editors speak

Nancy Cavanaugh
creator of Fandangle Magazine

I’ve had several readers email recently about starting a magazine, so this month we’re going to look at two people who did just that. Nancy Cavanaugh is the founder, owner, and editor of Fandangle, an electronic magazine, available free online. Though not a paying market, Fandangle has offered opportunities for a number of writers to build their publication credits in this lively ezine – for some, Fandangle was their first credit, something a writer never forgets.

At Kid Magazine Writers, we know an ezine is a lot of work, and they usually bring in little or no money – so why would anyone start one? And how do you meet the needs of editor/publisher and writer? We’re grateful to Nancy for sharing with us about her magazine.

KMW: When did you start your first online magazine, and what prompted you to jump in and give it a try? Do you envision ever moving into print or does electronic feel right to you?
NC: I started my first online magazine in August of 2003. I already had a web site called Kids Holiday Crafts with loads of stuff for kids in it so it just seemed to be a natural extension to add “Magazine” to the end.

I started it on a whim really, but also in response to a “challenge” posed on one of my writing lists. It really was a “if they (professional magazine publishers) can do it, so can I” kind of thing. I was a stay at home mom and a bit bored. I’d worked in newspapers for several years and was missing the publishing world so it seemed like a good challenge for me. I was right on both counts—I can do it and it has been a good challenge for me.

I definitely want to move to print. It would start as a regional thing, serving south western NH and southern Vermont and northwestern Massachusetts as that is where I live, but I would love to have it go national. I am a long way from realizing that goal though. Even if I did go to print, I think I will always offer an Internet version of the magazine. I want to reach as many people as possible.

KMW: Your magazine has gone through some changes since the beginning...does Fandangle finally feel like the right fit? Why the name Fandangle? Did you know it's a skateboarding term for a particularly daring move?
NC: Yes, the magazine has gone through several name changes and looks since the start. Fandangle does very much feel right to me and I am very happy with my decision to change the name. When I realized that something was missing from the success equation I sat down and discovered that it was the name of the magazine. So I scoured the thesaurus looking for just what I wanted—something different, something that people, especially kids, could easily remember. Fandangle sort of just jumped out at me. It has some other odd connections in my life, like my boyfriend’s dog from when he was a kid came from a kennel called Fandangle something.

No, I wasn’t aware of the skateboarding term but it does seem to fit how the change felt to me. It was a daring move and I think it has paid off.

KMW: What have been some of the greatest joys of running an online magazine?
NC: I think the biggest joy has been knowing that people have read my magazine and really enjoyed it. But more so the professional recognition has really made an impact. Recently an online group that I belong to featured me and the magazine in their spotlight. The words that were said about the magazine, from a professional, made me feel like I really belonged here doing this magazine…that I was getting it right. This really is a labor of love but I want it to be a professional looking product, so having those in the business applaud what I’m doing helps me know I should keep doing it.

The other is my daughter’s pride in what I’m doing. She has been my biggest supporters of the magazine and the crafts web site. She considers the magazine to be a real job, even if I don’t get paid for it. It is so nice to have that support at home.

KMW: What advice would you give someone thinking of starting their own e-magazine for kids?
NC: I guess the biggest thing is to not expect immediate success. My magazine is reasonably well viewed but it has taken a lot of networking and getting the link in the search engines. It takes a lot of work and you have to constantly try to find ways to get more readers and offer new content that will draw people to the site but also keep them coming back every month.

Getting good content is not at all easy. I have been lucky in that so many talented authors enjoy the magazine and being associated with it so I have been able to get stuff from writers who have been published in major magazines like Highlights, Wee Ones, and Ladybug. I have had to turn down very few stories, but at the same time I don’t think I’ve compromised the quality of the magazine by accepting most submissions.

The hardest part is being the editor. You will have to say to people “please go back and sort this out” with direction on what needs to be sorted out and possible solutions. You will have to learn how to say “No, this isn’t good enough for my magazine” even if the person is a really good friend. Your professional name is on the line and the quality of the work inside is more important than how you present it.

KMW: What do you feel Fandangle brings to the reader that's unique?
NC: Fandangle offers a strange mish-mash of short fictional stories, poetry, educational content that doesn’t feel educational, fun and easy crafts, puzzles and games. The stories, puzzles and crafts are often connected so that there’s essentially a complete lesson that can be incorporated into the lesson plan with little additional work required, which are frequently used by homeschoolers. I think I’ve had some really unusual topics and have tried to expand horizons with articles on holidays and traditions from countries around the world with crafts and recipes to really give the reader insight into the culture.

There’s no real standard format and I allow for a lot of different styles. I guess I would most liken it to Sesame Street where they offer their educational content in a variety of ways knowing that no two children learn in the same way and to keep it fun. (At least that’s the impression I’ve always gotten!)

KMW: For anyone who would like to submit to Fandangle -- what kinds of submissions do you most like to see? How can someone impress you?
NC: There really isn’t any one kind of submission I most like to see. I like simple and to the point queries that tell me what you’re “selling” and a little bit about yourself—a one paragraph resume. I’m easy to impress as long as you show me you’ve read the guidelines, read a few of the recent issues to see what I’ve printed (comment about one of the stories and why it impressed you enough to comment on it), and remember that this is a real publishing opportunity and to treat it professionally. I am really laid back because of how I work so I am very much not like a more traditional publisher, which works for and against me and my writers, but I treat the job professionally and expect my writers to do so as well.

There is one woman who knows me from a writer’s list and her query came to me written as if she were talking to a friend and not an editor. I wasn’t able to accept her submission, but I pointed out to her that future queries needed to be written professionally if she was expecting to get something accepted by me. My reasoning was simple—she was a new writer and needed to get the experience in how to write a professional query and I didn’t want her to be lax on that simply because she knew me on a non-professional basis.

We’re grateful to Nancy for sharing this inside peek at magazine creation with us. The Fandangle website also includes an editorial calendar, writers resources, guidelines an even a chat room – so be sure to check it out.

Now, be sure to check out our other magazine entrepreneur.

This page last updated on 11 June 2006