Sprout Magazine

Sprout Magazine is a gorgeous ~60 Page online monthly magazine created by Amanda Fall. Each month has a theme, such as Celebration, Boldness Creativity, Abundance, etc. The magazine is filled with articles, stories, poetry, artwork from Creative Women from every perspective of life. I discovered this magazine a few months ago and have been incredibly inspired by it. I contact Amanda to see if she would answer some questions for us. Happily, she said yes! Click HERE to subscribe to Sprout Magazine.

1. How would you define Radical Self Love?

Saying no to what no longer serves you; saying yes to what brings you joy, lights you up, and makes you come alive. Making space in your life for what nurtures, soothes, and stretches you. Connecting with others honestly, openly, and graciously while not diminishing your own importance. Listening to that divine whisper deep inside you and having the courage to do something about it.

2. In what ways do you feel you spread the message of Radical Self Love, or ways you might want to?

Y’know, I learn best from people who lead by example. I strive to do the same with my own life, practicing gratitude as often as I can, using creativity to save and strengthen me. I share these methods and more through Sprout, my online magazine (http://www.sprout-mag.com). Every issue is a joyful gathering of love—honoring our unique voices, taking the time to press “pause” in our lives and savor what matters most. I also write three weekly features on my personal blog, Persistent Green (http://www.persistentgreen.com), which embrace these ideas.

3. What inspired Sprout?

My whole life, I think! Sprout was originally a teeny-tiny seedling of an idea in my preteens, although at the time my vision looked more like dot-matrix print-outs, stapled and mailed all over the world. I grew up loving words and embracing the power they have to transform our lives—and I wanted to help spread that inspiration. I wasn’t ready, though, and so the idea slipped away. It resurfaced about a year ago with the realization that digital possibility now blasted doors wide open. Suddenly, threads running through my whole life tied together: my love of photography, writing, editing, art, and connecting with likeminded people all over the globe. Sprout suddenly made sense. All these threads could tie into one beautiful whole.

4. Creating a magazine sounds like an overwhelming adventure; could you share with us the process of starting up a magazine? Such as getting permissions, your site up, getting subscribers and submissions, etc.

Ha! Yes! It IS overwhelming—but now it’s overwhelmingly good. In the beginning planning stages, I was paralyzed by possibility—all the potential ways I could shape Sprout, all I needed to learn, all I had to research and plan and organize. I gathered piles and piles of notes and scribbles and question marks and exclamation points. One day I finally got up enough courage to just BEGIN—however imperfectly. Honestly, it would take pages to tell you how to begin a magazine, and there are so many different ways to go about it. The most important thing for me has been learning to embrace my unique viewpoint, and knowing what Sprout’s mission is—and sticking to that however I can. It’s a learning process, and I’m constantly thinking how to improve and grow. For me, the product has been vital—and everything else will fall into place with time.

5. What are your goals with Sprout?

Sprout’s mission is to uplift and inspire through color, beauty, and meaning. I want Sprout to be filled with moments of grace, celebrating simple joys in our daily lives, honoring our blessedly imperfect journey and cultivating what matters most.

6. You have a specific topic for your magazine, what's coming up?

Releasing 3/15: Creativity (so much goodness in this one!)

4/15: Kindness

5/15: Adventure

After that, my schedule’s still open! I love to let potential themes simmer in the back of my mind and

heart, until one rises to the surface. I look for topics that are close to my heart and that will speak to others as well. What do I want to cultivate in my own life? What do likeminded souls want more of in their lives? That’s where I find my themes.

7. How would someone go about submitting to your magazine?

Easy! Check out my submission page here: http://www.sprout-mag.com/p/guidelines.html. I’m open to all types of submissions (art, poetry, essays, fiction, tutorials, recipes, etc.) as long as they’re from the heart.

8. You also have a personal blog, Persistent Green (loved it!), share a little about this.

Thanks, Shanna! Here’s part of my about page from Persistent Green (http://www.persistentgreen.com): “I’m on a mission to color the world, to seek beauty in the mundane , to practice gratitude, and to celebrate abundant joy in this divinely blessed life.” I share three weekly features—Tuesday highlights a tidbit of inspiration (quotes that move me), Thursday focuses on the gratitude practice in everyday life, and Saturday spotlights inspiring people and products.

9. You are so creative, where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere! Seriously, I really am a joy-seeker: I look for beauty and color and inspiration everywhere I go, from the curl of an orange peel to dust motes dancing in light to clouds skittering across blue sky.

10. Anything you'd like to add?

Shanna, thanks so much for having me here! I think discovering self-love is so important. I was a very timid and quiet child who didn’t believe in herself. Only recently have I discovered that what I have to offer the world is important—and I think that’s true for all of us. We have to learn to love ourselves—and then we can love the world.

You can find me here:

Sprout: http://www.sprout-mag.com

Sprout’s Facebook page, including Community Garden, a forum where you can share your own answers exploring each month’s theme: http://www.facebook.com/sproutmag

Persistent Green: http://www.persistentgreen.com