Olivia Wein '20: Creator of Loser Magazine

1. When did you get into writing?

I feel like writing always been a part of everything I’ve done. There’s this photographer named Rebecca Norris Webb, and she started out as a poet. She always says how she uses the same eye to take photos as she does to write her poetry-- and I feel like that’s very true. I think I use writing in the same way.

2. How and why did the idea for your magazine come about?

One of my closest friends, Lucy, and I fell in love with photography in 8th grade. We had been following this magazine called Crybaby for a really long time, and we were like “let’s submit one of our pieces!” They had a theme that we liked, and so we got together models, brainstormed, shot photos of them, and loved it. We edited them and sent them to the magazine, and quickly we got a response saying “thank you but this wasn’t our aesthetic”. We were like “oh no, it’s fine, thank you, we’ll just make our own.” We had to call it Loser because that’s what we are (haha). We had some people in mind, we got together at Odessa’s diner and ordered banana pancakes, and we talked about the issue. We put it together on Keynote and it was terrible! Like, hilariously awful. The first issue was so funny. We released it in Thompkins, and it was amazing, it was such a good feeling.

3. How long did it take to make the first issue and what was in it? How long does an issue take now?

The first issue went really quick, so maybe it was like a few weeks. It was called “Dreamstate”. [The only artists] were people we asked, so like five contributors, and it was mostly photography. As we continued...we started taking outside submissions. The process got a little bit longer because we had to wait for those submissions and collect those. First, it was like a month between each issue, and now, it’s like a couple months...And then we learned about In-Design, so it started looking nice!

5. Do you think your magazine is for a specific audience, or is it just for anybody?

I think we wanted it to be for young people.But at the same time, I think in a way, I want everyone to see it. The way that we come up with themes is that Lucy and I sit across from each other...and ask “what’s going on with you, what’s happening right now, whats’s underlying both of us in our experiences--in our lives right now?” Or sometimes we’d look through our submissions and be like “what is the theme of our time right now?” And in doing that, I think we are trying to communicate something about our generation and our experiences. I think that’s really interesting when it’s for those people that are also involved in that. But I think also I like it when younger people see it. And they think “I wanna do something great,” or when older people see it and they’re like “oh, this is what’s going on with the kids these days!”.

6. This magazine started out as entertainment, so do you feel like as you got older has it become more of an informative or inspiring kind of magazine?

I think that because it started out as something we wanted to get our hands on to create and communicate, it has evolved, but it has kept that core. Just recently, we did an issue about AIDS, and if we had done that in the beginning, it wouldn’t have added this sort of complexity and political charge it did when we had that issue. And that’s because as Loser grows, we also grow.

7. Do you expect to continue the magazine?

Definitely! Of course. I don’t want to lose the feeling of when we first started to make it, because it’s fun and it makes us happy. But it’s hard to hold onto that, especially when we want to grow; like, recently, we got trade-marked! We like to do something completely different for each issue.

8. Has Loser impacted what you wish to do in college or in the future?

Oh my gosh, yes, totally! I think this whole college process is so strange, because they keep asking you to tell them who you are, and I think it’s funny to ask 17 year-olds who they are. When I’m applying to art schools, they ask for your sketches. And I’m like “I don’t have that, but I have my magazines, they’re the same thing!” So when I go into college, I want to go into photography and writing.

9. Do you think anyone out of nowhere regardless of age or status can be like “Hey, I want to start a magazine”, or “Hey, I want to do this,” etc.? Or do you think you need to have certain connections or such to get somewhere?

No, I think anybody can do it. I think that if you have something that you love--and I know this sounds cliche--but if you are passionate, and if you get this feeling in your bones where you’re, like, tingling when you think of what you want to make or want to do, then you have the power and you are the connection. The idea of us wanting to have a platform, and just doing it ourselves--anyone can do that, and they should.

10. What would you/ your life be like if you never did Loser? How has it impacted you?

I think I’d feel really restless, and angry. As if there’s something building up that I have no outlet for. And I think that’s because when I feel like I need to understand something or to take control of the way that I’m experiencing something, I sit down in front of my laptop, and I put things together, and look for this underlying humanity hat we get through our submissions and through this process. And I think without it, I’d feel like there’s something missing. 

There are currently 12 issues of Loser published. You can find Loser on sale at Spoonmill Bookstore, Mcnally Jackson, Book Thug Nation, and the Office Newsstand in Canal Street.