Recently I got an invitation to participate as a writer in a Blogger & Webmaster online study. I was to write my honest opinion about a brand or TV show, or movie, whether it’s good or bad, and to say how would I build an official fan club site if I was the designer. At least 150 words in a post that will be a permanent link to the official fan club I write about.

Those who write professionally like I do f know that any opportunity to publish your honest opinion about anything and share  it with your readers is a golden moment to exercise your craft and BE a writer, and usually writers who write for an independent magazine write without any pay, in support of the magazine or journal we call “home” and in hopes that our content keeps our supporters paying their marketing ads or subscriptions to our magazine, or journal, so  our “home” doesn’t disappear; and even then, in an independent magazine like Elephant, the writers don’t see any money for a long while.

To make the story short, when Jennifer told me they would pay for my work as an honest writer in their online study, I was excited about the possibility. Then, the mind started working of course, and the bigger picture came into focus: How is a writer going to ever get paid regularly for his/her job, if he/she keeps giving away for free the advertising that supports the magazine in the first place? How is the publisher going to get the money to pay his/her writers without having to charge the readers to read us? Why are the successful brands or TV shows, or movies, trying to get publicity and reviews without supporting the magazine that will bring so many people to the awareness of their products, if they DO have money?

As the big questions arise, integrity and commitment to universal values and ideals conflict with the actual reality that writers also have to bring bread to their tables and sustain their families. How then to pass on, again, on getting paid for your job when “somebody” is willing to pay you for your honest writing, and deals with you like any other hard worker in the world? Because let me tell you that mainly in the writing industry, as in any other industry that deals with the masses, the ego grows stronger before fame and recognition for its talent, or the opportunity to express a talent that can’t be kept unexpressed, and the money sacrifices that are made do not really help to make a better world for the writer, instead encourage  people to believe that being a writer is not a job…well, give it a try, you’ll find out that as any other job you invest time, skill and education.

Any way, making the story shorter, while debating on what was the right thing to do for the benefit of all, I discovered Hanna Andersson.

Who is Hanna? Hanna is a grandmother who had a way with babies and lived in Skåne near the Baltic Sea.  She lived by the Swedish tradition of choosing the best quality she could find in clothes – and using things for a long, long time! Her grand daughter began to bring cotton clothes to America in dedication to Hanna and the standard of quality that she represented _ quality with love and understanding. And Hanna Andersson brand was born.

What makes Hanna Andersson beautiful to write about, is their success in giving back to the community.   Hanna purchase goes to help children through donations that support children in need. Their HannaHelps Program continues the company’s 20 year tradition of charitable giving by awarding yearly grants to hundreds of schools and nonprofit groups serving children across the nation. It also helps the environment through their offerings of organically grown cotton. They do cheer to a better future for all children. Hanna Andersson can proudly say that they let kids be kids.

Dilemma solved! Here in Elephant, we LOVE to write about people who are changing the world for the better doing good, wether they make clothes, TV  Shows, movies, or tables! Congratulations Gramma Hanna, you must be proud! How would  I build http://hannaandersson.org/ as an official fan club site if I was the designer of this kid’s clothes company’s fan club? Eureka! Become an Elephant! Let the whole world know about you by linking your world with us and offer your fans a membership to a mindful world of information and conscious fun writing inviting them to be an Elephant 🙂 Your kids will be forever thankful! And your karma will grow brighter! …… Together we can keep letting the kids be kids; Not only any kids, but happy, aware and conscious kids! For sure, they will be your most faithful fans ever!

Be happy,

yeye