I went freelance 18 months ago and also became a dad to twin boys, so I’m used to spending a lot of time at home, but lockdown created new challenges, like how to convert the summer issue of a retail client’s print magazine to digital, as their stores were shut. 

With some invaluable help from a colleague, I nailed it and produced something that I’m really proud of – the client said it was their best ever edition. I might even show it to my boys, after I’ve finished reading them The Very Hungry Caterpillar for the eighth time today.

Hope.

That’s the word I’ve heard so often over recent months. It’s such a small word but the expectations are enormous.

Interviewing volunteers, staff in caring roles and members of the public who have stepped up to help others, I’ve learned they have all had to re-think what they do and how they do it. Doing things in different ways has become the new norm.

It’s the same in publishing.

Nothing has changed – we’re still telling stories and sharing news – but the way we do it has transformed.

We’re innovative, agile and forward thinking. Yes, there’s hope for us all.

Silver linings of a terrifying global pandemic

1) Switching our subscriber classes onto Zoom and meeting readers in Las Vegas, São Paulo and Athens in the first session.

2) Receiving an overdue kick up the arse to produce a digital version.

3) The delighted reactions of readers to the issue they received at the height of the crisis which, thanks to our slow news ethos, contained not a single word about Covid-bloody-19. 

4) Signing off the new issue from our spare rooms and, instead of the usual long commute home, walking straight to the garden for a treble G&T.

Well, I was ok.

Craft mags like mine have done brilliantly during lockdown, appealing as they do to people stuck for ‘something to do’. I’ve been so proud to see that.

Now, though, my magazine is closing. It’s one of many casualties of publishing in lockdown.

On the unpredictable newsstand of the future, it’s simply not sustainable. I’m really sad.

I don’t know what’s next, for me or for magazine publishing. I know I (and we) need to be more adaptable than ever. I just hope I (and we) still get the chance to give our readers ‘something to do’.

After the shock of adapting the team to working at home and dealing with the panic of loss of a huge proportion of our ad bookings, the most unexpected positive reaction was from our readers.

When I told them of our precipitous financial position they rallied like I could never have imagined. From subscriptions to merchandise and even donations, the entire team has been humbled by the value that our audience has placed on our silly magazine about bicycles.

We are going to get through this – and thanks to our readers we’ll be all the stronger on the other side.