Letter from the Editor: Our First Birthday

A year ago, on December 1st 2008, Trespass Magazine launched. Our first cover story was this Letter from the Editors.

‘It is something we created as readers, writers and Gen Y-ers for readers, writers and Gen Y-ers. It’s a magazine that we, as consumers, as students, as writers, as travellers, as young, engaged, informed members of our generation, would want to read. Trespass is for those of you who know what is happening around you, and want to learn more about it. It is for writers who have something to say, and no place to say it.’

A lot has happened since then. We thought 2008 was big; then 2009 happened. It has been a tough year for our little world and its people, full of more trials than triumphs; and it has been an extraordinary year to run a magazine committed to delivering smart, engaging editorial to a savvy, discerning readership. Every time one of our terrific writers has put out an opinion on any one of the diverse and multifaceted happenings this year, you have all talked right back. You’ve commented, you’ve Twittered and Facebooked and emailed and you’ve made us all here at Trespass even more certain everyday that we’re doing something right. We’re responding to a demand.

So, here we are, one year old. We’ve published over 600 articles this year. We’ve had two makeovers (don’t we look refreshed?) Our readership increases every month, as does our writing team and both include the brightest of sparks from all corners of the globe. We were the media partner for the very first Musication, a wonderful event which aimed to promote and encourage local music talent. We’ve brought you film, music, beauty, travel, politics, opinion, humour, theatre and entertainment every single day. We eat our Vegemite, we grow stronger every week and now that the first-year frenzy is over, where to from here?

Well, for starters, a new Editor. In fact, a new Editorial team. Don’t cry for me Trespassers, I’m not going anywhere. I have simply made the decision that to continue growing this baby and still have time for other projects, I need help. We are simply getting too big and boisterous for me to handle solo. So I’ve called in the big guns and put together a tight knit team to push Trespass into its second year. I am still here, as Editor in Chief, but now I have a brilliant team working with me to cope with our growth as best as we can.

On that note, I am so pleased to introduce you to your new Editor, Lin Tan (that’s her beaming visage to the right). Hailing from Malaysia originally, via school and university in London, Lin now lives in Melbourne where she’ll take hold of the Trespass reins. A bachelor degree in philosophy, a postgraduate degree in business management and a stint as a chef gives her just the kind of varied, interesting background Trespass readers and writers themselves come from, and this colourful life informs Lin’s writing style and voice. Lin has already sprinkled her magic dust over the magazine with some big ideas for a big future and let me tell you all, her energy is not only boundless, it is contagious.

Joining Lin Tan are Film Editor Beth Wilson, Music Editor Kudrat Singh and Beauty & Style Editor Romy Grbic. These Editors have all been handpicked by yours truly because I very much believe they are the rays of light Trespass needs to keep getting bigger and better. You can meet them now on the new Team page and, should you feel the burning desire to contact them, email details are below.

The future at Trespass looks very bright. So bright, in fact, I’m squinting. Squinting whilst suffused with pride (a really attractive vision, actually). Looking ahead at the content, I see more politics, more travel, more cultural and social exploration, more film and music and beauty, more opinion, more questions being asked about the world we live in. Oh and guess what? I see treats of the culinary variety. We are launching a brand new section this week, to coincide with our first birthday and that section is … Food + Drink. Yes people, yes. Get ready to eat and drink yourselves stupid. We have a fortnightly cooking video coming in from Bangkok, recipes for the pros and amateurs, regular In Search of the Perfect … installments and much, much more. It’s all part of our continued expansion and, as always, we’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

So. We wanted to give you something good to read. We wanted to provide a home for new voices.  We wanted to create something that wasn’t like anything else out there. I can only hope we have achieved at least one of those things. Our unique point of difference has always been our global nature with no limitations on where our writers can write from or our readers can read from. The result is a Trespass family that stays in touch with its numerous members through Facebook, Twitter, email and comments – a lovely, big, perfectly-functional-in-its-own-special-way family.

Fittingly, November has been our biggest month ever with an unprecedented amount of you scouring the mag and that’s the best birthday present we could have asked for. If you’re a writer, photographer or inordinately talented being and you want to get on board the Trespass train, then now is the time to check out the Contribute page. We’d love to hear from you. And speaking of birthday presents, stay tuned for a veritable FEAST for the Trespass reader. We have GIVEAWAYS and DISCOUNT PROMOTIONS galore, to thank you all for your constant and kind patronage. Watch this space.

So I thank you, from the bottom of my heart for embracing this baby and making Trespass part of your everyday. You have all been the best readers and writers a girl could ask for, and you have made my job an absolute pleasure. I’m placing you in the capable hands of our brilliant new Editorial team, headed up by Lin Tan, who will help take Trespass into its second year in the style to which you have all become accustomed.

Love Liv x

Get in touch

Editor in Chief: olivia@trespassmag.com

Editor: lintan@trespassmag.com

Film: beth@trespassmag.com

Music: kudrat@trespassmag.com

Beauty & Style: romy@trespassmag.com

The Articles of 2009 That Really Got You Talking …

Jade Goody; As Real as Reality Television Gets

Fine Lines and Big Leaps - NRL Group Sex Scandal

On Past, Present and Gordon Ramsay

Rite of Passage: Eating Vegemite in Australia

100% Australian Owned: The Cultural Cringe

Larger than Life – the death of Michael Jackson

It Wasn’t Rape-Rape

The A-Z of the Iran Elections

The Naked Truth

I’m a Fat Mummy. You?

How Could You Do This? - the issue of Victim Impact Statements

Pride; Sometimes it can Waver - Indian students in Australia and racism

The Small Matter of … Wankerism

Obamarama and Gen Y; Consumerism, Race & Social Change

Blurring the Lines – a generation raised on easy-access porn

The Twiggy that Broke the Camel’s Back

Goodbye Cruel World - 2012 and the impending end of the world

Sell Out, Dumb Down & Get Published

Throwing Money at Mediocrity

Did I Say Something Wrong? – celebrities and their big mouths

The Fiction of Fashion

The Tribe Has Spoken – But What Did it Say? - Sydney University’s ‘rape page’

Little Big Things

The Interviews You Loved …

Actor, Adhir Kalyan

Singer-songwriter, Andy Bull

Band, Ziggie Flax

Band, Saving Grace

Band, The Affairs

Band, Ranger Spacey

Writer, Tracy Quan

Actor/Comedian, Andy Harris

Band, Ryan Meeking & The Few

Singer, BC Jean

The Places You Wanted to Visit

Santorini: Love, Life & Santorini

Ireland: Cead Mile Failte

Venice: 24 Hours in … Venice

New Zealand: Welcome to Noo Zulund

Barcelona: Photo Album

Bangkok: 24 Hours in … Bangkok

Japan: Japanese Story Part 1

New York: Photo Album