationships with other magazines, and pull off one big secret idea we’ve been marinating for a while.
We hope this offered you a few useful nuggets of info too. If there’s something else you’d like to know that isn’t covered here, please reach out to us.
This officially ends The Numbers: 2019 Edition.