For some time now, I have been publishing The Shocker as a monthly digital magazine, featuring real cases involving crime, forensic investigations, unusual deaths, accidents, and other subjects that I believe deserve a closer look.
Unfortunately, sales have been declining, and in recent months, very few people have been purchasing the magazine. This has left me wondering whether there is enough interest to justify continuing to produce new issues every month.
Creating each issue takes a considerable amount of time and effort. There is research to be done, information to verify, articles to write, photographs to prepare, and pages to design. I genuinely enjoy creating these magazines, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify the work involved when so few copies are being sold.
What I don’t know is why sales have declined.
Is the price too high? Is the content not interesting enough? Is there something about the quality or presentation that could be improved? Or is the biggest problem simply that the magazine is only available as a downloadable PDF?
I realize that some people would much rather own a physical magazine. I would love to offer printed copies, but unfortunately, the costs associated with printing and distributing them make that financially unviable. For that reason, The Shocker is currently available only in digital PDF format. I also recognize that digital magazines are not for everyone, and perhaps that is part of the problem.
The Magazine Also Helps Support This Website
Something I think is important to mention is that the income from magazine sales does more than simply help compensate for the time spent producing each issue.
The money earned from The Shocker has helped me cover the costs of hosting and maintaining this website, as well as obtaining new material to share with visitors.
Sourcing new content, particularly original crime scene photographs, forensic documentation, and other records, is not always free. Depending on the agency, the amount of material involved, and the fees charged for locating, preparing, or releasing records, obtaining content can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars.
These expenses are something I have to consider whenever I decide to pursue new material for the website. The income generated by the magazines has helped make some of those purchases possible, allowing me to obtain and publish content that might otherwise have been financially out of reach.
In other words, purchasing a magazine has also been a way of supporting the website itself, including the continued addition of new content.
I don’t want anyone to feel obligated to buy a magazine simply to support the website. I would much rather people purchase it because they genuinely find it interesting and worthwhile. However, I do want to be transparent about how the income has helped keep things running.
A Few Words About the Lack of New Content on the Website
I also want to address something that regular visitors may have noticed. Lately, I have been republishing older posts on the website rather than regularly adding entirely new cases, and I understand that this may have been disappointing for those who visit expecting new material.
There are reasons for this, and I think it is only fair to explain them.
The simple reality is that I have had very little time lately to research, prepare, and publish new content. Life has been busy, with all the responsibilities and unexpected things that come with it, and unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.
Running this website, researching cases, obtaining records, reviewing photographs and documents, and putting everything together takes a considerable amount of time. It is something I do because I enjoy it, but it also has to fit around my personal life and other responsibilities.
Despite having less time available, I have continued to dedicate time every month to producing a new issue of The Shocker. Each issue generally includes one or two new cases that have not previously been published on the website, alongside other material. I have made an effort to keep the magazine going even during periods when I have been unable to update the website as frequently as I would like.
I want to make it clear that the lack of new posts does not mean I have lost interest in the website or that I have run out of material. Quite the opposite, actually.
My library of cases that I have collected but have not yet had the opportunity to research, prepare, and publish is enormous, and it continues to grow. I have accumulated a substantial amount of material over time, including cases and records that I genuinely look forward to sharing. The problem is not a shortage of content, but finding enough time to properly work through it.
I know that many visitors have been following the website for years, and I appreciate their patience. I am fully aware that republishing older material is not the same as offering something new, and I do not expect everyone to be satisfied with that. Hopefully, in the near future, I will be able to devote more time to the website again and resume publishing new cases more regularly. There is certainly no shortage of material waiting to be worked on, and I have no intention of abandoning that work.
Before I Make a Final Decision, I Would Like Your Opinion
Before making a final decision about whether to discontinue the magazine, I would really like to hear from you.
Whether you have purchased every issue, bought just one, considered buying one but decided against it, or have never had any interest in purchasing the magazine, your opinion would be valuable to me. I am particularly interested in hearing what you think about the content, pricing, design, overall quality, and digital-only format. If there is something you dislike, something you think is missing, or something you would like to see changed, please tell me. I would also be interested to know whether you would prefer that I spend more time producing new content for the website rather than continuing to publish a monthly magazine, or whether you think there is value in keeping both going.
You do not need to be polite just to spare my feelings. I would much rather receive honest criticism than continue producing something without understanding why it isn’t attracting more readers. Even if you have never purchased an issue, I would still appreciate hearing why. Sometimes the opinions of people who choose not to buy a product are just as useful as those of existing customers.
Please send your thoughts, suggestions, or criticism to:
I haven’t made a final decision yet. I would prefer to continue publishing The Shocker, but I also have to be realistic about the amount of work involved and whether there is sufficient interest in keeping it going. Discontinuing the magazine would not necessarily mean the end of the website, but it would mean losing a source of income that has helped cover its operating expenses and fund the acquisition of new material. That could ultimately affect how much new content I am able to obtain and publish.
At the same time, I recognize that the time I currently spend creating each monthly issue could potentially be used to prepare and publish more of the cases already waiting in my collection. That is another reason why I want to hear what readers and visitors actually value most. Finally, I want to thank everyone who has supported the magazine and the website so far. Every purchase has been appreciated, and I am grateful to those who have taken an interest in my work. Your support has contributed not only to the magazines themselves but also to the continued development of this website.
Thank you for reading, for your patience, and for your continued support. I hope to hear from you.
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