The Biggest Usual Magazines Mistakes You Can Easily Avoid

Here are the biggest, most common mistakes people make when creating or contributing to *Usual Magazines* (i.e., typical, non-specialized) magazines—and how you can easily avoid them.

### 1. Ignoring the Audience & Writing for Yourself

**The mistake:** Filling the magazine with inside jokes, niche references, or topics that only fascinate the editor/writer, not the reader.

**How to avoid it:** Before each article, ask: *“Does this help, entertain, or inform our target reader?”* Create a reader persona (e.g., “Busy 35-year-old working parent”) and filter all content through their perspective.

### 2. Overly Dense, Text-Heavy Layouts

**The mistake:** No white space, tiny fonts, and walls of text. Readers feel exhausted just looking at the page.

**How to avoid it:** Use pull quotes, subheadings, bullet points, and ample margins. Aim for no more than 3–4 short paragraphs before an image or break. Remember: magazine readers *scan*, they don’t read like novels.

### 3. Inconsistent or Clashing Visual Identity

**The mistake:** Changing fonts, colors, and photo styles every issue. Or worse: using five different, unrelated fonts on one page.

**How to avoid it:** Create a simple style guide (2–3 fonts max, a set color palette, standard photo treatments). Stick to it religiously. Use templates for recurring sections.

### 4. Weak, Wordy, or Clickbait Headlines

**The mistake:** Headlines that are too vague (“A Few Things”), too clever (“When the Moon Hits Your Eye”), or too long (full sentences).

**How to avoid it:** Use active, benefit-driven headlines (e.g., “10 Tax Deductions You’re Missing” instead of “Things About Taxes”). Keep it under 8–10 words. Avoid puns unless your magazine is explicitly humor-focused.

### 5. No Clear Hierarchy (What Should I Read First?)

**The mistake:** Every element on the page screams for attention equally—headline, sidebar, photo caption, ad. Result: reader looks at nothing.

**How to avoid it:** Establish a clear visual path: 1) Main image, 2) Headline, 3) Intro paragraph, 4) Subheadings, 5) Body text. Use size, weight, and color to guide the eye.

### 6. Forgetting the Cover’s Job

**The mistake:** A beautiful but mysterious cover image with a tiny, cryptic title. Or cramming 20 cover lines over the main image.

**How to avoid it:** The cover has one job: get someone to pick it up. Use one dominant, high-impact image. The main cover line must promise a clear benefit (e.g., “Lose Belly Fat in 2 Weeks”). Keep cover lines to 3–5 maximum.

### 7. Typos, Grammar Errors & Factual Mistakes

**The mistake:** Relying only on spell-check. Missing homophones (their/there), incorrect dates, misspelled names.

**How to avoid it:** Build in a two-person proofing process (writer + editor). Read the text *backwards* to catch spelling errors. Double-check every name, number, and date against a primary source. Keep a style sheet (AP or Chicago).

### 8. Ignoring the Spine & Back Cover

**The mistake:** Putting “Volume 4, Issue 2” in tiny font on the spine where no one can read it. Letting the back cover go to waste.

**How to avoid it:** Make the spine readable on a shelf (vertical title, issue number large enough). Use the back cover for a compelling next-issue teaser, a subscription offer, or an engaging single image—not just a blank space or boring fine print.

### 9. Poor Image Quality & Sizing

**The mistake:** Using low-res web images (72 dpi) that print blurry or pixelated. Cropping important faces out. Placing text directly over a busy photo.

**How to avoid it:** Only use images at 300 dpi for print. Preview at 100% zoom before layout. Add a transparent overlay or dark gradient behind text on photos. Never stretch a small image to fit.

### 10. No Call to Action (What Now?)

**The mistake:** The article ends, and… nothing. No mention of the website, no subscription reminder, no next-issue preview.

**How to avoid it:** End each major feature with a “next step” (e.g., “Scan this QR code for a video tutorial,” “Turn to page 34 for more recipes,” “Subscribe at [URL] for bonus content”).

### 11. Inconsistent Column Lengths & Orphans/Widows

**The mistake:** Columns ending mid-sentence at the bottom of the page (orphans). One or two words alone on the final line of a paragraph (widows).

**How to avoid it:** Adjust margins, edit text slightly (add/remove a few words), or tweak leading (line spacing) before final layout. Most layout software has a “keep with next” or “prevent orphan” setting.

### 12. Neglecting the Digital Companion

**The mistake:** Treating the print magazine as complete, with no link to website, newsletter, or social media.

**How to avoid it:** Add short “bonus” codes, hashtags, or QR codes in sidebars. Encourage readers to continue the conversation online. Repurpose print content for blog posts and social snippets.