Seeking Short Stories
Photograph by Maija Savolainen, originally commissioned for Disegno #14.
For our autumn 2024 edition, Disegno is commissioning a series of essays that focus on the theme of memory in design.
We are looking for pitches for 2,000 word articles that provide different interpretations of this theme, linked to specific projects and issues from contemporary design disciplines. We pay £300 for essays and cover reasonable expenses. Writers should expect at least two rounds of careful edits, and they will also receive free copies of the magazine once it’s published.
Interpretations of the theme of memory may include, but are not limited to, questions of preservation; reinterpretation of traditional design techniques; ideas of memorial, construction and destruction; challenges around legacy and contested histories in relation to design; and the use of pre-existent digital databases within new and emerging technologies.
In contrast to previous issues, our autumn 2024 issue is seeking essays that are not overtly journalistic in tone, but which are instead driven by narrative and creative engagement with their topic – the essays should read as non-fiction short stories.
While the essays should still be grounded in journalistic techniques (thorough research; interviews with practitioners involved with their topics; and a clear desire to communicate complex issues within contemporary design to their readership), we value stories and writing that have an editorial value beyond this.
We are seeking pitches that can use personal experience of design to illuminate the field’s broader social and political structures through compelling, accessible narratives. The best pitches will have a clear project/issue to which the story is hooked, pairing close examination of design with a wide-ranging understanding of its broader societal impact.
Disegno covers all design disciplines, as well as fields such as public policy that sit outside of design, but clearly impact upon it.
We publish both established writers and emerging writers, so do not hesitate to pitch to us if you are just starting out. If your idea is strong, we will be happy to work with you to develop it.
We will advertise future pitch call-outs on our newsletter, and you can sign up here.
Disegno is seeking to commission all pieces for the autumn 2024 issue by 1 June.
Please email your pitches to oli@disegnojournal.com.