Submit
Submission guidelines
Table of contents
- Who can submit?
- What can be submitted?
- What can't be submitted?
- How do themes work?
- Do I need to know how to code?
- Can one person do multiple submissions? Can multiple people work on one submission?
- What accessibility features need to be included in my submission?
- Do I need to sign up to participate?
Who can submit?
Contributors must be at least 20 years old. I'm not going to be carding anyone, but I ask that you respect this. Sexual content is allowed, so I don't want that displayed alongside the work of teenagers.
The intended viewer demographic for the SFW portion is ages 16 and up, so teenagers are still welcome to view the zine.
What can be submitted?
Anything that can go on a static webpage: art, writing, soup recipes, knitting tutorials, whatever! This is essentially a big online fridge that your work is getting pinned to, so it's very informal. There is no approval process or quality filter, so we'd be happy to have you if you want to participate.
NSFW submissions (sexual content and gore) are allowed, but nothing graphic (porn and extreme gore are a no-no). They'll be listed clearly in their own section and included in a separate version of the zipped issue. Sexual content of minors or characters that appear to be minors isn't allowed in any capacity.
What can't be submitted?
You need to be able to run your page(s) locally, so your idea needs to be possible with static HTML. Javascript is fine, but if your page can't be accessed in full without it, you'll need to provide an alternative version (a transcript for Twine stories, for example) unless your submission is a game or interactive experience where the Javascript is the point. Talk to me if you're not sure about this.
Fanwork isn't allowed. This is both for nebulous legal purposes and because I have no interest in being the arbiter of which properties to allow and which to restrict.
Opinion pieces are fine, but I have no tolerance for any hate speech or dogwhistles. Also, please tread carefully with controversial and hot-button topics; there's a time and a place for them, but this is a collaborative art project and not a soapbox. If in doubt, focus on something you like and not something you hate.
How do themes work?
The themes for each issue are rolled with a random word generator, then voted on to narrow it down to 3. You can use any combination of themes that you want (1, 2, or all 3) and interpret them as literally or figuratively as you'd like!
Do I need to know how to code?
No! You don't need to be a professional graphic designer to contribute to a print zine, so you don't need to code to contribute to Salad Magazine. There are coding volunteers (myself included) who can add your work to a webpage. You have as much (or as little) control over your page design as you'd like.
Can one person do multiple submissions? Can multiple people work on one submission?
Yes on both counts!
What accessibility features need to be included in my submission?
Webpages need to be responsive and work with screen readers and keyboard navigation. Images should be described. Images with animation or eyestrain should be clearly marked, and it's highly preferred that you include a static or desaturated version. Also, please downsize and compress your images as much as possible to save server space (TinyPNG is a great resource for damage-free compression, as is WEBP conversion).
Games are different, as the mode of presentation and the product are the same and you only have a few months to work. It would be great if you could include accessibility features within your ability, and please avoid flashing lights and images unless you deem it absolutely necessary to your work (a toggle setting is a good compromise).
If you need help with making your page accessible, ask me or one of the coding help volunteers. If you need help with writing up image descriptions or proofreading, ask one of the writing volunteers.
Do I need to sign up to participate?
No! If you submit something by the deadline and it follows all the submission guidelines, it will be included in the zine. If you'd like to get deadline reminders, you can join the Discord server or sign up for an email reminder. You do not need to be in the Discord to join.