Midterm Submission

Planning Activities - Flat Plan

I have created this flat plan from researching other magazines. I have included ads on around half of the pages, because most of the magazines I looked at are also set up like that. I also included other sections and articles that I think will engage my audience. One example of this is the posters scattered throughout the magazine. This will engage my audience because the readers, especially the younger ones, can rip out those pages and hang them on a wall, which will provide daily inspiration and motivation to get better. Another section I have included is the letters/pictures from readers. This engages the audience because it allows them to see what other readers are saying, and it gives them the opportunity to send in letters or pictures and possibly get featured in an issue of the magazine.

Planning Activities - Photo Shoot Schedule

I will be photographing various swimmers in and out of the pool. The process of scheduling was very easy as I am already at the pool for almost 20 hours a week, and so are many other swimmers. I had asked a few of my friends if they wanted to be models for some of pictures, and they all happily agreed. I asked them if they could stay a few minutes after practice for a couple of days and which day or days worked best. The first two pictures were taken on December 13, because she goes to physical therapy on Thursdays I wanted to wait until I could get the full effect of PT on her injury. The next two pictures were taken on December 11, because I realized I wanted a different angle of a swimmer, as well as pictures of swimmers in a younger age group. The next two pictures were taken at a swim meet on December 7-9, because I wanted some pictures at a competition. The last 5 pictures were taken after practice on December 1, because there was not anyone left in the pool, so I could have my models pose wherever I needed and not have to worry about other swimmers in the background.

Planning Activities - Photo Shoot Location

I had been planning on taking all of my pictures at the outdoor pool at the Evalyn Sadlier Jones Branch YMCA in Potter Park. This pool is owned and maintained by the team I swim for, the Sarasota Sharks. I have already received permission from the head coach, president, and CEO of Sarasota Sharks, Inc. to take photos at this location. This location will also be very convenient for me, since I am already there for almost 20 hours every week. This location will also make it easier to find models to be in the pictures, as there are always swimmers on the pool deck or in the pool. The pictures being taken at a large competitive pool will also help to make the magazine look more realistic for the readers.

Planning Activities - Interviews

My article will be about injuries from swimming, focusing mostly on the impact that it can have on a swimmer's career. I am planning on interviewing my friend who has had a roller coaster experience of swimming with an injury. The person I will interview is Reece Whatmore, a 15-year-old competitive swimmer who has faced quite a large number of injuries, including broken fingers, scoliosis, and scapular dyskinesis. I chose Reece because she is one of the most positive people I know, even while struggling with her ongoing injuries. I know that she would have a positive but realistic perspective on persevering through the difficulties of an injury.
Reece is one of my close friends on the team, so it was convenient and easy to schedule an interview. I texted her a few weeks ago asking if she would be willing to help me with this article, and we scheduled the interview for after practice on Thursday, December 13th.
My questions for her will focus mostly on the struggles and rewards of continuing to swim after numerous injuries. For example, a few questions I will ask are:
"What made you decide to continue competing after your injury?"
"What is the hardest part of an injury?"
"What is the most important lesson you have learned from being injured?"
The answers to these questions are important for the readers because they are real. These questions allow Reece to be completely honest in her answers, showing that there are both good and bad sides to everything. These questions also highlight the rewards that come from perseverance, which might help to motivate another athlete who is struggling with an injury.

Planning Activities - Table of Contents Template

The fonts I am using are the same ones used on the cover, because I wanted the entirety of the magazine to have a similar theme. I am listing a few featured articles and a few articles labeled "Other Fun." I am listing a few featured articles because through my research I found that most magazines have a couple of articles that they call features, which are the main or most important articles. I am only listing a total of 4-5 features because I feel like that is enough to tell the reader what main articles they will be reading, but still allows them to explore the magazine for other articles they would find interesting. The "Other Fun" section is where I will put a few shorter articles that might be very attention-grabbing for the reader, but aren't exactly featured article material. I am using two photographs, because I think that it looks nice with the two sections of contents.

Planning Activities - Cover Template

I came up with this template from a combination of my research on other magazines and my own personality. All of the text is in the font Berlin Sans FB Demi. I like this font because it is elegant and clean, but still unique enough to not be boring. The title is in a curve to mimic a wave or water. The title font is black with a white outline so it can stand out on top of any picture, but still blend with the color scheme. The other text on the page is aligned to the left of the page to fit around the picture. The font of the other text is white with a black outline, so that it stands out from the picture but still have a little differentiation from the title. I chose this title for my magazine because I wanted the readers to know exactly what they are reading about, and I could not think of anything more simple than swim. Many magazines have titles that can be confusing, so the target audience might not know what the magazine is actually about. I wanted to be as clear as possible with my title, which is how I came up with it.