Jacob, my 13-year-old, loves to write. He is in the process of writing a novel. I was thrilled that he could have an issue of this writing magazine to encourage him in his efforts.
Aletheia has a webiste - http://www.aletheiawritingmagazine.com/index.html - where you can go to check out reviews of the magazine, testimonials, writing tips, etc. You can also subscribe to the magazine from their website. It costs $26 for a year's subscription which includes shipping and handling to a U.S. address. A year's subscription is 4 color issues that are 40 pages each. It is $29 for a subscription to a Canadian address. If you want it shipped to a European address, you need to email them at writealetheia@gmail.com.
For some of Jacob's language arts classes, I assigned him reading from this magazine. I figured he could only get better in his own writing by reading things other teenagers had written that were worthy of publishing. The magazine and the website both detail how to submit poems and stories. Not only that, though, students who are artistically inclined can submit original artwork and photographs. It is nice that Christian teens have an outlet for their talents like this.
The magazine is for students 13-19 years old and, as such, contains articles on a variety of subjects. All stories and poems are clean without any vulgarity, but I was not pleased to find a poem written to two teenage girls who had been forced into prostitution in Cambodia and then rescued in the magazine without so much as a warning at the top of the poem. The things a 19-year-old will write about are often subjects of a deeper nature than a 13-year-old even thinks about. I would like a little warning before an article that may not be appropriate for younger readers. They put in a disclaimer at the beginning of the magazine about this, but I would rather specific stories/poems be marked.
The magazine comes with a writer's challenge. The prize is 3 issues of the magazine to pass out and just being published. If my novel I'm writing gets published, I will be ecstatic. For me, just getting published would probably be enough. I'm not sure a teenager feels that way. I could be wrong. The magazine is $26 for four issues. It seems perhaps a very small cash prize could be awarded. Just a thought.
There is also an article every issue by an adult in the business who provides tips and insight into the world of writing and/or art. The magazine does have some ads throughout for Christian schools and businesses.
So, I like the outlet these kids have with Aletheia, but I am not sure I would be interested enough to pay $26 for four issues a year. My son didn't seem overly excited about the magazine either and, since I would be buying it for him, it doesn't seem he'd get enough out of it to make it worth it.
Aletheia can be reached at Aletheia Writing Magazine, PO Box 1602, Lansdale, PA 19446.
DISCLAIMER: I received this product free of charge in order to provide an honest review after use.
