This is the End- Sort Of.

Editor's note- This is a feature article from the last issue of WildIndiana Magazine explaining our (some say inevitable) cessation of physical publication in order to focus on WildIndiana.com

All good things must come to an end. And, in your hands, you hold a physical, tangible end to a long-held dream.

Actually, that statement is not wholly accurate. Things are changing at WildIndiana, we fervantly hope for the better, but we're not ending anything...except for the magazine you are reading.

Let me explain.

A few years ago the crazy notion to start a print outdoor magazine came into my head. As a long-time freelance photographer and writer, the timing was right as I was staring down the barrel of retirement from a long career in law enforcement. In early 2015, at the ripe old age of 52 and by my own choice, I started living the luxurious, carefree life of a government pensioner on a fixed income.

Actually it wasn't that bad. While not wealthy by any third-world indigent standard, it appeared that I could meet my living expenses from the monthly pension check. I even had a small (small, as in “insignificant”) nest egg that had been socked away from all those stories in major magazines that you might not believe I actually wrote.

Facing retirement, conventional wisdom would suggest that I take that money and invest it, then go to work somewhere else until 'real' retirement age wherein I could travel and generally dodder around.

Of course, as close friends and family will attest, I don't always follow the usual path. Typically, you'll find me off in the bushes, exploring, building stuff and generally suffering from wild and terrible enthusiasms.

This is why a new print magazine seemed like a good idea, even though pretty much every other person, especially those within the publishing industry, though I had been out in the sun too long. Those opinions were duly considered but last year we finally charged ahead, full of enthusiasm if not an accurate view of the current media business.

Today, in terms of producing a magazine that readers enjoy, I believe we have succeeded. The term “we” certainly isn't an affectation as I have only been the orchestra leader for a band of merry writers and photographers. They’ve done good work to build something we all believe in.

The comments we constantly receive from both readers and distributors have been wonderful. It seems that I was correct that folks in Central Indiana were waiting for a media outlet that covered all the wonderful places, people and events happening in the Hoosier outdoor scene.

Now, insert minor-key, “He-almost-lost-it-all” music here.

Unfortunately, potential advertisers weren't quite so excited about a new paper publication. It is a simple fact of life that newspapers and magazines live and die by their advertising bottom line and in this regard we faced resistance for advertiser dollars.

First, I discovered too late that many outdoor businesses have simply given up the ghost in the face of pressure from 'big-box' stores. There were uncounted times I went to well-known stores in the region and found the “for rent” sign in the front window.

We also discovered that trying to work with the large national retailers is pretty much a non-starter. Simply put, IF you can wade through the various levels of corporate bureaucracy, it was quickly apparent that ad buyers are more interested in Parade Magazine (circulation 32 million) than WildIndiana magazine (15,000).

But there is an even more insidious issue at work: internet advertising. As more than one business owner explained, with internet advertising you can find out exactly how many people viewed your ad, when they viewed it, what they clicked on, how much they spend and then immediately calculate the return-on-investment. And, it’s much, much cheaper.

This is great for the business owner but print publications simply can't compete on the same playing field. In fact, it’s difficult to even prove a single set of eyes viewed your expensive display ad before the magazine ended up on the bottom of a bird cage.

This realization that print is truly old-fashioned was quite a shock. As an “old-school” writer, I did and still do believe that many readers love to feel the crinkle of paper when curling up with the latest issue. It doesn't require apps, battery chargers or driver updates. I love paper, and so do many people; however, that important group known as 'advertisers' is increasingly turning away from the physical and moving to the virtual.

Unfortunately, since I'm not independently wealthy (and growing more broke every day), we have to turn a profit. And, as I just explained, with a growing number of small business moving their advertising dollars online, it is becoming harder than ever for print publications to survive.

Therefore, after a long bout of soul-searching, we have decided to move WildIndiana operations wholly onto the internet.

The internet is truly better than paper in many ways. We can literally update continuously and since electrons are far cheaper than wood pulp, we can publish as many stories and photos as we choose. This means the reader gets more of what they love.

It's just not paper, dammit.

In the past few weeks, we have begun beefing our website WildIndiana.com, publishing a major story every day along with updates to the Gear Locker, daily Indiana outdoor news headlines and other things. We've added additional columns from some of the best-known outdoor writers in Indiana and increased stories from bloggers and other who have something to say. The effort, undertaken without fanfare, has already shown good results in increasing traffic.

All along, we knew that the entire publishing industry was slowly, in fits and starts, is headed online. This was part of our initial business plan for the magazine, so in the end, we are simply moving our time-table ahead for WildIndiana.

Starting now, we want WildIndiana.com to be a website where you stop by every day to read the latest story, comment on on-going issues and poke around to discover things you didn’t know about the Hoosier outdoors. We truly want to build a vibrant, active, online community.

Ultimately, we want WildIndiana.com to become your every-day destination to get your outdoor fix.

The print magazine was a grand and glorious experiment that ultimately didn't become self-sustaining because of the 'new' economy of publishing, not because it was a poor product. However, it did get our name in front of many Hoosiers and built a reputation for solid writing from both newcomers and the top names in the Indiana outdoor media community. In that regard, the magazine was anything BUT a failure. As one person put it, “it was simply the world's largest advertising brochure.”

And, “most expensive,” I might add.

Now, we're going to take the goodwill we’ve built along with our remaining resources to focus on what every consultant would say should have been our primary goal in the first place.

To the loyal readers, I'm sorry you won't have any more issues to read in the bathroom but this is all for the better. Now we can be more responsive and timely yet offer more content for the same low price (free). That's a good thing. Furthermore, we've got so many crazy ideas for stories, partnerships, platforms, special promotions and events that this isn't the end but truly only the beginning.

Thanks for your support. This is the last stack of dead trees you will hold in your hand but WildIndiana is truly just getting started!