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Original poster

Anyone interested in writing for an online magazine for pre-teen girls that does not feature makeup, boys, horses, cute animals, pink or glitter?

266 replies

MmeLindor. · 04/03/2012 22:27

Before anyone reports me to MNHQ, this is a voluntary, non-profit making blog that I am thinking about creating.

I am sick fed up of looking for interesting magazines for my 9 year old daughter that does not feature the above. Most of the comics/magazines are so boring that she flicks through them then discards.

Who decided that all pre-teen girls are only interested in stuff like that? I think that they might be persuaded to read a bi-weekly online magazine with other topics.

My daughter loves art, for example. I could see her loving a magazine that featured stories of artists, or history of art. Maybe your dd likes to read about astronomy, science, geography, or maybe you work in that field and would like to write an article explaining what you do.

We could have articles about technology, about politics (in a general way, explaining about the upcoming US election, and how they vote), about countries, people and how they live.

I would set up the blog and anyone could submit articles for publication. I would be looking to have two articles a week on set days.

Anyone interested?

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StewieGriffinsMom · 06/03/2012 14:55

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QueenoftheVerse · 06/03/2012 14:55

I think this is an absolutely fantastic idea, and I wish someone had thought of it when I was a kid.

I find it quite sad though that you felt you had to cut out horses/horse riding from your idea as it the only sport (as far as I'm aware) that men and women can compete in, at all levels, on an equal basis i.e. in the same classes and against each other. Even in local shows/competitions. If you're aiming to create a fairer society that values men and women as equals, you're not going to get a better starting point than the equestrian world.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 14:53

Fashion through the ages and how women have suffered to look 'good'- corsets and crinolines - that kind of thing always interested me

Like the media studies idea - I have a contributor in that field who has some ideas.

I am looking to set the website up in the coming days. We should have a few initial articles ready for when we go live, so that people keep clicking.

ILLUSTRATORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS NEEDED

it needs to be quite a visual medium, so that it doesn't look dry and boring. All posts should have a photo or illustration. This fits well to the theme I have chosen.

We will have FB and buttons, which I know are controversial on here but will be good for target audience. Not sure about twitter - feels like an adult medium - maybe just to promote to the parents.

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PeppermintPanda · 06/03/2012 13:51

What a brilliant idea. My writing sucks, but if you want someone to contribute some illustrations to go along with other people's articles and fiction then I would love to join in. Will email now...

hanahsaunt · 06/03/2012 13:37

Haven't read the whole thread - sorry - but has anyone mentioned Aquila magazine? My 11yo ds loves it and seems to tick all the boxes suggested on p1. I think lots of the better magazines for the target audience are subscription based and not easily available in the supermarket.

LapsedPacifist · 06/03/2012 13:32

I think that aiming at 9-13/14 is about right. Articles about careers and a general ethos of educational aspiration will have particular resonance for girls who are thinking about GSCE choices in year 9 so it would be good to include young teens. And lots of girls of that age are not particularly interested in fashion, boys or celebs. I was a fat nerdy Georgette Heyer addict one of them!

A touch of the much-and-unfairly-despised Media Studies wouldn't go amiss either. Teaching our girls to deconstruct media messages and recognise marketing ploys can never start to early. Jokey articles about "celebrity" culture would be good. Discussions about why doctors and ambulance drivers who save lives every day are not called "celebs" but the girlfriends of footballers are. And why do they all have to dye their skin and hair, and have fake nails and boobs? That sort of thing!

BenderBendingRodriguez · 06/03/2012 13:21

you could also look at different 'style tribes' - goth, crusty, punk - what makes that look in terms of hair/clothes/make up and why people choose to follow it. as a kid i was fascinated by people who cultivated really strong, out-there looks and thought full-on goth girls were the most beautiful creatures ever!

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 13:17

Thanks, EduStudent - yes agree with that.

We can still do make up and fashion, but for pre-teens not mini-adults.

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Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 13:16

Ok, 8 - 12 then?

Yes, see your point that a 14 yo would not be interested in the same things.

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EduStudent · 06/03/2012 13:09

Have emailed. Fantastic idea.

Things like fashion etc don't necessarily need to be excluded - articles on the creative side, the design process, the techniques etc can be interesting and educational whilst avoiding the 'how to look like you're 10 years older than you are' crap. Same with music - articles on songwriting, different instruments etc rather than pop stars' favourite lipgloss or whatnot.

bejeezus · 06/03/2012 12:49

ah...xposted with merrylegs

bejeezus · 06/03/2012 12:49

hmm...I think the content/level for an 8 year old would/should be different than for a 14 year old?

maybe that band is too wide?

not sure...

Merrylegs · 06/03/2012 12:47

DD is 11. I would call that a pre-teen. I would say 8-12/13- we cannot be all things to all people so a definite target audience is a must.

Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 12:39

SGM
Yes, that is good. I want to focus on the achievements of the children, not on unreachable sleb lifestyles.

Target audience? What would you say is a pre-teen? I was thinking of my daughter, who is almost 10yo but I think this could be good for ages 8 to 14yo. What do you think?

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bejeezus · 06/03/2012 12:33

Also, is there a lower limit to the target audience?

StewieGriffinsMom · 06/03/2012 12:27

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Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 11:15

Bender
Yes, have a couple of contributors who work with charities, but if anyone has a child who has raised money for a charity and would like to be featured - send me an email.

Also love the idea of asking adults about their pre-teen memories.

Thinking of the age group - when we say pre-teen, are we limiting ourselves to under 13yo? Should I leave off the mention of pre-teen?

Have discovered a word that exactly describes what I am looking for - an e-zine - not a blog but an online magazine.

Vivian
Yes, to showing kids that they don't have to watch crap TV - maybe a regular feature about being different is cool. Gut feeling with satire is that we have to be careful as it can come across as mean sometimes.

I bought a pile of kids mags today, for research (which my DC loved). My DD is going through the girl mags and making notes what she liked and disliked. What I noticed though is that they are very much marketing vehicles for

  • TV shows
  • Xfactor slebs
  • more crap magazines
  • Disney crap
  • moshi monsters
  • hello kitty
OP posts:
GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 06/03/2012 09:34

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BenderBendingRodriguez · 06/03/2012 09:30

Another couple of ideas, sorry if they've already bindun: a feature on children who raise money for charity, just because I'm constantly amazed by the lengths kids will go to do something for others - we could interview kids about why they chose the activity they did, why they chose that particular cause, good and bad points about the experience etc. And a real life experience feature asking older people about something they did when they were 9(ish) - could give an interesting snapshot of how different lives were, e.g. my nan could contribute 'what it was like to be locked outside during a WW2 air raid'!

AliceHurled · 06/03/2012 09:27

I don't know how to write for that age either, so am going to wait in the wings until I see some and then unleash on my dull area of expertise Grin

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 06/03/2012 09:23

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Original poster
MmeLindor. · 06/03/2012 09:15

I have had emails from over 50 women volunteering to write, edit or help in other ways.

I have the name registered and will set up the blog today (thanks to the help of a MNetter who has sorted me out with technical side of things)

Will tinker a bit with the actual blog, but that is not really my area of expertise so might need help on that.

And I will sit down and figure out what the opening couple of weeks should look like. I was thinking bi-weekly - I don't think that preteens have all got daily access to pc and that way we won't run out of articles so fast.

You lot are amazing.

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AliceHurled · 06/03/2012 08:49

This is wonderful! Grin

StewieGriffinsMom · 06/03/2012 08:25

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IShallWearMidnight · 06/03/2012 08:17

have done some market research for your target readership - DD3 (9) said "cool" when I asked her what she thought of a magazine like this. DD2(13) nodded vaguely interestedly.

Both said they weren't keen on the name Jump as it didn't convey what it was about. No negative vibes about it though, just "it's a nothing-ey kind of name".

Both would read it though (at least the first edition Wink). DD2 said "please don't let them patronise us though".