2008...

[dave u]

is make or break for TLW.

Basically, unless things really pick up financially I'm not going to be able to carry on much longer. I'm sick of constantly worrying about money and bills and shit, and unless I can start making this work I'm going to have to pack it in and look for a steady job with a regular pay cheque at the end of every month. The thought of that scares the shit out of me, as I've been doing this for so long I can't imagine doing anything else. But I see no alternative the way things are going.

Sales of the fanzine have been pretty consistent overall, I sell roughly the same now as I did when I started. That's not bad, considering how many fanzines across the country have come and gone in that time. The internet has killed a lot of fanzines, and although I'm sure it's had an effect on TLW, it's also helped in a way as the site has really helped promote the magazine across the world.

But when I started I lived with my parents, and didn't have any bills to pay or any family to support. It was fine then, money wasn't an issue. It's different now though. The cost of living has gone up a fair bit since 1999 too, but in that time there's only been the one price increase to £2.50. I've no plans to put it up again though, as I don't think that's the issue.

It's not about getting more money from the people who are already buying TLW, I need to either get more people buying it or find another way to get money in. I do the ressies reports for the Post and Echo, and even though the money is crap, without that extra cash I'd have had to pack TLW in a year or two ago.

Sales at the match are shit, and getting worse. I sell less than half what I did when I started, but the number of subscribers I have has helped to soften the blow a bit. I hit an all time low at the Pompey game though, when me and my dad sold 24 between us. A crowd of 45,000 and we sold twenty fucking four. Just what I needed before Christmas.

The fanzine is how I make my living, and the website is how I promote the fanzine. In an ideal world it would be the other way round. I'd make enough off the site to live on, and the fanzine would be extra cash rather than my only real source of income. I don't think that's possible though, even though the site generally gets around 50,000 visitors a month.

I'm not saying this to get people to make 'donations' to the site, as that side of things is actually ok. Between donations, the bonus ball and atk's ridiculous bets the hosting fees are being taken care of, and I can honestly say I don't touch any of that money myself. It's a seperate bank account that is only used for the running of the site. Dipping into that would be like stealing from the church plate!

On that subject by the way, I know I'm well behind on the bonus ball payments, but I've got a list of names who I need to send cheques out to and I will be doing that in the next couple of days.

I'm just fed up of relying on family helping me out. I drive a car that my dad bought for me and my mum insured, and I'm living in a house that my missus has more or less paid for with money she got from selling her own house. We furnished it with money from my parents. It's unacceptable really, I've got a little girl to support and I need to get my act together financially.

I either need to sell more fanzines, make money from the site, get more freelance work, or pack it all in and get a 'proper' job. I don't know how to do the first three, and I don't want to do the fourth, but I think I'm going to have to.

Sorry to be putting all my troubles on you in the festive season and all that, but I need ideas, or Steve Kelly won't be the only Liverpool Fanzine editor hanging up his keyboard this season.

[Rashid]

Whatever happens Dave you have to be thanked for giving all of us so many years of "something to do" and keeping us going so cheers for that.

It would be a real shame if you packed in the fanzine but with you having a missus and a kid to think about there really isn't much choice is there if push came to shove?

Lots of people have a "proper job" and a hobby in the background so I'd suggest (and I don't mean to patronise) is do less issues. Say do only 4 issues a year by internet only and keep the site going only if it funds itself. And fuck off standing outside the KOP selling fanzines and get in the pub and slag off the team selection with me at 2pm!

That way you still get to do what you love, still make money from the fanzine, and you get to work and start paying your bills!

Good luck either way mate.

[WeAreTheBest]

Sorry to hear that Dave, erm dunno what to say really. I'll try and think of some ideas but im shit at all that sort of stuff!

Good luck whatever mate

[Strontium Dog]

Next time I try and pay for a copy of TLW with a 20 I'll just tell you to keep the change

I think I will definitely be taking out a subscription now though. It would be a crying shame if the fanzine disappeared. Maybe subscription only would be the way forward? I dunno.

Whatever happens, I wish you all the best Dave. For persistence alone you deserve a medal.

[ratcatcher]

Dave, put you and your family first, mate. No one except your immediate family, will.

I'd love to be able to give you serious suggestions but if your main income stream is the fanzine and it isnt bringing the numbers in, you have to consider the options. Believe me, I know what its like working for yourself.

Good luck,

[05 Milan]

Can we have an annual fee for using the website? That would clear out the wankers as well

[Spy Bee]

Originally Posted by Rashid Whatever happens Dave you have to be thanked for giving all of us so many years of "something to do" and keeping us going so cheers for that. It would be a real shame if you packed in the fanzine but with you having a missus and a kid to think about there really isn't much choice is there if push came to shove? Lots of people have a "proper job" and a hobby in the background so I'd suggest (and I don't mean to patronise) is do less issues. Say do only 4 issues a year by internet only and keep the site going only if it funds itself. And fuck off standing outside the KOP selling fanzines and get in the pub and slag off the team selection with me at 2pm! That way you still get to do what you love, still make money from the fanzine, and you get to work and start paying your bills! Good luck either way mate.

Well said.

[Agt Provocateur]

TLW will never die. Even if I had to buy it off you and cut my hours in work, I would do it. Fanzines are becoming rarer, fanzines that tell it how it is are becoming even rarer. TLW cannot and will not be allowed to die.

(Only if push comes to shove.) We should all pool our ideas and see what we can do to make Dave's life a bit easier. He makes a lot of sacrifices.

[hamstrung]

Be sorry to see the fanzine stop. Really enjoy it. Must admit I have wondered in the past how you could make a living wage from it.

I don't have any practical advice beyond saying real jobs are shite and not something to be undertaken lightly.

[rondeco]

Originally Posted by 05 Milan Can we have an annual fee for using the website? That would clear out the wankers as well

Good idea. 2.50 or a fiver a year.

[rondeco]

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[rondeco]

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[bossy]

I know the feeling Dave as I'm self employed and it's really tough when kids come along.
I have no real ideas to help either, although a subscription only site might help a bit.
Good luck.

[CrouchieBoy]

Originally Posted by 05 Milan Can we have an annual fee for using the website? That would clear out the wankers as well

Good shout Milan... I would be up for that. whatever we can do to help mate

[hamstrung]

Originally Posted by rondeco Good idea. 2.50 or a fiver a year.

How much could you make from that though? Inevitably you'll lose numbers, so even if you got 1000 people willing to pay £5, its not a lot of money.

Rashid's suggestion is probably the most realistic. Get a proper job and scale the fanzine down a bit.

[spider-neil]

charge an annual fee for the website. sorted.