Messy Magazine: Call for Submissions!

Tap, tap, tap...is this thing on??

Hello All,

First off, welcome to the new messy magazine blog! We're glad to have you.

A few of you, through conversations and various associations will know almost all of the information below. A few of you may not, but that does not mean that you are not one of the special ones. You wouldn't be reading this if you weren't special. Basically, it is time for some of the best and brightest, creative minds of Cleveland to come together and be heard. We feel we can do that. Well actually, we know that we can. But we need you. *Insert segue to make donations HERE.* Haha, just kidding.

We, as in my friends and I, are starting a literary/art/music/photography/whatever-that-issue-needs-to-be-at-the-moment magazine called messy magazine. The basis of the magazine revolves around theme inspired work. Each month we will send out a theme in an email letter (just like this one!). You take that theme and you create whatever-it-is you do. Fast forward two weeks, you submit via email whatever-it-is you have created, preferably with an explanation (if necessary) to messy magazine.

Currently, messy magazine is an email magazine (e-mag). This will be emailed to you in PDF form; there will be a companion, a blog, under the same name that will be updated daily. The blog will be essentially your creations and free reign on events that happen in and affect the Cleveland area.

Submissions will be used in the magazine, on the blog or in future issues...your work will not be wasted, if anything, you know it will be read/seen and that automatically means that your ideas have come into fruition and are being shared with someone other than your notebook. So here's what we need from you:

Work that will fit into the the following categories:

TYPE: Pretty simple idea here; poems, short stories, serial stories that are used over several issues, essays, fiction and/or non-fiction work. This section will be theme based. If you are interested in writing a serial, please contact us for more information.

WEAR: The fashion section. Both visual and written work. Photos, photo essays, single photos, b/w, color, etc. Written work based on fashion, designers, local, regional, international. This section is not theme based, however, if you can pull off a theme based creation within this category you'll get a gold star!

SEE: Anything visual; including photos, photos essays, single photos, b/w, color, etc.(high resolution, please!), graphics, illustrations, paintings, prints, you name it. This section will be theme based.

HEAR: The music section. Again, both visual and written work. Photos, photo essays, single photos, b/w, color, etc. Written work based on music. Reviews, previews on albums, shows you attend, your own creations, etc. This section is not theme based, but if you can pull off a theme based creation within this category you'll get one more gold star!

Please note: Because we can't have people going gang-busters and submitting small novellas or a ton of photos in essay form, we must put a cap on our submissions. messy magazine has a 2,500 word count for written work and an 8 image limit on visual submissions. You can, however, submit as many times as you wish. If you are planning to submit a serial story, again, please contact us for further information.

Basically, we want the mind that sits at a desk for 8 hours a day, takes the kids to school, delivers pizza, tries to sell art to make a living, waits tables, and/or whatever else makes you have something to say. Since that's you; you have no excuse. Sorry.

We want your feedback, we want your friends (please forward!), but first we need your material. So please send us your musings, your gripes, your masterpieces. We will listen and you will be heard. Just please remember us when we ask you to listen. Look for our first theme, submission letter with due date, to be emailed to you and posted to the blog in the next few days.

Let's do this guys, it's time. No excuses. Remember Cleveland, there's always this year.

Yours in fame, fortune, god forbid, destitution, and a winning or losing season,

The Staff at messy magazine

P.S. It's okay to tell people you know us, it might get you somewhere.

For more information or questions, please contact us at messymagazine@gmail.com .