About

Backstory

Over a 48 hour period from noon August 27, 2010, through noon August 29, 2010, hundreds of writers, editors, artists, photographers, programmers, videographers, and other creatives from all around the world came together via the Internet, and in offices in Los Angles, Portland, and San Francisco to make a magazine and build this website, from start to finish.

We're proud to present a selection of stories from Issue One of Longshot Magazine.

Our first attempt to create a magazine in 48 hours was an open-armed invitation to failure. But Issue Zero shipped thousands of issues all over the world, from Shanghai to Stockholm to St. Louis. Most people bought it on faith, knowing little beyond its unusual origin story: a magazine made start to finish in a single weekend, cobbled together in a San Francisco pop-up office at Mother Jones’ headquarters on the original, knife-marked Rolling Stone conference table.

It was a longshot, but it worked. So we decided to do it again.

With $750 in our collective pocket from the last issue’s sales, we rented a van and drove down to Los Angeles to spend 48 hours at the offices of GOOD magazine. The dizzy anticipation of our sleepless production cycle mixed with the new weight of our own expectations. It’s easier to go from nothing to something than to one-up yourself.

Fortunately, collaboration is a renewable resource. The Longshot volunteer staff and our unbelievably gracious and talented hosts at GOOD generated an awe-inspiring creative current during the weekend-long sprint. Our sponsors provided fuel when we were flagging. We are profoundly grateful to all of our partners in delirious sleep deprivation.

But mostly, we owe the satisfying thrill of this second go-round to you. This is still, and always will be, your magazine and your site.

Thank you.

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