A collectively agreed document on WSM publications as drawn up by National Conference Nov 2015

Our publications

1. The WSM wants to use our printed form of publications for articles that

- present anarchist theory for a general audience that relates to lived experience

- provide an analysis of campaigns and struggles, in particular giving voice to those involved

- outline the WSM position on issues and struggles

- provide guides on how to carry out organising tasks

- will be a resource for people involved in struggles

- will inspire people to act

- use accessible language

2. We will produce a printed publication with long form articles as a magazine called Common Threads and a publication of short form articles as a paper called Solidarity Times.

3.1 The magazine will

Educate and help people organise

Be self financing

Win people to an anarchist perspective

Build solidarity between struggles

Increase understanding of our theory, practise and history

3.2 The Magazine content will favour

Anarchist Theory, practise and history

How to organise articles

Anarchist analysis of current struggles including international struggles

Interviews with activists

3.3 The Magazine Target audience will be activists

3.4 The Magazine will engage its readers through

Getting people to write and submit content

Getting people to distribute

Interviewing activists

3.5 Magazine resources

We will produce in the region of 500 copies of a magazine about twice a year that will be self financing but whose print cost will be 1000 euro an issue. The length and writing effort of articles will be similar to that found in Red & Black Revolution and Irish Anarchist Review but we will return to a system of the editorial committee having two rounds of editing submitted articles and returning suggestions to the authors for modification of the articles. We want to continue to have a strong layout.

4.1 The paper will

Get people to identify with the paper & WSM

Encourage solidarity between struggles

Grow our readership and distributors

Encourage people to write for us

Get people to engage with WSM

4.2 The paper content will favour

Articles that influence peoples attitudes

Articles that prove reliable.

4.3 The paper target audience is

People attending demonstrations

4.4 The paper will engage people through

Inviting people to help create content, photos, and reports

Personal accounts of struggle

Interviewing and encouraging contributions from women in particular

Interviews, especially across issues

A regular entertaining feature/column

4.5 Newspaper resources

We will produce around 4 issues of a short form paper each year but production will be for existing mass distribution opportunities like major demonstrations with the aim of also mobilising contacts to help with distribution. We will subsidise paper production by 400 euros per issue. Articles produced will be unique rather than taken from our existing media. The editing process will be members submitting the articles to an online space members have access to for feedback and then modifying them based on the comments other members post. The editor group will ensure modifications have been addressed, the articles broadly agree with WSM policy and are free of factual errors and spelling mistakes. We want to maintain a strong design aesthetic.

5. Pamphlets - we will also produce pamphlets around specific questions where resources allow