Daniela Medina

May 28, 2014

daniela-medina@live.com

Style Analysis

Word Count: 4762

Publication for cultural awareness and society

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I. Who am I?

I’ve never been the type of girl who sits and writes endlessly. As a little girl, I

unsuccessfully attempted to keep track of my adventures using a diary. I never developed the

discipline to write or read for my daily enjoyment. Instead, I developed a passion for the arts that

eventually led to drawing in my sketchbook at seven in the morning, fingers uncovered, a light

jacket for easy movement, in the midst of 60 degree weather without ever feeling a desire to run

inside a building and hide from the cold. I could feel the peace wash over my body and leave me

in a state of tranquility as I prepared to begin my painting or drawing. The thought of how long it

has been since I was able to feel my passions come to life clenches my heart and weakens my

spirit.

Nevertheless, writing and analyzing aspects of world cultures has rekindled my spirit. It’s

not the same type of passion that I feel for art, but rather a different facet of my desire to

communicate in a different way. It is only through writing that I’m able to reflect on my own

life, my surroundings, and our society. Yes, I can paint, photograph, and draw a moment in time,

but I can’t tell the viewer why it’s so important. Instead, my artwork would become guesswork

as observers attempt to find the “hidden meaning.”

I write to express those ideas that I can’t seem to convey in paper. I want to publish work

that is highly based on my own personal perspective. I particularly enjoy writing reflections on

advertisement, media campaigns, and societies expectations. In addition, I would love to write

pieces based on a mixture of research and personal input. Research is one of my favorite

pastimes and it’s probably why I can’t seem to get to the point of writing. I will research for

hours at a time on whatever topic grabs my attention. I’ll read different perspectives,

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contradictory viewpoints, and reflect on my own bias and conclusions. The topics I particularly

enjoy researching range from language, gender, and societies double standards.

II.

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II. Market Analysis

Publication #1: The Sun (Print)

Editor’s Name: Sy Safransky

Submission Guidelines:

They generally publish for essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry written from a

personal perspective. The work shouldn’t be longer than seven thousand words but there

is no minimum length. The submission doesn’t need a query letter, unless it’s an

interview, since they’re more interested on what you do with the topic. They are open to

reading previously published works but only pay about half their usual rate.

Their payment amount depends on the type of work that is submitted. The two highest

paying categories are essays and interviews and fiction. In addition, contributors receive a

complementary one-year subscription to the magazine. The purchase only gives The Sun

one-time usage rights.

They recommend taking a close look at the magazine prior to submission and give

you free access to a sample issue online. The submission itself should be typed, double-

spaced, and bring a self-addressed stamped envelope. They also recommend not sending

your only copy, since it won’t be returned or respond unless the return envelope is

provided. They do not accept any emailed or faxed submissions. The submission must be

shipped to:

Editorial Department

The Sun

107 N. Roberson St.

Chapel Hill, NC 27416

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Publication #2: The Humanist (Print)

Editors Names: Maggie Ardiente and Jennifer Bardi

Submission Guidelines:

They accept unsolicited and simultaneous submissions, as well as queries. They

recommend the authors to look through the material published through the site in order to

understand their audience. They will usually publish timely articles rather than

philosophical ideas. However, they accept different work ranging from news, politics,

science, humor, poetry, short fiction, and cartoons.

The submission should be emailed to write@thehumanist.com. The work should

not be over 2,000 words if intended to publish on the website. Submissions for feature

articles for the magazine should be between 1,500 to 3,000 words. Columns should range

between 700 to 1,400 words, while editorials range from 500 to 1,500 words. All

submissions must full contact information such as address, phone, and email. They

should have a brief two to three sentence biographical statement (and headshot for online

submissions). Your submission should also specify if you would like it to be considered

for TheHumanist.com, the Humanist magazine, or both.

Their response time process varies so there will not be any individual critique or

explanation if the submission is rejected.

Publication #3: Pacific Standard (Print)

Editor’s Name: Maria Streshinsky

Submission Guidelines:

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They search for writers who can “tell deeply reported, gripping tales while

plumbing the intellectual, theoretical, and empirical context that surrounds them.” Their

topics of interest cover economics, education, society and justice, the environment. They

want their articles to be thought provoking in regards to individuals, institutions, cultures,

and behaviors.

They have different expectations for each section of their magazine. For their

online articles, they publish “a variety of smart, fun stories—reported features, essays,

columns, and more” that are relevant to recent news and events. The work must be

interesting enough to be shareable through social media and lead the reader to visit the

site for daily reading.

If the submission is for a feature stories, they have a wide variety of acceptable

material. They enjoy “vividly reported stories or profiles” embedded with interesting

research, personal essays grounded on cultural or social experience, ideas that change the

way we look at the world, or “evidence-driven polemics that gleefully run against the

grain of convention.” Their favorite pieces are those filled with research and data to help

the reader comprehend a misunderstood subject.

Submissions for the “Prospectors,” on the other hand, should be between 700 to

800 words. The concepts must be new and “outlandish but promising” or simply “a little

off beat.” For the “Five Studies” column, it must consist of a short introduction, and five

150-word descriptions of a piece of research. The research must achieve a new

understanding on a popular subject. The subjects should usually build on each other and

written in a fun tone.

The cultural essays or economic submissions should be between1,200 and 2,000

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words. It should give the reader a new way to think about the topic and understand the

social science literature that pertains to the subject. Book essays should link books into a

specific social or behavioral science standpoint. The books can be academic or popular

but must have ability to “be harnessed for a broad lay audience.”

Lastly, they accept submissions for their back page. It must be a “short personal

narrative essay about the interaction between a big social or behavioral pattern” and a

personal experience. It should be a sort of introspective autobiography with “gemlike

writing” of 700 words.

All submissions must be innovative and conscious of jargon. “Writers receive

careful, thoughtful, collegial, and stringent editing, with the aim of making sophisticated

ideas and research accessible to an educated public.”

All queries should be sent via email. Print submissions should be sent to

editor@psmag.com and online pitches should be sent to njackson@psmag.com.

Publication #4: sojourners (Print)

Editor’s Name: Jim Wallis

Submission Guidelines:

They request writers to send a query letter of 400 words or less instead of the

manuscript itself. They must be addressed as “magazine query” in the subject line of the

email, include the query in the body of the message rather than an attachment. The query

must specify the desire to include the article in the magazine instead of their blog. It must

also assure the editor that the article has not been published elsewhere or been submitted

to another publication simultaneously. In addition, it should have a two to three sentence

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description of yourself, your address, phone number, and email address. If submitted via

mail, a self-addressed and stamped envelope must be included with the query.

The articles must treat “biblical, social, political, economic, theological,

community or church themes” from a Christian perspective. If speaking about a problem,

solutions within the article are encouraged. Gender-neutral language is also important

when writing.

The feature articles must be between 1,200 to 2,800 words while commentaries

are 400 to 600 words on public events. However, commentaries are prepared three

months in advance and other articles are curated six months in advance. Current events

would pertain to the blog. Reading of previous magazines is encouraged.

Book, film, or music reviews must be sent to reviews@sojo.net. They length

should be between 500 to 1,000 words. Unpublished poems can only be sent to the postal

address below. They should intersect with or illuminate the perspective of the magazine,

“reflect simple celebrations of life and beauty,” or reference a season or significant day.

They do not accept prose fiction though.

Response to queries takes four weeks or more while manuscripts of poems and

reviews take eight weeks or more. The editors might edit the article after submission.

They assume they will be able to reprint the article. The payment ranges from $50 to

$400. Their address is:

Sojourners

3333 14th St. NW

Suite 200

Washington, DC 20010

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Publication #5: Harpers (Print)

Editor’s Name: Ellen Rosenbush

Submission Guidelines:

The magazine accepts nonfiction and unsolicited fiction and poetry. Nonfiction

queries should be sent to:

Harper’s Magazine

666 Broadway

11th Floor

New York, NY 10012

They should include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. If the manuscripts are

unsolicited, the magazine will not return them. Same rules apply to unsolicited poetry.

Submissions are not accepted through email. The magazine will neither consider nor

return unsolicited nonfiction manuscripts.

Publication #6: Yes! Magazine (Print)

Editor’s Name: Doug Pibel and Christa Hillstrom

Submission Guidelines:

They welcome submissions that relate to “creating a more just, sustainable, and

compassionate world. They contain a section of articles focused on solutions to

“ecological, social, and political problems.” The stories must be written in a storytelling

structure and must contain accurate facts. In addition, they accept stories of positive

change to serve as inspiration for others.

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They do not accept unsolicited poetry or fiction. Personal essays can be

considered if they touch on issues of culture, politics, or the environment. The essay

doesn’t need to be founded on any specific faith or secularism.

The payment for submissions varies depending on the circumstance. If the article

is published online, it’s generally unpaid. The work will also be able to be reprinted and

translated.

All queries and proposals should be sent electronically. Features should be

between 1,000 to 2,500 words in length, while sidebars range from 100 to 250, and

commentary section of 500.

Publication #7: Aeon Magazine (Online)

Editor’s Name: Marina Benjamin and Pan Weintraub

Submission Guidelines:

They enjoy submissions like “reportage and essays” especially when it’s about an

innovative concept. They don’t accept submissions for fiction or poetry.

They ask to send electronically “a half-page pitch, sketching out the entire outline

of the piece” to editorial@aeonmagazine.com. In the pitch, they would like the writer to

include a bit about who they are and what connection they have to the topic. They would

also like suggestions as to where the article should be placed in the website. Lastly, they

would like samples of published writing.

Publication #8: Orion magazine (Online)

Editors Names: Jennifer Sahn and Andrew Blechman

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Submission Guidelines:

Submissions must distinguish themselves from common culture through “depth of

inquiry, commitment to interdisciplinary thought,” and emphasis on imaginative problem

solving. Unsolicited essays, narrative nonfiction, interviews, and short fiction themed on

nature, culture, and place are welcome.

Feature pieces should range between 1,200 words to 5,000. Prior understanding

and reading of the magazine is requested. Submissions are accepted three times a year

during a specific window. Only one submission is allowed per person in each window. If

it is submitted in another publication, they must be notified.

Response time can be anywhere from three months or longer wait time. The

Orion prefers manuscripts and queries to be sent online, but hard copy submissions can

be sent to:

Submissions Editor

Orion

187 Main StreetGreat

Barrington, Massachusetts 01230

Publication #9: The Awl (Online)

Editor’s Name: Alex Balk and CHoire Sicha

Submission Guidelines:

They review proposals and pre-written stories. They don’t care about word count.

They would rather publish work under their real names for accountability. They don’t

want previously published work. However, they encourage sending work out to “top-

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paying publications” prior to submitting it to them. Most of the work submitted is

nonfiction but short fiction and fiction are sometimes accepted.

They are primarily interested on observed nonfiction or cultural studies.

Submissions should examine history, “media affairs, strange occurrences,” and ideas. It

can include data, interviews, profiles of individuals or institutions, or giving deeper

insights on topics of interest. They “particularly enjoy” series that help explain a facet of

history.

Any content that is submitted from a first person perspective should “document an

unusual experience that illuminates an obscure, private or alien event, profession or

affair” so that it connects with the audience in agreement for the experience.

They can be contacted via email at notes@theawl.com.

Publication #10: Conscious Magazine (Online)

Editor’s Name: Kristen Kumpf

Submission Guidelines:

They enjoy stories of “people who work boldly above and beyond their everyday

responsibilities to inspire other.” They include information about local and global

problems along with a solution. They focus on “places to go, things to do and buy that

gives back.” They really want to highlight a conscious culture in regards to “style, travel,

dining, lifestyle, and more.” Their writing guidelines are very concise. The submissions

must be done through their online form. The writing must be “creative, educational, and

conversational” with a word count of 300 to 500 for online submissions. If any other

websites are mentioned in the submission, the links must be provided.

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III. Introduction

I always saw consumer magazines to be cheap, unreliable, and irrelevant. At least, the

initial image I would come up with at the mention of the word “magazine” led me to imagine

such bland and disappointing images focused around celebrity gossip. Yes, I was aware high end

magazines existed and had better content but they were still filled with an overwhelming amount

of advertisement that I didn’t find relevant to my taste. I’ve always had a hard time finding

individuals who have the same sort of perspective as me, so a magazine dedicated to discussing

cultural issues seemed pretty far-fetched.

The two magazines I chose are a reflection of what I love, what I’m curious about, and

what I hope to research in the future. Pacific Standard was the type of magazine you always

come back for because nothing else compared to it. It was the third magazine I picked up, and it

was the only one I have subscribed for. I couldn’t help explore the magazine further as the main

topic of the magazine in the middle read “Does The Science Of Human Behavior Only Show Us

What We Want To See?” The idea of reading and writing about “human behavior,” “life-

hacking,” and “intellectual crisis in the age of TED talks” spoke to my inner passions. The most

interesting fact about the cover was the fact that they didn’t place much emphasis on what the

publication was about. Instead, it seemed to focus on the content rather than the medium, seeing

as the purpose of the magazine was written in a slightly bigger font as the price.

It was the art, finish, and aesthetic value of the magazine itself that sold me on making a

purchase. I was hypnotized by the beautiful cover that showcased digitally created watercolor

shapes overlapping one another in dark blue, light blue, and pink hues, perfectly symmetrical on

both sides, with an upside down heart revealing white space with hints of pinks, with the main

topic written in white for a dramatic, clean, and modern effect.

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My online publication, aeon magazine, also has these same types of characteristics and

style. The home page is also mostly white with bright, simple, and vivid photographs and

graphics to accompany each of the feature articles. Every article is separated by at least a quarter

inch of white space to allow the viewer to shift topics easily from reading about “philosophy” to

“art” to scientific discoveries. The articles themselves were very clear as to what kind of time

would be expected for each article since the word count was clearly labeled and ranged from

1,700 to 3,700.

As I’ve established previously, visuals are one of the most important factors when

deciding where I would like to publish. However, it is the type of content, tone, and length of

articles that gives me the opportunity to write for them or not. A lot of magazines only accept

submissions up to 2,000 words for feature articles, which can be a bit limiting if you are hoping

to include your own ideas and research. The fact that the “World Views” section of the website

was filled with articles of my interest of different aspects of culture ranging in topics of beauty,

ethics, and language gave me the final nod of approval.

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IV. Subjects Covered in Publications: Cultural Human Behaviors

Pacific Standard’s editor, Maria Streshinsky, defines the work showcased in the

magazine as stories “illuminated by empirical research.” The magazine goes through a wide

range of topics ranging from economics, to languages, to the school systems, to movies, to

subcultures. It essentially deals with different aspects of our lives and the way in which it’s

influenced by different factors. The authors vary greatly and each have a very distinctive writing

style as they separate ideas to conform to each particular section and overall theme of the

magazine.

One of the feature articles essentially sets the tone for the magazine. The editor explains

that Jerry Adler’s story, “The Reformation,” brought to life the issues that the popularity of

social and behavioral sciences have encountered. The most important point made was the amount

of reliable information being sacrificed for inaccurate and “exciting” news. It recalled a need to

depict data honestly and to stop glorifying “the single study.”

Going in the pattern, another article references the need to re-examine not only new data

but previously published information. The article titled “A Dozen Words for Misunderstood”

reviews published data on the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, adds research, and forms an

uncomfortable yet innovative idea. Different authors in this medium focus on different sections

of the human mind. Rachel Levin focuses on the changing mentality of gratuity and technology

in regards to dining. Jennifer Ouellette informs us of her experience understanding the “law of

perception” as a path that “somehow transcends our own way of looking at the world” through

filmography. The stories in the magazine do not necessarily build upon each other, but they do

deal with the core of the magazine: human behavior.

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Aeon Magazine places a general focus on “ideas and culture” and divides its articles

within five different sections. Their major themes are “World Views,” “Nature & Cosmos,”

“Being Human,” “Living Together,” and “Altered States.” These themes explore a variety of

topics ranging from belief systems, culture explorations, scientific discoveries, psychology,

anatomy, and even imagination. Their categories are quite broad which explains why they have

275 contributors. The most interesting fact about these writers is that they are not only based in

their England. Instead, they are contributors from around the globe with different professions and

expertise. These authors emerge from the corners of Latin America, Africa, Australia, India, and

the United States, among others.

The sections allow for a wide variety of content, viewpoints, and ideas even if it does

regard the same topic. What stands out when comparing this particular online publication to

other magazines is their ability to publish different writers, with different styles, and tones, yet

blend them into the same basic idea. For instance, in the “World Views” section, an article

“Beauty ≠ Truth” is written as an essay from a critical perspective of science’s version of beauty,

while “Automated Ethics” analyses the ethical issues of creating technology without the

involvement of human control, leaving technology without human control. At the same time,

another article is written from a reflective perspective titled “Return to Nib’s Knoll” where the

author wishes to play a game where “language is all you need. If you can write, it can be real.” A

theme also referenced by Ben Faccini from a nostalgic perspective and appreciation for

bilingualism and multilingualism.

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V. Audience of Publications: Educated, Modern, & Forward Thinkers

Pacific Standard’s cover art is reminiscent of contemporary art. An art style that has

become popular in the last couple of years due to it’s sleekness, clean lines, modernity, and

emphasis on color. An image and idea reflected on Aeon, where white space holds five different

deep and rich colored text as it jumps off the page accompanied by contrasting, bright, colorful

photographs and paintings. The design of both magazines focuses on giving the reader easy

access to the content. This type of artwork would not be seen to have much value for older

generations though since they would favor classic and subtle artwork.

The individuals who read the Pacific Standard have a passion for changing the world.

The few advertisements in the magazine revolve around topics of “the fundamental rights to a

healthy environment,” books with the power to change the world, magazines encouraging free

speech, and attempts to create funds for college and medical needs of children. These types of

advertisements are geared towards upper middle class individuals. This becomes clear, as one of

the advertisements lowest “suggested amount” is fifty dollars. A different tactic to the

advertisements geared towards lower-income individuals, who are asked for money by using a

division of the amounts in cents or “one dollar per day.”

The fact that both magazines showcase long essays, interviews, and personal works leads

me to believe, the main audience is one with higher education. These types of individuals usually

search for deeper knowledge rather than the basic snippets of information commonly given in the

news or popular magazines. The words used in the written works themselves were also quite

sophisticated. One of the articles from Aeon used works such as “ubiquitousness, tendrils,

besuited,” and “rudiments,” which would leave the average individual searching for the closest

dictionary.

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I find it hard to imagine than an audience younger than 20 without any college education,

would be interested or enjoy this type of work. Recent graduates might not be the perfect

audience either though as they struggle to settle into their own independence. I would estimate

the ages of the target audience to be between the ages of 25 to 35. A secondary audience could

include older and mature men around 55 to 65 who are interested in a progressive future. Pacific

Standard might be geared towards individuals living in the United States but Aeon focuses on a

worldwide audience as it reflects the backgrounds of the writers themselves.

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VI. Purpose of Publications: Create innovation

A reader might initially pick up Pacific Standard out of curiosity and desire to learn other

viewpoints. Those who grab it might gravitate towards the graphics, the same way I did, or

maybe it’s the matte finish of the cover, or simply the topic being discussed. The expectations

are not those of a quick read considering the complexity of the topic and the fact that they

separate themselves from others by focusing on “the science of society.” Science is never short

but always complex and explained by research. It’s geared to educate and discuss topics that

affect the society we live in. The cover implies that there are analyses created from data. It’s not

a matter of putting facts on paper, but rather relating them to the culture that we are part of. It’s

the type of magazine you would read on a mid-afternoon tea session filled with relaxation and

time to allow innovative ideas to resonate within your mind.

Aeon can’t be “picked up” but it can be subscribed to for daily doses of new content of

original ideas. This is not the type of website you happen to stumble upon. It took me about six

hours to find it and culture was one of my key words. I’m fairly sure it was due to the fact that

the magazine is actually curated in London. Once you find it, the expectations are very clear as

to how long you would need to read for, as each article clearly stated the word count. The

website also gives you an expectation of innovative ideas as it touches on a wide range of

scientific findings, cultural discoveries, and artistic profiles.

Both of these magazines have a unique approach to learning about the world around us.

They both emphasize the need for innovative thinking and ideas as a way to shape modern

society. Their readers are searching for this same type of information conveyed in a very

personal, knowledgeable, and accurate approach.

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VII. Writing Style of Publications: Storytelling Research

The voice of each publication varies as the author and topic shifts. Pacific Standard

emphasizes a need to connect to the audience on a personal level. They usually start their stories

from a personal perspective and slowly go into detail about the topic they want to cover. For

instance, “The Lottery” by Jessica Hopper starts off with a tone of uncertainty. She describes the

way in which “getting into preschool seemed mythological” but once the child was accepted it

became a struggle of “wondering aloud whether to drive the Bentley or the Benz.” This sentence

on it’s own shows us how important, exclusive, and rare good education is in Chicago.

We also see this type of storytelling technique in articles such as “The Wretched Table”

where transitions and starting sentences with “And” keep the reader engaged. She begins

describing her own experience dining with her friend, but then turns the attention to the research

conducted where it’s concluded that “a lot of the moral issues on how we should live our life is

on food.” She never says it’s been published in a particular journal, but rather gives her friend

credibility by introducing her and telling the audience that she received a MacArthur Fellowship

in 1998.

The magazine doesn’t only do this while analyzing a long article, but also during short

columns labeled as “quick study.” In a particular section about Mac and PC, the author manages

to connect to their audience through by negating the idea that “the computer you use says a lot

about your personality.” He quickly recounts a research study done regarding this, and

summarizes it without much detail, as laptops do not form part of a human’s identity. Aeon also

uses storytelling techniques in the same manner although not necessarily so personal but more

from an analytical perspective. Between the two, I would most likely be able to publish my work

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on the online source since I feel the categories of the Pacific Standard to be confining, where as

Aeon gives you more freedom.

I’m still developing my own writing style so I would need to practice quite a bit before I

would be able to submit any work. For the last couple of years, I have created essays by

drowning myself in research and writing based on my investigation. Only until recently was I

able to find my voice and begin writing with the letter “I” which seems to be key when relating

on a personal level with the audience.

My future creations wouldn’t need to focus so much on the tone itself but rather the

rhythm of the essay. The articles for these magazines are based on research that is embedded into

the stories themselves, not the other way around. Storytelling is essential when creating work for

any of these publications. Once I master these writing methods, I would love to have interviews

with individuals from different cultures based on scholarly research and ask them to verify or

deny the of conclusions made by outsiders. Both of these publications call for new ideas or

innovation. I believe that if we are to study culture we cannot simply repeat what outsiders view

to represent a culture. Instead, we must go to the source and make sure that the information that

is shared through print or online mediums is accurate. These magazines study culture in their

behavioral and social aspects so they would be the perfect forum to initiate a conversation filled

with truth and zero speculation.

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