Approvals for Publishing

Words Approved

Before your work goes into WayOut Mag, the Editor may chat with you about small edits, layout, spelling, length or safety checks — not to criticise your work, but to help it shine in the magazine.

Before your work is published in WayOut Mag, the Editor may put their editor hat on and go through your submission with you.

This does not mean your work is ‘bad’ or that you have done anything wrong. Editing is a normal part of making a magazine. It helps make sure each piece is clear, safe, respectful, age-appropriate and ready to print.

We do not want to change your voice or take over your ideas. Your work is still yours.

Sometimes we may need to talk with you about things like:

• spelling, grammar or wording
• making a piece shorter or clearer
• how it will fit on the page
• titles, captions or headings
• whether something needs more context
• whether something needs to be fact checked
• whether something could affect someone’s privacy or safety
• whether the work is suitable for the magazine and its readers

If changes are needed, the Editor will talk with you and work on it together. We want this to feel like a creative process, not a school assignment.

You will not be left out of the convo. We will always try to respect your style, your message and what you are trying to say.

Images Approved

If your submission includes photos, artwork, screenshots, or images of people, we need to make sure everyone has given permission before it goes to print.

If your work includes photos, artwork, screenshots, designs, or images of people, the Editor will check that we have the right permission before publishing it in WayOut Mag.

This is called image approval or a model release. It means the person in the photo, the person who made the artwork, or the person who owns the image has agreed for it to be printed in the magazine.

If someone in an image is under 18, we will need consent from their parent or guardian as well.

Before your submission goes to print, we may send out a simple approval form to be signed. This helps make sure everyone understands what is being published, where it will appear and that they are ok with it.

We’ll check things like:

• who created the image or artwork
• who owns the photo, artwork or design
• whether anyone recognisable in the image has said yes
• whether a parent or guardian needs to sign
• whether the image includes private details, location clues, school uniforms, house numbers, number plates or anything unsafe
• whether the image is respectful and age-appropriate
• whether everyone involved understands it may be printed and shared with the wider community

This step is here to protect young people, artists, photographers, friends, family and community members.

Collab Approved

If your submission was made with other people, we need to make sure everyone involved is happy for it to be shared, printed, credited and possibly paid for before it goes into WayOut Mag.

If your submission has been created with another young person who is also submitting work for this edition of WayOut Mag, we need to make sure everyone involved has been approved by the Editor.

Collab Approval is only for people who are part of this edition of the magazine. This means each person involved needs to be a WayOut Mag contributor and everyone needs to agree to the work being shared, printed and credited.

Before it goes to print, the Editor may check who was involved, what each person contributed, how everyone would like to be credited and whether everyone has said yes to the final submission.

If more than one person helped create the piece, we may also need to talk about how payment works. This will be worked through clearly and fairly before anything is approved.

This step helps make sure everyone is included, respected and on the same page.

Safety & Privacy Approved

Your voice matters, and so does your safety — this check makes sure your work protects your privacy, respects others and doesn’t accidentally expose anyone.

Before your work is published in WayOut Mag, the Editor will do a Safety & Privacy check. This is to help protect you, your friends, your family and anyone else mentioned in your work. It does not mean we want to change your voice, silence your story, or make your work boring. Your ideas are still yours. We just need to make sure nothing accidentally puts anyone at risk. We’ll check for things like private info, full names, addresses, phone numbers, socials, school or workplace details, screenshots, DMs, location clues, rumours, bullying, threats, or anything that could identify or hurt someone. You can choose how you want to be credited. You can use your real name, first name only, initials, a pen name, or stay anonymous. If your work mentions friends, family, teachers, businesses, community members, or anyone else, please check if they are happy to be named. Some people might prefer to stay anonymous and that’s ok. We’ll also check photos and images for things in the background, like number plates, house numbers, uniforms, street signs, name tags, school logos or anything else that gives away private information. If your piece talks about real people, local events, businesses, community issues or serious topics, we may need to fact-check it. This helps keep the magazine fair, safe and respectful. If your work includes sensitive stuff like mental health, family problems, violence, drugs, police, bullying, grief, trauma or anything that could affect someone’s safety, we may talk with you about the safest way to share it. This check is here to protect young people, not control them. We want WayOut Mag to be real, creative, authentic and safe.

Parental Consent

If you’re under 18, we need your parent or guardian to know you’re submitting work to WayOut Mag, that it may be published and that you may be paid for it.

If you’re under 18, we need consent from a parent or guardian before your work can be published in WayOut Mag.

This is to make sure they know you are taking part, what kind of work you are submitting and that your writing, art, photography, class, product or idea may be shared with the wider community.

It also means your parent or guardian understands that WayOut Mag may pay young people for approved submissions. Any payment details or personal information will be kept private and will not be published in the magazine.

We’ll also check that your submission is age-appropriate and safe for you to share. This does not mean your voice has to be boring or ‘perfect’. It just means we need to make sure the work is suitable, respectful and safe for young people and the wider community.