Hi, ya’ll. I haven’t been writing as much this past year because I’ve been working on something that I want to share with all of you.
We (meaning: myself and a filmmaker) started an independent publication for writers and filmmakers to tell stories that matter to them. This is fledging, maybe ambitious, and very important to (and exciting for) us.
Here’s the gist:
Lived In is an independent publication accepting personal essays, poetry, fiction and short films from writers and filmmakers all over the world. We are currently a reader-supported publication and pay our contributors. We accept writing submissions in English and Spanish (other languages are accepted on a case-by-case basis) and film projects of any language with English subtitles.
Lived In is a unique digital publication whose mission is grounded in supporting artists to create what they would if they didn’t feel pressured to make what “sells.” Meaning: we pay our writers and filmmakers.
We founded Lived In as artists and storytellers who felt pressure to monetize what we love just to have the chance to share it, let alone make a living. Under this pressure our creative passions — writing, photography, filmmaking — lost their magic. Many publications often ask for a submission fee, further alienating artists and forcing them to orient their work around marketable topics and structures.
More on that is on our about page.
I’ll be real with you all: we are small, new, and honestly feeling a little vulnerable about this. We’ve never done this before. It means a lot to us, and there’s always the chance it could fail. That’s scary. And yet, this feels so important to try. I want artists to feel like they are free to create what their heart wants to. I have a deep dislike of how our society pushes people to either give up on creating because they don’t earn anything, or exhausts the magical, creative part by only paying for what sells.
Medium has introduced me to some incredible writing. Incredible people. I’m staying here and will continue publishing. But I hope to see some of you on Lived In, too.
If the above mission resonates with you and you’re interested in being part of the Lived In community, come look at our Instagram and read some our artists’ work. Be on the lookout for a few short films and documentaries we’re going to drop in the coming months. If you’re interested now or later (or never, it’s okay), feel free to reach out to chat, pitch an idea, or submit a piece. Again, take a look at our payment structure on the about page so you have a real sense of how we’re doing this. No surprises.
Thank you all, and hope to see you on Lived In.
