diff --git a/orm/topic.py b/orm/topic.py
index d9e6668e..b7be86c3 100644
--- a/orm/topic.py
+++ b/orm/topic.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class Topic(Base):
 	title: str = Column(String, nullable=False, comment="Title")
 	body: str = Column(String, nullable=True, comment="Body")
 	pic: str = Column(String, nullable=True, comment="Picture")
-	children = Column(JSONType, nullable=True, comment="list of children topics")
+	children = Column(JSONType, nullable=True, default = [], comment="list of children topics")
 	community = Column(ForeignKey("community.slug"), nullable=False, comment="Community")
 
 class TopicStorage:
diff --git a/resolvers/topics.py b/resolvers/topics.py
index 95729edb..e6532689 100644
--- a/resolvers/topics.py
+++ b/resolvers/topics.py
@@ -25,6 +25,33 @@ async def topics_by_author(_, info, author):
 			slugs.update([topic.slug for topic in shout.topics])
 	return await TopicStorage.get_topics(slugs)
 
+@mutation.field("createTopic")
+@login_required
+async def create_topic(_, info, input):
+	new_topic = Topic.create(**input)
+	await TopicStorage.add_topic(new_topic)
+
+	return { "topic" : new_topic }
+
+@mutation.field("updateTopic")
+@login_required
+async def update_topic(_, info, input):
+	slug = input["slug"]
+
+	session = local_session()
+	topic = session.query(Topic).filter(Topic.slug == slug).first()
+
+	if not topic:
+		return { "error" : "topic not found" }
+
+	topic.update(input)
+	session.commit()
+	session.close()
+
+	await TopicStorage.add_topic(topic)
+
+	return { "topic" : topic }
+
 @mutation.field("topicSubscribe")
 @login_required
 async def topic_subscribe(_, info, slug):
@@ -54,7 +81,7 @@ async def new_shout_generator(obj, info, user_id):
 		await ShoutSubscriptions.register_subscription(shouts_queue)
 		while True:
 			shout = await shouts_queue.get()
-			if topics.intersection(set(shout.topic_ids)):
+			if topics.intersection(set(shout.topic_slugs)):
 				yield shout
 	finally:
 		await ShoutSubscriptions.del_subscription(shouts_queue)
diff --git a/resolvers/zine.py b/resolvers/zine.py
index 45f3d1c8..ba571834 100644
--- a/resolvers/zine.py
+++ b/resolvers/zine.py
@@ -249,19 +249,19 @@ async def create_shout(_, info, input):
 	with local_session() as session:
 		user = session.query(User).filter(User.id == user_id).first()
 	
-	topic_ids = input.get("topic_ids")
-	del input["topic_ids"]
+	topic_slugs = input.get("topic_slugs")
+	del input["topic_slugs"]
 
 	new_shout = Shout.create(**input)
 	ShoutAuthor.create(
 		shout = new_shout.id,
 		user = user_id)
 	
-	for id in topic_ids:
+	for slug in topic_slugs:
 		topic = ShoutTopic.create(
 			shout = new_shout.id,
-			topic = id)
-	new_shout.topic_ids = topic_ids
+			topic = slug)
+	new_shout.topic_slugs = topic_slugs
 
 	task = GitTask(
 		input,
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ async def update_shout(_, info, id, input):
 	session.commit()
 	session.close()
 
-	for topic in input.get("topics"):
+	for topic in input.get("topic_slugs"):
 		ShoutTopic.create(
 			shout = shout.id,
 			topic = topic)
diff --git a/schema.graphql b/schema.graphql
index ea552d69..b48a18dd 100644
--- a/schema.graphql
+++ b/schema.graphql
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ input ShoutInput {
 	body: String!
 	# replyTo: String # another shout
 	# tags: [String] # actual values
-	topic_ids: [Int]
+	topic_slugs: [String]
 	title: String
 	subtitle: String
 	versionOf: String
@@ -74,6 +74,20 @@ type ChatRoomResult {
 	room: ChatRoom!
 }
 
+input TopicInput {
+	slug: String!
+	title: String
+	body: String
+	pic: String
+	children: [String]
+	community: String!
+}
+
+type TopicResult {
+	error: String
+	topic: Topic
+}
+
 ################################### Mutation
 
 type Mutation {
@@ -106,6 +120,8 @@ type Mutation {
 	updateProfile(profile: ProfileInput!): Result!
 
 	# topics
+	createTopic(input: TopicInput!): TopicResult!
+	updateTopic(input: TopicInput!): TopicResult!
 	topicSubscribe(slug: String!): Result!
 	topicUnsubscribe(slug: String!): Result!
 
@@ -324,8 +340,7 @@ type Topic {
 	pic: String
 	parents: [String] # NOTE: topic can have parent topics
 	children: [String] # and children
-	cat_id: String
-	community: String
+	community: String!
 }
 
 # TODO: resolvers to add/remove topics from publication