Your help is needed in starting a new creative magazine!

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sebsloth
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18 Oct 2017, 6:55 pm

As a sixteen -year old with Asperger’s syndrome I know all too well, how it feels to share extensive knowledge on your passion with someone, only to be met with blank expressions; bored by your knowledge regarding the history of mechanical keyboards, disengaged by your talk on your extensive manga collection and simply baffled by the thesis you recently spent hours developing regarding the topic of consciousness and reality.

I believe strongly that young people on the autistic spectrum need an outlet, a place to submit their musings- more specifically, a magazine.

My vision is of an inclusive magazine, created solely by those on the spectrum. I wish for it to be a source that the autistic reader will be able to derive a sense of belonging from. Whilst the neurotypical reader is offered the opportunity to indulge themselves in a wealth of passion, creativity and knowledge that is unique to the autistic brain.
I have found that autistic young people are able to produce astonishing content on their topics of interest. I am inviting you to submit whatever and I mean literally whatever you want to contribute towards the magazine. (the content of this magazine must be eclectic, so surprise me!)

Some examples of possible contributions:
-Reviews (be it video game, board game, book, music, figurine, film, anime, manga, clothing or technology reviews)
- Essays/theories (philosophical, sociological, psychology based, abstract, humorous, personal)
- Articles (opinion pieces, current affairs, protest pieces)
- Art (traditional, digital, photography, comics, poems, short stories, song lyrics)
- Tutorials (computer programming, craft-related, Lego building, modding, cosplay, LARPING)

Examples of articles I myself have written/plan on writing (and intend on including in the magazine) include- Virtual Reality- The Psychological Impacts, Why Suffering Is Intrinsic to Human Nature, Fidget Spinners: A Revolution, The Social Construction of Gender Normativity, Casual Homophobia, The Autism Spectrum and Gender Identity, Animal Crossing: An Autistic’s Dream, and Reality is Relative.

The word limit for submissions is flexible. I suggest a 500word limit per article (simply because as someone on the spectrum I am aware of how important having a word limit is for many autistic individuals.) However, if one wishes to submit a large feature (spanning multiple pages even) this shall be accepted :D


I am specifically on the lookout for cover art for the first issue.

I would also love to have a “collector’s corner” page, where each issue a different individual’s collection (of anything- stamps, comics, dice, books, video games, anime, manga, shark teeth, figurines, empty packets, coins, reptiles, retro magazines, guitars etc.), is given the “spotlight.”
If you have a collection you want to showcase, just send in some photographs of your collection (as many as you want & they will later be narrowed down) accompanied by a piece of writing about it- giving an overview of why you collect what they do, your favourite item in the collection, any history, facts or personal memories associated with it, or anything else you wish to share (500 words)

Certain specifications such as the name of the magazine, the page count, publication dates etc. are yet to be finalised.
It shall likely be a monthly publication, printed from home. Being involved in this project shall yield no economical profit for contributors (for the time being) only a mental one -of great satisfaction (I am doing this with my own money and time).
The magazine shall be distributed for free (for the time being) at my college. However, if one has contributed to the magazine they will receive a copy, personally sent to them in the post by myself (if within the UK). If one wishes to have access to an issue (digitally) and print and distribute copies of them themselves in their local area too, I would be very happy for this to happen.
The magazine is aimed at the age group of 13-21 years.
I wish for this to be an accepting, inviting and creative opportunity to be a part of.


Please, do not be afraid to submit your work. I am very likely to accept most (if not all submissions). If it is clear to me that passion or thought has gone into a submission it shall be accepted- no hesitations.
Email submissions (or questions) to- [email protected]

I must be clear that this is not a magazine focused on autism. My desire is for it to feature an eclectic mix of creative media, created by those on the spectrum. (This is not to say that I am not ruling out essays, articles or artwork specifically on the topic of autism whatsoever! I am simply likely to limit the number of pieces talking directly about the topic of autism to one or two pieces per issue.) I do not wish for, upon opening the magazine, it to be “in your face” obvious that it was solely written by those with autism (this will be introduced in the editor’s note). What will be clear is that it was created by extremely gifted individuals.



Clakker
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19 Oct 2017, 11:55 am

What a great idea. Starting an online magazine for the target audience of 13-21 is more cost effective and might be the preferred way to built a readership over social media. Below are two magazines in the neurodiversity movement which have chosen the emagazine route.

NOS Magazine http://nosmag.org
Barking Sycamores http://neurodiversitymatters.com/barkingsycamores/


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AspieUtah
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19 Oct 2017, 12:20 pm

Clakker wrote:
What a great idea. Starting an online magazine for the target audience of 13-21 is more cost effective and might be the preferred way to built a readership over social media. Below are two magazines in the neurodiversity movement which have chosen the emagazine route.

NOS Magazine http://nosmag.org
Barking Sycamores http://neurodiversitymatters.com/barkingsycamores/

Thanks for the tips. I subscribed to both magazines! :)


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sebsloth
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19 Oct 2017, 1:34 pm

Thank you for such great sources!!
I am likely to publish issues electronically, (perhaps as the main source), as costing is clearly an obstacle that I shall need to consider and deal with effectively. However, I am also rather set on distributing a certain number of physical copies within my local area (even if it is a limited number). This is in fact very likely, I believe, largely due to being on the spectrum- I love having physical copies of "things" & being able to collect them. Thus I want other people who are the same as me, in this regard, to have this luxury of having physical copies of this magazine :)



blast335
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19 Oct 2017, 4:49 pm

Oh my God, I nearly fell out of my chair reading this! This is a great idea!

I would love to write articles for this if you would let me.

My special interest is...

Well, I guess you could say it's video games and manga, but I have near-special-interest-levels of knowledge on a few other subjects.

One idea for a small column in the magazine could be titled "From the outside in" or something like that.
It would be written by an autistic or aspie, who has been successful with social interactions (or at least more so than the average one) about their experiences.

Another idea would be a Q&A thing. Readers would write in, say about a social interaction where they didn't understand what was going on. It could be an NT asking about why the autistic they were talking to suddenly stopped talking and looked at the ground. Or it could be an aspie wondering about why their NT cousin got mad at them for something. It would ideally be answered by both an autistic/aspie and an NT (preferably one who regularly deals with autistics/aspies)

If you would let me help, please send me a PM.


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thebelgradebelief
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19 Oct 2017, 7:56 pm

This is a nice idea. My only special interest is the Beatles and occasionally a video game, and I don't have any collections cause I'm broke. I'm a hell of an editor, though.


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CockneyRebel
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19 Oct 2017, 10:55 pm

I think that's a wonderful idea. I have lots of ideas for articles. I'd also like to show pictures of my Sweet Pea collection.


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sebsloth
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20 Oct 2017, 5:51 pm

Thank you both.

I am really interested in your ideas! @Thebelgradebelief If you wanted to help out and take on the role of editing, once work has been submitted, I would be very grateful! Of course if you wished to submit articles too, that would be great.

@CockneyRebel That's fantastic! I am enthused to hear about your ideas! I would love to see pictures of your collection! If you do not wish to share them here, you could email them to me? :)



puddingmouse
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20 Oct 2017, 6:32 pm

Best of luck to you. What a smashing idea! I would be all over this if I wasn't too old for it.

You sound like a clever, creative person.


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naturalplastic
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21 Oct 2017, 11:41 am

Sounds like a great idea.

When Wrong Planet had the old layout you could do blogs. But the current WP doesn't offer blogging capability.

Had some ideas for blog themes. Maybe I could submit them as op eds in your magazine.