Help Crochetville Win a $250,000 Grant!

[eurolyons]

We're up to 271 votes now! It would be so cool to get like 1,000 or more votes, just to show the judges we have lots of friends out there who really want us to win. So, if you haven't voted for us yet, you can do so any time until they close it down at the end of the day on June 30. Not sure what time zone, though.

 

So it's time to chill, have a nice relaxing drink, and dream up ways to spend the money.

 

EDIT TO ADD: I'm so surprised we got it done that quickly, in just 4 days. There are so many businesses that appear to have sent in their application back when the program opened sometime in May, and they still have less than 10 votes, or less than 50, or some relatively small number.

 

The competition is going to be stiff, since there will probably be at least 1,000 companies that end up qualifying. Not very good odds, so say a prayer, light a candle, send white light our way, think good thoughts for us, cross your fingers, whatever you're comfortable doing to send some positive vibes our way for winning!

 

You've got it and more Amy...lots of prayers, lit candles and visions of white lights...I'm proud of you for giving this a go!

[FizzlePop40]

You're talking a photo gallery, right? Something other than the Show-and-Tell area? That's something we're investigating.

Yeah! (Hah, I forgot what they were called... ) I'm glad to hear that! I'd love to have a photo gallery on this site.

 

Congrats on getting over 250 votes, by the way!

[HappyOldCro]

Congratulations! Fingers will be crossed all summer now, making it very hard to crochet.

 

I'm going to be the party pooper and vote against the magazine idea. Do any of you have any idea what state the publishing industry is in right now? I do; my sisters work in it. It's bad. In order to start a brand new magazine, that is not part of a well-established stable from a long-term industry member, like Interweave Press, would probably need more than $250K. I don't want that money, were Crochetville fortunate enough to be granted it, wasted.

 

Party Pooper Patty

 

I think it's good you shared this info. It's important to know the pros and cons.

[Flia]

I love the idea of a selling place for both patterns and finished items.

 

As for education on the techs I think spending some of the money for the two of you learning all about it would be an investment.

[RachelG]

Congratulations! Fingers will be crossed all summer now, making it very hard to crochet.

 

I'm going to be the party pooper and vote against the magazine idea. Do any of you have any idea what state the publishing industry is in right now? I do; my sisters work in it. It's bad. In order to start a brand new magazine, that is not part of a well-established stable from a long-term industry member, like Interweave Press, would probably need more than $250K. I don't want that money, were Crochetville fortunate enough to be granted it, wasted.

 

First, you have to have an editorial board, advertising department, accounting department, insurance and liability, etc. Then you need a print publisher, have to pay mailing and delivery, etc. How are you going to solicit designers and what will you pay them? Attorney's fees and other set-up and maintenance costs. I have no idea what number of subscribers you'd need to make that just break even the first few years, and not lose money (which it likely would for the first few years), but I'm pretty confident it's more than the few ten thousand members we have here. I'm sure if it were offered as an online magazine only, there'd be other costs not mentioned here, like domain costs, etc. And that's assuming that every single member would subscribe. I've had several of the magazines I subscribe to fold over the past five years; it is a tough, tough business.

 

And then, finally, the content wars. The most virulent arguments I've seen on Ravelry have been in the Interweave Crochet group form, when a few patterns that combined crochet and knit were published. People threw fits and threatened to end their subscriptions because how dare they put knit in a crochet magazine? Then there are usual quarterly complaints from some people because there are a few patterns they don't like in there and they feel it's a waste of their money. These have really shaded my enjoyment of both the magazine and the group. I don't want that happening here.

 

Want more thread patterns? Write the existing magazines and tell them! They probably have no idea that there is a population out there that wants these kinds of patterns. And let's support the online mags that already exist (how many of you regularly read The Crochet Insider, Crochet Uncut, or Tension?)

 

Sorry to be a party pooper, but I would hate to see that money wasted.

 

Party Pooper Patty

 

You're just being honest. And I agree 100%.