Get Something Printed. - Writers Forum

Pawn · 02-24-2004, 05:36 PM

Afternoon, again.

No offense to eZines, but stuff em. It's all about something in your hand, real pages and real words. The magazine Pawn, soon to be operating on a monthly basis in Edinburgh, wants something to print. It wants you.

Speaking as a writer, rather than an editor, I'd say Pawn has unique requirements, which have their advantages and dissadvantages. Anyone who's familiar with writing a novella or something yet more substantial will know well the great task that it is.. for the rest of us who haven't, we can look to the same reason as to why. Luckily, Pawn wants just the opposite (though this naturally has it's cons as well as its prose - *pun alert*). Pawn's manifesto has some interesting things to say about it's content. For a start, it's opinion that we need, not journalism. The non-bias of journalism clashes horribly with it's inevitable result, which is opinionated review. Rather than pretend to be giving a professional critique, as journalism attempts, we've decided it's better to just give raw feeling - that's passion and opinion ladies. To return to where I started, at word length, the task is the inverse of a huge piece. That is to say that Pawn wants nothing over 600 words; its pieces are by design meant to be digestible, short and interesting. Features are meant to be short enough to encourage even the lazyest reader to take a crack at them, and interesting enough to reward them for their efforts.

What am I asking for then? Well, I'm asking for 200-600 words on something you care about. Something light is ideal, such as something on Film, Music or Art. A great band, an inspirational film or a work of astounding beauty or provocation are all perfect topics for writing. I would discourage writing on politics, unless you really think you can make it interesting. In this medium, magazine writing, one must always wish, before all else, to entertain the reader. If you can do that, then write what you will, but do care about it. When someone is really interested or impassioned about something, and writes it well, they produce a truly fascinating piece of literature.

And what do I give in return? Well, I would have you think for a second simply about the fact that if you write something worth publishing, it will appear in the hands of around 15,000 people within the next few months. This is not child play, this is serious business. I'm here because I think that there is more talent here than in a number of publishing offices. Pawn will be running at a loss for it's first 3 issues or so, and so unfortunately is unable to pay it's contributors to the first issue. However, those who write something for the first issue will be paid a small amount (as much as we can afford) come a return contribution to the second issue. Before a year is out, you can expect to be paid over 100 pounds (around $190) for a contribution. To be honest though, it's not about the money. It's about the joy of writing, the ability to express oneself creatively and the real potential to express feelings or ideas on a huge scale.

Hope I haven't bored you. If you are at all inquisitive or interested in submitting, you can of course reply to this post. You can also email me at cantlin@pawnmag.com, or visit http://www.pawnmag.com and leave a message on the forum there (you'll be sure to get a reply within an hour), which is a simple and easy one to use.

Thanks for the time of day. Ciao.

Quote:

"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."

northerain · 03-02-2004, 09:46 PM

Im up for the challenge...Where do i sign?

Sam · 03-03-2004, 07:20 AM

Question: What's your stance on videogames? Some people are vehement that games are not art, so I figured I better clarify your editorial viewpoint on this. Hey, that gives me an idea for an article...

Of course something a little less specialist-press* would be preferable, right? Maybe an article on the oddities of stereotyping, society, or similar.

*As in esoteric, not top-shelf.

Pawn · 03-03-2004, 07:10 PM

Well, I mentioned the broad topics of Film, Music and Art. You can of course state that a game is art, and go on in that vein. It isn't my place to tell you exactly what to write, but more to specifically a general area so that what you write doesn't clash horribly with the magazines particular voice and style.

When I have an idea for an article in Pawn, I always ask myself this, and find that it helps. If I was sitting in a Cafe, chilling out, would I read this topic if I saw it? In other words, is the subject interesting enough that joe bloggs is going to enjoy it over his coffee (or vodka and tonic, for that matter)?. Then, when you've written it, ask yourself if it's an entertaining and interesting read. So long as what you write is interesting and entertaining, the only thing that can stand in the way of it being published is a theme which won't fit. And there, you've got to use your discression. The only specifications that I can state to help you are those I've already stated:

200-600 words.
Idea taken from a piece of Art, Film or Music. Or an issue pertaining to the general field of any of those.
Entertaining to read.

Any of the below are ideal but not absolutely necessary:

Passionate.
Concise.
Amusing.

Put yourself in the mindset of someone in one of Pawns outlets - a pub, club, bar or cafe. You're sitting there, enjoying your drink, when you notice a magazine. You flick through it absently. The piece you ideally want to write is the one that they pause at, being caught by the title, and is so short and accessable (this is assured by the word count limitations) that they're willing to read it. Once they've got reading, they're likely to read more articles, and maybe take it home with them. Bingo. Another loyal Pawn reader.

A couple of examples of Pawn features are below:

"Wouldn't it be nice.." Love and Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys album which makes you want to fall in love.
"The Apathy of it all." Why does no one care about anything any more? What's wrong with us all? (this one's more of a general interesting piece, obviously).
"Vinyl of the month, CD of the month and MP3 of the month." Just some spotlighted releases which are particularly good.
"Most Talked About." This focuses on Pawns role as a 'conversation piece'. Pawn is meant to be stimulative to conversation, as a means to making it more attractive in social enviroments. This particular piece is just what we've been interested in recently; little snippits of interesting stuff that could feasibly be read out.
"PAWN Loves: Pink Floyd." Top Ten Pink Floyd Tracks.

I'd love something on a well known film, as the issue has rather alot of music in it just now and not enough of the other two areas. Art concerns me less, as its not a particularly interesting subject to our Joe Bloggs reader, but more of a cultural element to the magazine which is meant to bring it up a little in the world. One article on Art per issue is quite sufficient!

I do hope you'll have a go at an article. Whatever you write will get a full page photo commisioned to stand along side it, so don't worry about that (unless you wish to). "Where do I sign?" Why you just email me at cantlin@pawnmag.com, and I'll get back to you the very same day.

Ha tur! (Good luck!)

Keiser · 03-03-2004, 08:33 PM

This sounds very interesting and fun.

I'll start to think about an article, it will probably be something along movies.

I'll get back to you.

Pawn · 03-04-2004, 06:41 AM

Great

Anvilsmith · 03-08-2004, 12:25 PM

I'll join in with a few articles... I probably won't be able to write it today, but I do hope the first issue hasn't gotten into print yet. If all goes well and I end up free of Physics classes tomorrow, I'll ravage you with two to five texts, from which you can choose as many as you want.

Now, if you don't mind...

Quote:

"The Apathy of it all." Why does no one care about anything any more? What's wrong with us all?

Maybe it's because we're all hiding behind pleasantries, ignoring anything that doesn't "hook" us in less than ten seconds and preferring entertainment over awareness. I will admit, however, that these failures may only be removed along with the present state of the human species, and it certainly can't be influenced much by a single magazine.

Pawn · 03-08-2004, 03:29 PM

Ha! I think the removal of the present state, or just the entirity, of the human species would result in a substantial reduction in our problems. Glad to see you're interested Anvilsmith - I remember well the bane of Physics classes. *Looking forward to being ravaged*