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MAGAZINE GROUP
How to start a magazine group in prison Illustration: PPaint Off the Cuff is a magazine created by women at HMP Styal. Co-facilitator of the magazine’s editorial group, WIP’s Myah Jeffers, shares her top tips on how to successfully start your own magazine group in prison.
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ver the last two years, a team of women have worked tirelessly to produce Off the Cuff, a magazine discussing the day-to-day realities of life in Styal. While the pandemic has caused delays in publishing the latest edition of the magazine, the editorial team have finally reunited to produce the fourth edition. It’s important to understand the time, effort and teamwork involved in creating a successful magazine group. Here are some tips for anyone interested in starting their own. Getting Started Start by sharing the idea of a magazine with several departments in your prison to determine if people are interested. If there
is enough of an appetite for it, advertise for the editorial roles by putting up posters across the prison. Make sure you have a diverse team with various skillsets, including writing, editing, proofreading and design. For a well-balanced team, a maximum of six women are required for the editorial group. Discuss with the prison staff where you can hold weekly magazine group meetings. Once you have found a safe space, start to think about the magazine content and plan the first edition with the team. You might want to consider the following points: l Audience. Think about your audience’s reading abilities to ensure the magazine is accessible to everyone in your community. l Format. Explore different ways to engage your reader
