Why Magazines?

Now some of you may have raised eyebrows over my last blog post. Making graphic novels for women may not sit well with comics creators who, by observation, are mostly male. But I hope you've taken the time to think about the idea.

Based on Amazon's subscription bestseller list, women's magazines top the chart. These are actual dollar expenditures from people who are willing to shell out money.

Plus, women read more than men. In a study conducted this year by the Associated Press, "the typical woman reads nine books in a year, compared with only five for men. Women read more than men in all categories except for history and biography." (Read the full story about reading habits through this link.)

So there's your target market right there.

And what's the bonus in finding a great story in the pages in women's magazines? Well, when you've finished your graphic novel and your female friends like it, you already have potential venues for press releases--the same magazines from where you got your ideas. The same magazines with the high sales rates. The same magazines that women spend money to buy.

And because women read more, they'll most probably find your press release in their favorite mag.