All good things must come to an end

Dear Reader

Since its first issue in June 2009, Filament’s readership, distribution and advertising has grown steadily. More people are reading Filament than ever before and according to our recent readership survey, you think it’s getting more awesome.

It may seem strange against this backdrop, that I am announcing that Issue 9, the next issue of Filament, due out 1 December 2011, will be the last. My reasons are entirely personal. Perhaps this is also the right time, because we are finishing on a high.

To answer some questions you may have:

• I’m a subscriber. Will I receive my money back for the issues I haven’t received? Yes. However, this is labour-intensive for us, with over 1000 subscriptions to individually refund. We aim to complete this process by 30 June 2012. If you don’t want to be refunded, please email hello@filamentmagazine.com and let us know.
• Will Filament continue as a website? Not as such, but we plan to try and put most of our past content up on www.filamentmagazine.com and will add articles as exciting and relevant topics come up, so please keep following our feeds. We will also continue to sell issues through the website until they run out. Our stockists will also be getting in Issue 9 as normal, and will continue to sell Filament until they run out.
• Couldn’t someone else take over as editor of Filament? It’s doubtful, for various reasons that I can’t go into.
• Perhaps a company would want to buy the magazine? We have had offers, but always from those who seek to turn Filament into something that doesn’t seem consistent with the reasons you have told us that you like Filament.

I know that Filament means a lot to many of you. At various events I’ve had readers approach me to thank me, with tears in their eyes. This makes me feel proud, but also incredibly sorry that I can’t continue this for you.

This is not the end of the ideas behind Filament. Increasing numbers of projects that count Filament as an inspiration seem to be appearing, Andro Aperture, The Badlands Burlesque, Men of the Stacks and The Naked Muse to name but a few. There are others in the planning stages. So perhaps this isn’t the end, but the beginning.

Thank you for making Filament such a wonderful thing.

Suraya
Editor
Filament Magazine

PS. If you want to make sure you get a copy of the final issue, pre-order it now.
PPS. If you’re a subscriber and you’ve moved house since our last issue in June, please email us your new address. Even if you’re getting your mail redirected, stuff gets missed sometimes.