REGULAR READERS of this page know I’ve been trying to tweak the format of the MISCmedia print magazine, trying to find that elusive formula for success (or at least non-failure).

Today, we’ll discuss a couple of the elements that, according to the experts contribute to success in the field of periodical print.

1. The virtual world created on real paper.

Even publications with few or no fiction texts create a highly selective “reality” based on what pieces of the real world they cover and the viewpoints they take toward those pieces. The result, if it’s executed properly, is an alternate reality readers can only experience through reading the magazine.

(Think of Cosmopolitan’s world of sassy young women enjoying hot careers and multiple orgasms, the pre-Steve Forbes’s world of thoughtful industrialist-philosophers, or Interview’s world of breezy starlets and fabulous fashion designers.

Many magazines also create their own “realities” via staged photo shoots, cartoons, and the like. Examples include fashion spreads, travelogue photos with pro models, and, of course, nudie pix.

Playboy took this a step further with the creation of the Playboy Mansion, in which the magazine’s fantasy world could be staged nightly for its photographers and invited guests.

2. The full-meal deal.

Legendary Saturday Evening Post editor George Lorimer once said something to the effect that a good magazine was like a good dinner. It should have an appetizing opening, a hearty main course, some delectable sides, and a fun dessert.

(I guess, by the same analogy, a good small newsletter-type publication might be like a handy, satisfying deli sandwich with chips and a Jones Soda. And a useful webzine might be like a Snickers.)

3. The clearly identifiable point of view, or “voice.”

The old New Yorker identity, in the Eustace Tilly mascot and in the writings of folk like E.B. White and co., was of a refined Old Money sensibility confronting the sound and fury of the modern urban world with a tasteful, distanced smirk.