New Reenactor Publication question

[Matt Caldwell]

Folks,
With the overwhelming dissatisfaction of the Camp Chase Gazette and the Civil War Courier, if there were to be a new, full color, Civil War military AND civilian Reenactor publication devoted to the improvement of the hobby, what would you like to see in it? You are available to vote for more than one item.

Uniform studies?
Civilian clothing studies?
Unit studies?
Equipage studies?
Product reviews?
Event listings including EBUFU along with the others?
Reprints of period materials including items out of Godeys, Petersons, Etc.?


We would like to hear your opinions on this as it could soon be a reality and it can only be the best with input from the community which it will serve.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your responses,

[55th VVI]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

I would very much like to see a "how to" column in a publication. "How to" put together County Cloth Kit A, "How to" finish Bent Tart's open blank for B. I think it would be great, especially if the manufacturers gave the instructions. It would help those of us working on the projects, and show potential customers what they are in for if they buy the kit. It would also be nice to see all types of events listed, including the better mainstream events, for those of us who do a little bit of everything. Whatever the case we most definetly need a new "Voice of Reenacting". Sign me up as soon as the presses get rolling.

[Matt Caldwell]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Good stuff, just what we were looking for. Keep them coming please!

[hardeeflag]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Folks,
With the overwhelming dissatisfaction of the Camp Chase Gazette and the Civil War Courier, if there were to be a new, full color, Civil War military AND civilian Reenactor publication devoted to the improvement of the hobby, what would you like to see in it?

Uniform studies?
Civilian clothing studies?
Unit studies?
Equipage studies?
Product reviews?
Event listings including EBUFU along with the others?
Reprints of period materials including items out of Godeys, Petersons, Etc.?


We would like to hear your opinions on this as it could soon be a reality and it can only be the best with input from the community which it will serve.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your responses,

What I think a lot of these publications lack are some historical articles regarding the cause and effect, purpose, and long term implications of events, units, people and battles during the war from a living historians perspective. Focus on equipment and arms are great, but I personally feel the focus on gear and uniforms only gets redundant. Unit biographical studies and contribution to an action are always nice as well. If these types of articles could be included in a publication and tied in with material culture studies and reproductions reviews, etc. would be nice blend. Keeping it on a scholarly level would add great credibility to a sorely needed publication. A section on preservation and living historian contribution to saving significant Civil War historical treasures would be a nice section also.

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

I would also think that studies of images or image collections would be important. This includes both civilian and military. There is a lot of information that can be gleaned from images that can not be found elsewhere.

Also, articles on industries/trades/professions/life would be helpful for first person interpretation and for the general understanding of the period.

[MissMaggie]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Such a publication would greatly benefit from information from the first part of the 19th century in general. Politics, social events, international news, book publication information, entertainment, etc., et. Just any sort of information that someone living in 1861 would have been exposed to between 1835 when they were born and 1861 when the war started.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Hallo Kameraden und Kameradeninnen!

I voted for more than one, obviously.

However, to play Devil's Advocate here, I see this more as a Mental Exercise or Fantasy Wish pulication than a reality. ;-)

With my own Mental Picture, and where I, and others, perceive me to be on the Journey and the Path- my current needs and wants could be argued as putting me in such a tiny fraction of a per-cent of the Civil War Community as a whole- that any publication attmepting to meet my needs/wants as a reader/consumer is doomed to fail.
Meaning, IMHO, the unique and specialized needs and wants of the H/A Wing of the Community represent too small a market to be economically viable, let alone profitable for a publisher.

However, to further the discussion, at what point, at what "mix" of what "type" articles, DOES a magazine meet the needs of the potential reader base and market, and at what point does a "leaning" toward the H/A Wing stand to alienate and lose the larger majority of F/M/C/P readers/subscribers?
And, swinging the pendulum back, (IMHO, as with CGC) at what point does a "leaning" toward the F/M/C/P Wing stand to alienate and lose the larger majority of H/A Wing readers/subscribers?
And who has the wisdom and/or ability to serve and appeal to the entire F/M/C/P/ H/A Community? (OR should they??)

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[tenfed1861]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

I'd personally like to see the "how to open a tin of caps"When I was opening my Navy Arms Friday,I was useing a knife and ended up stabbing my thumb,not to deep though.I'd like to see that article, :wink_smil
Cullen Smith

[BorderRuffian]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Sir,

It would seem that the idea would be more or less a printed version of this site,with departments that would convey instruction and information on an unprecedented scale.I think it a capital idea,and would certainly subscribe should the endeavor be published.I have learned plenty by just lurking here,so I know the "community" would benefit from such a publication.Feel free to leave out the "Camp Gossip" department though.If I want to read about rants,whining,flame war,etc. there are many forums I can visit that abound with such.Thankfully the site moderators here keep such distractions nipped in the bud!

Forrest Peterson
Landis Light Artillery

[hardeeflag]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

An electronic format, say PDF, would greatly reduce the cost of publication. People can subscribe and recieve via-email.

[55th VVI]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

I would have to agree with Forrest. The camp gossip colmun in CCG is the main reason, even during the short time they were improving, I did not subscribe.

Curt,
I think any magazine/periodical that is out there to encourage the growth and improvement of the reenacting community as a whole should recieve the support of everyone, especially the H/A wing. I always thought of H/A reenactors as striving to get all of reenacting to their level of authenticity. That being said, any magazine backed by the H/A's would show it to be a worth while publication.

Matt,
I also think a magazine that a portion of the proceeds go to preservation would be great (I know, this goes without saying). The problem I have noticed with many orginizations is that they donate to too many historic sites at one time. This spreads very little money even thinner. One focused effort seems like a better goal to me. I think any publication that may arise from this forum should pick one severely endangered site, and back that soley, or maybe pick one new historic site a year.

I know some may disagree, but, opinions are like belly buttons, and I too have an opinion and a belly button.

[BobSullivanPress]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Folks,
With the overwhelming dissatisfaction of the Camp Chase Gazette and the Civil War Courier, if there were to be a new, full color, Civil War military AND civilian Reenactor publication devoted to the improvement of the hobby, what would you like to see in it? You are available to vote for more than one item.
We would like to hear your opinions on this as it could soon be a reality and it can only be the best with input from the community which it will serve.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to your responses,

Uniform studies?
Civilian clothing studies?
Unit studies?
Equipage studies?
Yes, but I can only read about the uniqueness of stitch patterns of a pair of trowsers so often. ;) These things tend to get old for me after a while, but are always new for newbies.

Product reviews?
This is really an impossibility if there is also advertising in the magazine. Even though all may remain above board, the appearance of a conflict of interest (paid advertising = good reviews) will undermine any credibility of a product review.
Event listings including EBUFU along with the others?
Yes, yes, yes. And not just six campaigner events per year. List as many as possible.
Reprints of period materials including items out of Godeys, Petersons, Etc.? There needs to be some care taken here to prevent copyright violations.


I think there's a place in the hobby for this type of magazine. But so many people have tried to start them up, taken payment on a year's subscription, and then delivered 2 issues before folding the tents, that I'm skeptical of subscribing or advertising in a new magazine. Publishing a magazine is a full time occupation, not something that a few guys can do a few nights a week. Good luck.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Hallo Herr Terence!

"I think any magazine/periodical that is out there to encourage the growth and improvement of the reenacting community as a whole should recieve the support of everyone, especially the H/A wing.

I am not so sure that is the mission and goal of a publisher. ;-) Selling enough "product" to pay the bills and stay in business might come first. :-)

"I always thought of H/A reenactors as striving to get all of reenacting to their level of authenticity. That being said, any magazine backed by the H/A's would show it to be a worth while publication."

For me personally, no, not for years. One can only change onseself, not others in the end. ;-)
And, for me personally, it might be a "chicken and egg" kind of thing. Meaning, as a magazine would have to worthy first BEFORE I would/could/should back it.

Don't take this, or me, wrong here. I am just trying to draw out thought and discussion.
I would be the FIRST in line to subscribe to a life-time subscription to a magazine that met my needs and wants at whatever "wing," "section," or "level" I might be at or aspiring to reach.
From my burned-out, cynical, jaded, and much scarred perspective and experience- I make up too small of a fraction of 1% target market to interest any publisher in attempting to reach (and I have been reading CGC, on and off, since it was only mimeographed...) ;-) :-)

As always, others mileage may vary, and others' views and opinions are sought, encouraged, and welcomed...

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Pleasant Fantasy Mess

[BobSullivanPress]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Having read another's response, I feel I need to point out something else. It is quite possible that the web has been the main factor in the decline of these magazines, and not the so-called general dissatisfaction.

People are putting more and more information on the web. I believe that I personally have about 3 decent things on my website that if expanded would make great articles. Ten years ago, I probably would have typed these up and submitted them. Now, I just put them on the website. Amont other reasons, there's no rejection factor. Multiply me by 500 and you see many great sites out there for information. One that comes to mind is the 33rd Wisconsin site. Or when I want to learn about clothing, I dial up Chris Daley's site.

Perhaps the time for a niche magazine like the Camp Chase Gazette has passed us by, having been replaced by the web as surely as the horse was replaced by the automobile.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: New Reenactor Publication question

Hallo Herr Bob!

Indeed...

An excellent observation. (as well as a commentary on the Tyranny of Urgency).
And perhaps one mirroring former/current Civil War Roundtables and electronic/cyberland boards and fora as well?

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Who Once Himself Submitted an "Enfield De-Farb How To" To A Nameless Magazine To Have It Rejected Mess