American Girl Magazine Summer Part II- Creating a Real Magazine
Living out my Jenna Rink big time magazine editor dreams.
Summer isn’t set to officially start until June 20, but American Girl Magazine Summer is already in full swing! If you haven’t read my initial AGMS post, check it out first because I have some fun updates to share. For starters, I’m blown away with how many people are excited about having their own American Girl Magazine Summer. Even people who didn’t grow up reading the magazines have reached out to share they are excited about making summer more whimsical. What’s so special about AGM Summer is that you can truly make it your own. You set the terms; you decide what that means. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding little moments of joy this summer and enjoying things your inner child would love you for.
As more people shared their excitement to have their own American Girl Magazine Summer, I wanted to think of a way for all of us to connect — to document and celebrate the whimsy and magic we’ll create this summer. And maybe it’s a byproduct of growing up in the early 00s and being raised by magazine editors and journalists in the movies (I am a Jenna Rink Sun, an Andie Anderson Moon, and a Sally Albright Rising), but I want to put together a real life magazine, documenting all of us having an American Girl Magazine Summer.
I can’t promise that it will be this high-level couture magazine (You won’t find Miranda Priestly or Andy Sachs in my big three), but what I can promise is to work incredibly hard on this project and make it a labor of love — to be a real American Girl putting together a real magazine just like the ones we grew up on. And this won’t be just for American girls. I want this magazine to be for all of us, anyone who yearns to have a more magical summer.
So here’s how it’s going to work: I’ve put together a Google form that you can submit as often as you’d like over the course of the summer (or at least the first half of the summer, I do need time for layout). The magazine will feature reader-submitted segments just like the real AGM did. So for anyone who wants to have an American Girl Magazine Summer, you can be featured on the pages of the magazine I’m making. The form has options for submissions for the cover, Amelia’s Notebook, summer favorites, the Giggle Gang, short story and art contests, the advice column, and more!
I will be changing the name of the magazine and certain featured segments because I don’t want The American Girl brand coming after me, but I want the heart and core of the magazine to be the same. So instead of Amelia’s Notebook, you’ll find “Our Notebook,” a segment comprised of submitted journal entries that can be scanned pages of a notebook with doodles just like Amelia, a poem from your diary, a scrapbook you crafted, you get the idea! I still don’t know what to change the name of the magazine yet, so you’ll also be able to submit suggestions for the name too.
The deadline for submissions is July 15, 2025, and soon after, I plan to sell copies of the magazine once it’s completely edited. I’d love to be able to print physical versions and mail them out so you’d get to experience that rush of checking your mailbox for a new issue and pouring over the pages. It will simply depend on the amount of orders and the cost of printing and shipping because I know we’re probably all trying to scrimp right now. At the very least, you can get a digital copy of the finished magazine because I want it to feel like that first day back to school when everyone is excitedly sharing how they spent their summer.
Some housekeeping on the form:
You can submit entries for as many of the categories. You do not have to submit to more than one, but you're more than welcome to.
You can also submit the form as many times as you need.
If your submission for a particular category requires further materials such as photos or an essay, you can email them to eatinggilmore@gmail.com (deadline: July 15, 2025)
Your submissions do not have to be PG rated, but please do not submit explicit photos.
You do not have to be American or a girl to participate in this project, it is for all!
Submitting the form does not guarantee you'll be included in the magazine. While I want to be able to include everyone who submits, we will only have room for so many. Please know that I am reading and cherishing every entry, even if it's not selected to be featured.
Email addresses will not be distributed publicly and will only be used for communication regarding this project.
Please be mindful of the submission deadline so I have enough time for magazine layout.
By submitting the form, you agree to have your submission be featured in the magazine.
For any questions, please email eatinggilmore@gmail.com
I hope this is a safe space for vulnerability because I’m not entirely sure how this will go. I’ve never done anything like this, but I think that’s part of the fun, right? I’m clearly in my passion project era, but I’m finally in a job that allows me to leave work at work and when I clock out, I’m truly done for the day. I have all this creativity buzzing through me, and I know this new project will be a beautiful place for me to create.
I plan to keep y’all updated not only on how my own American Girl Magazine Summer is going, but also the process of putting together the magazine all here on Substack. I’ll ask for your input and feedback here and on my Instagram Stories (@ eatinggilmore.andmore). I’m excited to have you join me on this adventure so that I can live out my Jenna Rink big time magazine editor dreams.
And now I’ll leave you with an update on my own American Girl Magazine Summer:
I’ve been trying to intentionally incorporate elements of AGMS into my life, and I’ve had so much fun already. It’s enjoyable to think of how to make the more mundane parts of life have a little bit of that American Girl sparkle. I’ve incorporated several of the segments into my life so far, and I’ll share a brief update.
Crafts & DIY: I got together with some friends to make summer vision/ mood boards. I couldn’t decide on the vibe I wanted, so I made two. One side is a coastal grandmother/ Ina Garten in the Hamptons vibe and the other is a pink girlie pop vibe. Basically the two sides of my personality!
Heart-to-Heart: So many of you have reached out to be pen pals with me this summer! I’m picking out which stationary I want to use and a few happy mail goodies to add in the envelopes. I’m really looking forward to this. If you want to join in on the fun and receive some snail mail from me this summer, please email your mailing address to me at eatinggilmore@gmail.com.
The Whole You: I bought a weighted hula hoop, and it’s been a fun way to get some movement in and work up a sweat. It’s perfect for summer nostalgia vibes.
Themed Parties: We had a our brunch cookbook club for April and we have an Italian one planned for May. I haven’t made progress for the Nancy Meyers Dinner party, but I still plan to host one this summer.
Amelia’s Notebook: Joy, my podcast host, sent me a little notebook in my favorite color. I haven’t started using it yet but I thought it would be a fun way to jot down everything I did for AGMS and plans to incorporate AGM into other seasons!
Short Stories: I dug out an old story I worked on ages ago and wrote a little for it, and it was exhilarating. I want to keep writing.
American Girl Magazine Summer Vibes: This has probably been the most fun. I’ve really tried to think of how to make my summer feel like an American Girl Magazine. My book club had a book swap at one of my favorite cocktail bars, and I ordered a cocktail that matched my outfit (and pink heart sunglasses which obviously feel extremely AGMS). I ordered an American Girl Quiz Book (when it arrived, realized it was the exact same one I had growing up), and Joy, and I plan to do a minisode of the podcast going through some of the quizzes! When my friends and I did the summer mood boards, we ordered pizza and did tarot spreads. I also found a trio of sorbet flavors at my local Aldi and it felt like fate to have the exact number we needed (the blood orange was to die for). I’ve been reading through old issues of AGM that I ordered on ebay. I was a little disappointed that my most recent order had some cut-up issues with missing pages, but we persist onward!
More cheers, less fears!
Larisa
This is brilliant!!! My dream of seeing my name printed in AG mag might actually be fulfilled.
okay so we are about to have the best summer ever !!!