A
partwork is a written publication released as a series of planned
magazine-like issues over a period of time. Issues are typically released on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis, and often a completed set is designed to form a reference work on a particular topic.
Partwork series run for a determined length and have a finite life. Generally, partworks cover specific areas of interest, such as sports, hobbies, or children's interest and stories such as
PC Ace and the successful
The Ancestral Trail series by
Marshall Cavendish Ltd. They are generally sold at
newsagents and are mostly supported by massive
television advertising campaigns for the launch. In the
United Kingdom, partworks are usually launched by heavy television advertising each January.
Partworks often include cover-mounted
giveaways with each issue that build into a complete set over time.
For example, a partwork about art might include a small number of paints or pencils that build into a complete collection; a partwork about
dinosaurs might include a few
replica bones that build a complete model skeleton at the end of the series; a partwork about
films may include a
DVD with each issue. In
Europe, partworks with collectable models are extremely popular; there are a number of different publications that come with character figurines or
diecast model vehicles, for example: The
James Bond Car Collection.
In addition, completed partworks have sometimes been used to create case-bound reference works/
encyclopedias. Some examples are: the multi-volume
Illustrated Science and Invention Encyclopedia which was created from the
How It Works partwork and the multi-volume
Mysteries of Mind, Space and Time which was created from
The Unexplained partwork.
In the UK, partworks are the fourth-best selling magazine sector, after TV listing guides, women's weeklies and women's monthlies. A common inducement is to heavily discount the first one or two issues. The same series can be sold worldwide in different languages and even in different variations.
History
Partworks were first produced in the mid-twentieth century, with the earliest examples being serialized encyclopedias, with publishers soon branching out to topics including cookery books and series on gardening and car maintenance.
Criticisms
Partworks, particularly those that contain parts for the production of a model or similar collectable items that are individually of little value, often draw criticism for the extremely high prices of their finished product. Examples of models that cost over £400 to produce are cited, and some subscribers complain they have parts missing that they are unable to replace.
Notable partwork publishers
- De Agostini, who have approximately 50% of the worldwide market
