Publishing Strategy

Goal: Position Akhayar as Myanmar's New Yorker - a premium publication for intelligent, curious readers who want deep, thoughtful content.

Publishing Frequency: 3-4 pieces per week (Quality over quantity)

Weekly Mix

Monday: Essay or Cultural Commentary (1,200-2,500 words)
Wednesday: Feature or Profile (2,000-4,000 words)
Friday: Fiction, Review, or Short Essay (1,000-2,000 words)
Sunday (monthly): Major Feature (4,000-6,000 words) - First Sunday of each month

Content Categories & Targets

Features (Long-form Journalism)

  • Target: 1-2 per month
  • Length: 2,000-5,000 words
  • Payment: $500-1,500
  • Examples:
    • Inside Myanmar's underground reading culture
    • The artists preserving traditional Burmese painting
    • Myanmar's tech scene: What happened after the boom?

Essays (Cultural Commentary)

  • Target: 2-3 per month
  • Length: 1,200-2,500 words
  • Payment: $300-800
  • Your current strength - continue these!

Profiles

  • Target: 1 per month
  • Length: 2,000-3,000 words
  • Payment: $400-1,000
  • Focus: Notable Myanmar figures (artists, entrepreneurs, activists)

Fiction

  • Target: 1 per month
  • Length: 1,500-4,000 words
  • Payment: $300-800
  • Platform for Myanmar writers (Burmese & English)

Politics (Analysis, not news)

  • Target: 1 per month
  • Length: 2,000-3,500 words
  • Payment: $400-1,000
  • Deep dives into governance, democracy, societal change

February 2026 Sample Calendar

Week 1

  • Mon, Feb 2: Essay - "The Silence Economy" (Culture)
  • Wed, Feb 4: Feature - "Inside Yangon's Independent Bookstores" (Culture)
  • Sun, Feb 8: Major Feature - "The Myanmar Diaspora in Bangkok" (World)

Week 2

  • Mon, Feb 9: Essay - "What We Talk About When We Talk About Democracy" (Politics)
  • Fri, Feb 13: Fiction - Short story by emerging Myanmar writer

Week 3

  • Mon, Feb 16: Essay - "The Algorithm Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself" (Tech)
  • Wed, Feb 18: Profile - "The Chef Bringing Shan Cuisine to the World" (Culture)

Week 4

  • Mon, Feb 23: Essay - "Why Myanmar Needs More Public Spaces" (Modern Life)
  • Wed, Feb 25: Feature - "The Fight to Save Myanmar's Forests" (World)

Freelance Writer Network

Core Contributors (3-5 writers)

  • Political Analyst: Deep dives into Myanmar governance
  • Cultural Critic: Arts, film, literature reviews
  • Feature Reporter: Long-form investigative pieces
  • Fiction Editor: Curates short stories and poetry
  • Tech/Society Writer: Technology's impact on Myanmar

Payment Structure

  • Essays: $300-800
  • Features: $500-1,500
  • Profiles: $400-1,000
  • Fiction: $300-800
  • Reviews: $200-500

Revenue Model

Membership/Subscription Focus

  • 3-4 free articles per month, then paywall
  • Individual: $5/month (Myanmar), $15/month (International)
  • Annual: $50/year (Myanmar), $150/year (International)
  • Email newsletters drive subscriptions

Target: 500 paying subscribers by end of 2026 = $30,000-75,000/year

Next Steps

  1. ✅ Create content sections (Features, Essays, Politics, Fiction, Profiles)
  2. ✅ Set up writer briefs
  3. Recruit 3-5 core freelance writers
  4. Commission first 10 pieces (mix of content types)
  5. Set up subscription/membership in Ghost
  6. Launch newsletter strategy
  7. Start publishing 3-4x per week

Contact

Questions? Email: editor@akhayar.com.mm