FAQ

Is The Hatchet only available in PDF format? I want a printed version.

We want subscribers from around the world — from Japan to New York — to be able to read The Hatchet in a timely and affordable manner. By bypassing the need to print, warehouse, and ship a paper version of the magazine, we can keep our costs down and get you the best information as quickly as possible.

Another reason we chose PDF over print is that it allows us to insert interactive elements and hyperlinks in each issue, making it easy to access additional information on the Web or send e-mail to magazine contributors or advertisers. Some articles may include video clips or animations embedded into the text so you can watch how a technique is done.

We have been exploring ways to get the magazine in print and have finally found an affordable solution. Starting with the August 2005 issue, The Hatchet is now available for as a print magazine from our publishing partners LuLu.com and CreateSpace.com. Subscribers can buy these issues at a discount, while all others can purchase them an issue at a time. Payment is made through LuLu.com or CreateSpace and they send the issue directly to the customer.

How often is The Hatchet published? 

For the first two years of The Hatchet (2004 and 2005) the journal was published every other month for a total of 6 issues a year. This production schedule proved to be a hectic one, and while the quality of the magazine has steadily increased with each issue, the ability to continue at this pace has become a tremendous challenge.

Consequently, starting in January 2006, The Hatchet began publishing four times a year on a quarterly basis. Subscription prices were lowered to reflect this new publication number.

In 2009, The Hatchet was published three times a year. In 2011, there will be four issues published.

If the magazine is meant to be read on-screen, why is it laid out on a letter-sized page? 

The feedback we’ve received is that while it’s great to browse through The Hatchet on screen, when it comes to actually reading, most subscribers would rather print out just the articles they want. This is why the text isn’t too big (like most on-screen docs) and isn’t too small (like most for-print docs).

The page size prints reasonably well on both US Letter and A4 paper, and if you change it to facing-pages mode in Acrobat, the spreads are readable on most high-resolution screens.

The files are awfully big to download. Can’t you make them smaller? 

We run a number of optimization schemes to try to make the files as small as possible without compromising the quality of the graphics and the text. If you’re on a slower connection, please note the size of the file before you download (it’s stated on the download page). Then you can determine the best time to tie up your ‘net connection!

Can I subscribe to The Hatchet?

Starting with 2012, we will no longer be a subscription journal. We found that as we made The Hatchet available in single print copies through our print-on-demand partners, most of our readership preferred to buy the magazine an issue at a time and in print. Subscribers who paid for 2011 will receive all issues for 2012 at no cost.

Can I share this PDF with my colleagues? 

The Hatchet is based on the honor principle. We ask that you please don’t share the issues with friends or colleagues. They can always download a free sample issue from the Web site and subscribe to the magazine if they think it will be valuable.

Can’t you just e-mail the issue to me? 

Unfortunately, many ISPs limit file size to prevent mailboxes getting full fast and many IT departments disallow attachments from entering their networks. We believe it is better that you control when and where to download the PDF file.

I have a Hatchet related book I’d like you to review. Will you?

We’ll try. Please send product info to peartreepress@mac.com

I have a Hatchet technical issue. Can you help?

The goal of The Hatchet is to provide as much information as possible to enable you to get the most from The Hatchet.

We highly recommend you get involved with The Lizzie Borden Society Forum. Hatchet contributors and editors are active on this forum. Chances are someone will have the information you need.

How can I write an article for The Hatchet?

Contact our editor-in-chief, Stefani Koorey, at peartreepress@mac.com