Why We Created UNPLUGG’D MAG
NGL writes on the evolution of Unplugg’d, what we’re trying to accomplish with our new(ish) publication, and how you can get involved if you’re interested in writing
Culture ebbs and flows.
Just look at Kanye West, who’s gone from The Guy Who No One Wanted to Rap, to the Louis Vuitton Don, to Imma-Letcha-Finish Kanye, to *gasps for air* Height-of-his-Powers Kanye, to Crazy MAGA Kanye, to our current iteration of Christian Resurrection Kanye.
What’s my point here? I’m not sure, either, other than pointing out the evolution — and inevitability — of one Mr. West.
In all seriousness, though, our current cultural ecosystem is moving at a historically fast clip. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to stay up to date with every moving part, show, and celeb. In that regard, whatever’s trending today is already late in lieu of what blows up tomorrow.
And yet, there’s a certain phenomena that has lasted for millennia: good stories. To take from a previous letter, we’re all about good storytelling, and sometimes good stories require a lot of words and time. Moving forward, we’ve simultaneously decided to re-dedicate ourselves to quality content through a renewed vision.
That’s where UNPLUGG’D MAG comes in, a new online publication dedicated to longform storytelling on culture and life through a Gen Z lens. Why the focus on individuals born between 1996–2010, colloquially referred to as Gen Z? For one thing, we’re the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in the history of the world.
Also, this generation is almost defined by the Internet — and, subsequently, the devices that harnessed it. We grew up on it. We know the ups of community-building and mass communication; we’re wary of the downsides of mental illness, addiction, and misinformation. We value authenticity and creativity, and a growing number of us aim to run our own business one day.
Oh, and another thing — I say “we” because this publication is run for Gen Zers, by Gen Zers. We’re not looking to build on the predatory online landscape we’ve inherited, profiting off your time with clickbait or mis-characterizing you with slander. No, we’re digging deep into stories you truly care about and to promote a varied set of voices to better try and understand the different experiences that young people are going through in this modern age.
Below, I’ve written some details and instructions in regards to how you can get your piece published with UNPLUGG’D MAG. Before I get out of here, though, make sure to give the magazine a follow on Twitter for plenty of irreverent tweets and sign up here to receive information and updates on our journey delivered directly to your inbox.
To conclude — thank you all for keeping up with us as we constantly iterate on what we’re doing. On our end, we feel like we’re just getting started!
— NGL and the Unplugg’d Team
Interested in publishing with us? Here’s what we’re looking for:
- Engaging narrative-style pieces that offer an inside look at culture and life. We’re choosing not to limit the “buckets” of topics we cover; in turn, we’re interested in the stories you’re passionate about telling. We’ve found that these types of stories are often told in the first person, though we do not require all submissions to do so. Also, while we will accept commentary-style pieces, we’re really looking for evergreen content — meaning one can read them two years after publication and still feel that same sort of magnetic energy good stories always deliver on. For a better understanding of what we’re looking for in this regard, check out some of the stories on our homepage!
- With that said, not everything has to be super serious. We’re a generation chock-full of creative minds — tell your story the way you want to! Some opt for a comedic angle; some for a sarcastic one; some for a dour one. Whatever style and tone you choose, we’re game to explore it right alongside you.
- We’re not huge on word counts. Nevertheless, the majority of our pieces are at least 1,000 words long. This does not mean a story cannot be told well when written under 1,000 words; however, you should take this into account when submitting a pitch and/or a completed piece to us!
- When submitting a pitch (or piece), please be aware that your story will go through the editing process with our team. Multiple drafts may be required; some things may be cut, and some things may be added. Just know that we respect the time and hard work you put into your writing, and we ask that you reciprocate that respect as we help you complete your story.
- We will pay for completed stories, with a variance in price based on the piece itself. When reaching out to us, we’ll touch on this a little more until both sides determine what’s fair and what’s not. Also, we’ll let you sign your pieces up for the Medium Partner Program, though we do ask that you send us the friend link in order to share your story with our followers.
- We will not condone or publish hate speech in any form whatsoever. Please refer to the ALA in determining what does and does not count as hate speech.
Send all pitches to ngl@powderbluemedia.com and make sure to attach in a .docx format (Google Docs / Word)! You can expect a response from us within 48 hours.
Also, we will not be accepting pitches for podcasts at this time. We’ll make sure to update you as this may change in the near future.
