I am somewhat fickle. I have my all time favourite lit places (Pulp Net, FRiGG, Smokelong...) which I remain loyal to, and then there are those that catch my eye with shiny newness and good words (Kill Author, Cella's Round Trip) that I will keep an eye on, there are lots that I regularly read or skim read at least, but there are some that I fall a little in love with, and then I fall out of love with. I start off excited by their "voice" or look, or editorial, I like some of the stories, I want in. I'll maybe submit, I'll maybe be accepted, or rejected, it doesn't seem to affect how I go on to feel. Then pow, it's over. Perhaps I tire of the samey samey stories, or the voice becomes too loud and all knowing, maybe the shine dulls a bit, the quality control seems to have gone way off. I'll come out now and say that Mslexia was my big goal as a beginner writer. I thought if I got in there it would really mean something, but this last year I haven't even subbed to them once. The love affair is over for now (though I won't give up my subscription ever I assume.) My last crush was PANK, or was it Roxane Gay? I am kinda crushing on wigleaf right now. All that cute, quirky goodness! My first love was Pulp Net, and it was such a thrill that they showed me some love too. They'll always be my number one!
Am I alone in this or do you have these lit mag crushes too?
Who is your current love? Who is your old faithful? I'd love to know.
4 weeks ago
5 comments:
I love this post!!! LOL! My first love is of course Every Day Fiction (thank you Camille and Jordan) since they sent me love when I didn't believe anyone ever would! They remain a great place for developing new writers and for promoting those who are on the cusp of recognition.
But I'm also crushing on those other mags who've shown me love like 10Flash which gives me the chance to stretch my genre self and whose editor, K. C. Ball is always encouraging not just to me but all new and emerging writers and 10FLash PAYS!!!! Real MOney!
And like Night Train and 3 AM, two places I've been dying to get into and finally did. And those who rhythms I haven't quite picked up on like Smokelong, Pank, and Prick of the Spindle.
There are many more too that I read and keep my eye on with so many encouraging editors. Ben White, Roxane Gay, Coop Renner, Sarah McAuley, and Angela over at WOW. I'm forgetting many who've written me nice notes of encouragement. Bravo to all the on-line editors who have created a real solid place out of the ether for writing and writers.
Ha!
I just went batshit on Facebook last night and wrote a love letter to all the lit mag editors who have published me... it really was a love letter, though, not a crush letter... probably the biggest "crushes" I've ever had have been Roxane Gay and Ellen Parker -- total friend crushes.
Anyway, I was a little embarrassed by this love letter I wrote because I was afraid it would read like, "Look at all the cool places I've been published," but in the moment when I wrote it, I was really feeling overwhelmed by the kindness of so many of the indie lit scene editors... so many of them are such genuinely good-hearted people, and the work they do to help build community and to support writers extends so far beyond just the work that appears in their publications. I wanted to honor that kindness and support, so I listed all their names.
There's an interesting Q&A with several editors ongoing right now at
http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/
A fan
Hi Gay. I'm not familiar with 10Flash but will certainly check them out. EDF, of course! I like the way you describe Pank, Smokelong et al as "Those rhythms I haven't quite picked up on..." What a charming way of looking at it. I haven't won over Smokelong or Pank either YET!
Those encouraging notes mean a lot don't they. They nourish you on your way I think.
Tim - I share your crushes. Roxane Gay and Ellen Parker are my two favourites too. Cool, good, strong female voices. I like that you wrote a thank you letter, that's a nice thing to do. Yayness!
Anon - ooh, I like the link. That looks very interesting indeed. Thanks!
Sara,
I feel so lucky to have the kind of access we have these days with the internet to so many venues. One of the best things about it is how this kind of access encourages us to write material we otherwise would never think to write!!!
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