Today we have the honor of sharing this fantastic discussion with Romila Chitturi, who started writing at the age of 13. Since then her achievements accelerated.
Today she wears many hats : Writer-Blogger- Reader -Poetess -Author- Book reviewer - Editor- Columnist - Entrepreneur- Program Head- Teacher- Masterclass Guru- Short Film Producer- Guest Speaker - Voice Over Artist - Creative Artist.
Romila is here today to speak about her experiences in founding the magazine and her daily activities behind the scenes including editing and publishing duties. Be sure to check out her Instagram page, the A Bowl Of soul Curry blog, The Unicorn Magazine blog and her books on Amazon.
Q: What advice would you give to first-timers, people just starting or wanting to start a small publication?
A: Starting a small publication can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor.
Before starting your publication:
- Think about what you want to achieve.
- Conduct research on the audience as it is crucial to learn about their interests, needs, and preferences.
- Make important decisions re: content, format, and distribution.
This information will be required to make editorial decisions. Select a format of your publication - and whether it is print or digital. Will it be a blog, a newsletter, or a magazine? ...As each format has their own pros and cons. After goals, audience and format is decided, develop a content plan.
Depending on the number of contributors, make a team - writers, editors, photographers, and designers and a few assistants. No publication will automatically attract readers - a promotion strategy has to be made and use tools like social media, email newsletters, partnerships, and other media channels to promote the publication.
Lastly, don't lose hope and be patient. Success comes with time and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get good results in a short time. Remain committed to goals, take feedback from readers and improve on suggestions.
Q: This is great advice for our readers, thank you. How do you, and your team, generate new ideas?
A: My team and I keep a tab on what’s happening around us in the literary circles as they help to spark ideas for articles and content that are useful and timely to our publication. We brainstorm which gets us to discuss different scope, perspectives, and experiences that leads to a wider range of potential topics. We look around for inspiration, read other magazines, books and blogs for new stories and designs. We conduct polls and surveys on social media.
We as a team are not afraid to try new things, we’re always considering new formats, such as quizzes, how-to guides and feature stories, to keep things fresh and interesting.
A: We (my team and I) have developed a clear and inspiring vision for my magazine that writers can rally around. This has a well-defined target audience, a unique perspective or voice, and a clear sense of the types of content we publish.
As we don’t pay writers, we offer promotional opportunities for free. We have a strong online presence for our magazine - website and social media account. We use them to showcase our magazine's mission, values, and editorial vision, and to connect with writers who share our passion.
Our submission guidelines are listed on website, social media, as well in the forms in which we ask the writers to submit their work. We’re quick in our communication, writers and our team are connected with each other mostly. This has helped us to build loyalty and create a sense of ownership among our writers.
Q: Time management is always a challenge for those involved in publication, tell us how you go about managing time.
A: Time management is an essential factor when it comes to publishing a magazine. We establish a timeline with specific milestones and deadlines for each stage of the publication process, such as content creation, editing, design, printing, and distribution. We focus on high-priority tasks first, and schedule less critical ones accordingly.
As we’re a team of 3, assisted by an Intern on and off roles and responsibilities according to each team member's strengths and expertise are assigned. We use automated tools in designing newsletters, magazines and social media which helps us to save time and increase efficiency.
Overall in 3 years of the magazine, we have managed time effectively as it is very essential to publishing a successful magazine. We follow proper planning, prioritization, delegation and automation which has ensured us that our magazine is completed on time and to a high standard every quarter.
Q: When you are having a bad day, feeling stressed or overwhelmed - how do you shake those feelings off and start again?
I reach out to my team members who I can talk to and get support and solutions. It gives me a fresh perspective that makes me feel better.
When I feel I have broken those stressed feelings I divide the tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This helps me to feel less intimidated by the workload and gives me a sense of progress as I complete each step. I feel it is okay to take a step back and prioritize mental health.
Q: What are your most favorite aspects of running this magazine? What gives you the most joy?
A: One of the most rewarding aspects of running my magazine is the opportunity to create engaging, thought-provoking content that resonates with readers. Whether it's through well-researched articles, captivating images, or innovative design, the ability to craft a product that informs, entertains, and inspires readers can be incredibly fulfilling.
Publishing a magazine is a way to build a community around a shared interest or passion. Engaging with readers, contributors, and team is a great source of joy, as it allows for the exchange of ideas and perspectives and the creation of meaningful connections. I enjoy the process of creating each issue that gives a chance to learn new skills, explore new topics, and challenge me creatively.
Q: What was your key driving force to be a founder and manager of a publication like this?
A: I was and I am driven by a deep passion for literature. I had a strong desire to provide a platform to people around the world to share their knowledge, insights, and perspective with others who share their passion hence I turned a founder of magazine Unicorn. Magazines are powerful tools for informing and educating readers on important issues, trends, and ideas and I got motivated by a desire to contribute to the public discourse and help readers stay informed and engaged through my publication. It is a way to express creativity and experiment with different forms of storytelling, design, and visual art. Which pushes the boundaries of what's possible and creates something unique and beautiful. I was driven with a desire to start and run a business. I saw a gap in the market and thought of creating something that doesn't exist yet and was motivated by the challenge of building and growing a successful magazine.
Q: How do you go about finding balance between the many hidden hours behind the scenes in running this e-zine, and having a life too?
A: Indeed finding a balance between running a magazine and having a life outside of work has been challenging, but I have been maintaining the balance for my overall well-being and to avoid burnout. As a magazine publisher, I identify the most important tasks and delegate as much as possible by outsourcing certain aspects of work, by hiring interns, or delegating tasks to other members of my team. By focusing on what I do best and letting others handle the rest, I free up time and mental energy to focus on other aspects of my life. I have specific hours for work, I avoid checking emails or taking calls outside of those hours, and taking time off when I need it. I engage in activities that I enjoy outside work which helps to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance. I don’t take on too much or set unrealistic expectations for myself. I set achievable goals and focus on what's most important.
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Thank you Romila for sharing your time & expertise with our audience
ReplyDeleteEncouraging answers mam, keep inspiring mam, keep motivating us.
ReplyDeleteI have been lucky to meet romila ma'am personally. A highly self motivated person,friendly and happy to go with.
ReplyDelete