NOTIONS SUBMISSION GUIDE

Warning: this submission guide may seem long and tedious.

But all you really need to do is to check out the latest theme and submit an A4 artwork (or 2 A5 pages) that will be photocopied and put into our zine directly. The artwork may be in the form of:

  • text e.g. prose/poem/lyrics

  • images e.g. drawing/illustration/photograph/collage/digital

  • others e.g. ways to present sculptures, performance, etc

  • mixed (preferred).

The following guide addresses most questions, your submission will be reproduced as is, in other words, there will be no further edits or layouts on your work. This guide includes info about everything from Content to Design to Entry forms and filenames for submission and works more like a checklist than anything else. Also, it's because I know you take your work seriously and will ask these questions anyway, and despite its lo-fi approach, Notions takes your work seriously too. Notions is serious.

But fun! So, have fun!

Content

any ideas?

  • Each issue is a collection of ideas loosely based on a different theme. Your submissions should relate.

  • Your submission can be about macro issues (war, science, meaning of life) or micro matters (fingernails, ladybirds, what you ate for dinner), as long as they are ideas with which others can and might want to relate and understand.

  • A good submission is one that tells the audience something. A very good submission is one that tells the audience something, making him/her think or realise something he/she hadn't known before.

    • Here's a "litmus" test: Show your submission to someone and ask him/her "Get it?" If the reply is, "No", or "What's there to get?" And you're stumped, then there isn't anything much to it, is there? But if you sigh and proceed to explain your work, then there is something to get, and you have it. If the reply is "Yes", then you can ask the person what was gotten. And if you feel that it's not right or there's more, or something, then you have it. You might want to make your idea come across clearer though, especially if your "someone" is your target audience, or not, whatever, that's not so important.

  • It can be in the form of:

    • Writing, prose, poem, lyrics.

    • Drawing, illustration, painting, comic, etc

    • Photograph (of art, sculpture, whatever)

    • Collage

    • Some or all of the above (mixed media and cross disciplinary)

    • Anything that can be printed on a paper with a photocopier

  • Language: Mostly English, but any other is fine as long as I can get it verified to check its content. I'd appreciate if you can provide a translation.

  • Original content which you created and own the copyright or have the permission to reproduce or derivative of creative commons stuff.

Preferences
 

There will be a preference for a submission that:

  • Communicates an interesting idea clearly in an interesting and visually interesting manner. The form and presentation style should suit content.

  • Looks attractive, even if it's in a unique way, esp in lofi mode.

  • Is witty

  • Relates across multiple disciplines (Comic, dance, photo, drawing, literary, science, history, math, culinary, ceramics, ink, collage, print)

  • Relates across multiple cultures (across time and space)

  • Is a product of collaboration with other artists

  • Is a new and fresh work. The readers are gonna see the work and google your name. If it's a picture of your artwork, the work shouldn't be presented more than 1 year before the submission deadline. If it's a piece of writing, it shouldn't have been published in print before (at least not within the last 3 years - ironic I know).

  • Is not racist, religious, pornographic, or about any real hate shit. Life is too short to deal with this shit. Life is better spent on making the next issue happen. Lotsa secular and non-partisan space in between for creative ideas.

  • Has all the text proofread for spelling and grammar, except for deliberate misspellings, of course.

design

requirements - must follow this

  • Limit each submission (one concept) to 2 A5 pages (portrait) or 1 A4 page (landscape). You should already lay out the information as you would like it to be printed in the zine. Other orientation is acceptable if the idea warrants that orientation.

  • Accepted file formats: .pdf preferred. But .jpg and .doc are acceptable. Make sure that your images are in high enough resolution.

  • Assume that it's going to be printed by cheapest photocopy.

  • Edge of the page: Place everything you don't wanna lose within 7 mm from the edge of the A4 page, otherwise it may be cropped away.

  • Recommended fonts: Garamond and/or Helvetica

  • Style: Any style as long as it suits the content.

attributions

If you want, please put in your name into the layout, and maybe your website or email or facebook or ig, if you want. But otherwise, we will include your name in a list of contributors in the front, behind the cover page. If you want to be completely anonymous, please mention this in the email submission.

additional guidelines - fyi or good to have only

Here are guidelines, you can try to keep to them, but if not, it's okay. If you don't understand them, it's also okay. It's more for people who would prefer to work with knowledge about these things.

  • Size: A4 landscape opened, A5 portrait closed.

  • Extent: don't know yet, depends on number of submissions and budget of each issue.

  • Binding: A rubber band or saddle-stitched.

  • Paper: Cheap default printing paper. But maybe cheap and coloured (maybe green, pink, etc).

  • Printing: Photocopier most likely.

  • Grid: No grid.

  • Full bleed? Nope. Within approx 7 mm of the page.

Administrative things for Submission

  • Deadline: Varies

  • Accepted file formats: .pdf are preferred. But .jpg and .doc are acceptable. Nothing else.

  • Make sure the images are of the right resolution.

  • File naming convention: "Notionsissuenumber_yourname_Title of work.ext" For example:

    • Notions1_Lee Ju-Lyn_Garlic.pdf,

    • Notions1_meekfreak_Portrait of Giants.jpg

    • Notions1_Gary Low_Grumpy monkey.doc

  • Submissions must be accompanied by an official entry form. Download .doc here.

    • Named as: "Notions1entry_yourname_title of work.doc". e.g. "2016Notionentry_Lee Ju-Lyn_Garlic.doc"

    • .pdf here.

    • The form is to allow better understanding of your works and to serve as a record of contact information.

  • Each submission must be accompanied by one form.

  • Yes, you can submit more than one.

  • Send your submissions to: notionscounter@gmail.com.

  • Share big files on google drive folder and then share access link in email. Don't send via wetransfer because the file may expire before I can get to it.

  • You should receive an auto-reply if your email went through.

  • You will be notified of the outcome of your submission after the deadline and before the issue is released.

  • Please note that by submitting to the open call, you are confirming that you created the above mentioned work and own its reproduction rights, and you are permitting the reproduction and distribution of the work in Notions and Notions related promotion, and absolving Notions and the people behind Notions, from any legal infringement committed or arising from this work, not that you are expecting any. You are also confirming that you’ve read and agreed to the latest submission guidelines on meekfreak.com/notions (here).

FAQ

Financial payment for submissions?

None, contributors must feel rewarded by the sheer pleasure of sharing your ideas with others. If Notions gets any funding, the money will go to covering costs and increase our circulation and extent.

Selection sounds pretty subjective, what is it based on?

Besides the guidelines stated in the preference above. The plan is to base selection on things like:

  • Consensus. I'll ask around.

  • Whether we "get it" (like, think of it as if we can get any message, intended or not, from your work)

  • It fits in with the upcoming issue (or if there are like repetitions or senseless contradiction with another submission),

  • Space

Ultimately though, it's a subjective process, and I honestly reserve the right to include or exclude anything arbitrarily. Don't take rejection too harshly, because maybe the reason is arbitrary.

How many submissions will be selected?

I'll try to include as many as possible. Limitations are is probably budget-related.

I'd love to help. Can I place an Ad for my website/ new project? I wanna be your Fred Perry.

Sure, thanks! We can talk, contact me to contact you now please!

What if i just want to make a donation?

Double sure, thanks! Yes, please! Thank you very much! We welcome funding of any amount, no amount is too small!