EDITOR’S DESK | We started an online magazine about the Sudans, not just Sudan

I’ve never started a magazine before. This is actually my first time. First time as editor as well. So what is a magazine? Well, published magazines are booklets, and unlike newspapers they can be easily handled by human beings. Online magazines are even easier to handle, all that is required is a little dexterity with a computer mouse. So magazines are periodical subject based publications. They usually contain news and opinions. This one however, contains opinions only, and our subject is the two Sudans.

I never thought that one day I’d be running the Editor’s Desk in an online magazine. I used to hate reading. It was tiring, it required thought, and most annoyingly, it was what we did at school. Eventually however, I picked up a book and started to read. It was Harry Potter. I was young. Anyway, as the years went by I picked up more books. With every book I read my view of the world expanded, I became more and more opinionated, I had ideas, I wanted to discuss them, they were the best ideas ever, and all I wanted was to tell everyone about them; so I started writing. Reading led me to writing, and since I’m a terrible writer, it led me back to reading. I read and wrote about my country; which was more emotional than I expected.

Being Sudanese is a responsibility these days. We are responsible for our own well being, as well as that of others. We are burdened with setting the foundations for the future generations in our country, and creating the conditions in which they will prosper.

We started this magazine for young Sudanese people to share their opinions on the Sudan – north or south – in which they grew up, or visited in their summer holidays. We want to tap into the minds of our future leaders. We want to create a discussion on Sudanese society, culture and life. We want to establish a debating platform. We want to give aspiring writers a chance to get published. We celebrate opinionated, cantankerous individuals. We want the questions on our traditions, and the answers to our problems. More crucially, we want all the above to be done in English. We’re not looking for accomplished writers; we’re looking for those who are yet to write. We want bad submissions, spelling and grammatical errors. We want to edit and fix mistakes. Above all, we want opinions.

It’s been more than a year and a half since we first thought about launching this magazine. Now that it’s a reality, we’re already thinking about the next project. A nice beach house in Barbados. Regardless of our aspirations, for all intents and purposes, this magazine is a reality. We will be here, with the support of our contributors, for a long time to come. This magazine is only the beginning of a bigger plan that will incorporate many Sudanese individuals from different walks of life, all willing to put in the required effort to..

Note: the editor has reached his limit. Welcome to 500 Words Magazine.