Journal Reports Round 2

Allison:

Name: 5x5 Literary Magazine

Rank: I feel that because of its size of staff as well as its output that this magazine is on the lower end of the scale, however they repeat the statement that they are looking for thoughtful yet concise works which leads me to believe that the work although small seems well thought and worth the read. 

Style: This magazine is pretty unique due to its very small format hints the name 5x5. This is an online Journal that has two issues a year (summer and winter), it is free to read and free to submit to, and you can submit all year round. It accepts poetry, fiction, and nonfiction as long as it is 500 words or less. It also features photography. The fiction category is sometimes given a theme they wish you to write about but are open to new writers as well as the more well established writers. The issue I read had a theme of Outsiders so the tone was a dark and sad one but something I think everyone can relate to at some point in their life. The length of the stories also makes for a great tone because we only get a glimpse of these characters and their situations making for really talented writing to create such great emotion in such a small space.

Name: Crazy Horse

Rank: This seems like a much more widely known and respected magazine that has a lot of prize money opportunities so somebody has got to be reading them, right?

Style: This magazine has been around for a long time and has its fair share of famous and award winning writers as submissions as well as judges and editors making this journal last throughout the good and bad times as well as switching Colleges and all that jazz. While reading some of the stories in the latest edition it seems very clean cut and has great attention to language while also keeping some great humor in the somewhat serious stories. I really enjoyed one called Since Vincent Left by Karin Lin-Greenberg. The tone was somewhat lonesome as well as hilariously cynical which is a lot like my style of literary writing.

Name: Iowa Review

Rank: This journal is one that I have researched for my senior portfolio class and I know that it is widely praised.

Style: The version that I read was a much older one but I knew that this journal was going to be interesting considering that there was a whole section dedicated to very old photos of half dressed or completely naked prostitutes from the early 1900’s. This shows the way that the Iowa Review is interested in the history of America and doesn’t shy away from the things others might try and avoid. The Iowa Review is a daring journal that displays a love for the America of the past while also not being afraid to air all of its dirty laundry.

The One I Will Likely Send To: Honestly I think that the magazine most interesting to me was the 5x5 Literary Magazine because of its very open feeling. I like that there is no payment to read or submit it so if published it could be shared easily with people I know. I also like the very small amount of writing needed, but the challenge for it to be the best writing still there. I think that as a new writer this is the perfect magazine so that the pressure is not too overwhelming and the success is still satisfying.

Molly:

Three literary journals of interest for me are Beginnings Publishing Inc., Literal Latte, and Natural Bridge. I believe they are all considered third-tier magazines, especially Beginnings Publishing. Literal Latte might be second tier, but I am not certain. I chose these because stylistically Literal Latte and Natural Bridge appeal to me, and Beginnings Publishing is an accessible place to start without having previous publication experience.

            Beginnings Publishing accepts fiction from unpublished, new writers. This seems like a good place for gaining traction and getting a first story published. They accept all genres of fiction, including contemporary literature and literary fiction, which are what I have worked on this year. They are unique because they only publish new writers, so the competition is not against well-known authors who have been writing for many years. I didn’t get access to their publications, but some things I found important are that their submission deadline is December 31, so it fits within our time frame, and they accept simultaneous submissions. Both of these qualities appeal to me for publication tactics of submitting to several places in December.

            Natural Bridge accepts contemporary literature, some themes being around human interaction and relationships, which I think my writing addresses. Many of their published writers have won the Flannery O’Connor, the Drue Heinz, and the John Ciardi prizes. They accept simultaneous submissions as well, but they charge three dollars for submission if you don’t have a subscription. They take submissions through May 1, so it gives more time for revision for the stories written this semester. Even though it is a university publication, they don’t favor their own students (in fact, they don’t accept from their own students). This is not like others I have found, which take half from their own students and half from elsewhere. I am uncertain if an agent would read this journal.

            Literal Latte accepts a variety of styles including classical fiction and experimental. I think my writing plays in experimental, especially if I submit “Conscience”. The attractive title aside, I enjoy the stories published in Literal Latte because they include important internal human issues.  This is the type of topic I think about and hope to portray through my writing, so I think it is a good venue for publication. I have also seen some political undertones throughout the featured stories, particularly liberal. I believe this is a result from our present climate because some of the previously published stories do not have this theme. I think this may be a phase that will pass that I might not have to include to get published. Some published writers within Literal Latte include Christopher Allen (who has been published in over 100 anthologies and journals), or Carol LaHines (who has been published in about 15 journals). This seems like a publication that an agent might read. The most appealing journal of the three is Literal Latte. I enjoyed the stories I read from it, and I think with some work, I could fit my story into the publication.

Zachary:

          The first journal I decided to research was the Camera Obscura Journal of Literature and Photography. To me, it comes across as somewhere between a middle tier and a top tier journal. It has standards for its submissions, including a specific word count (though exceptions can be made) and that the work must be previously unpublished. It’s made clear that if the work is published later on elsewhere, then Camera Obscura should be noted as its point of origin. For agents, it doesn’t quite seem like the first choice to look, but it’s certainly not a bad place. It’s specifically listed as a literary journal, so of course, it’s going to have literary works. What makes it so unique compared to other journals is that, as its name implies, there are photography competitions that go on while short stories are submitted. The winners will be put into the issues along with those stories. There’s also a bonus cash prize for the best story that puts the pictures together into a cohesive narrative.

            The second journal I looked at was Black Warrior Review. From looking at the guidelines, it comes across as middle tier to me. Just like Camera Obscura, it wouldn’t be a bad place for agents to look. What’s requested from submissions are works that make people think and feel; stories that restructure the world and challenges standard writing conventions.

            The final journal I decided to research was Glimmer Train. This one seems like it’s between low tier and middle tier, but an agent looking for fresh talent may look at the New Writers category. It may not be the most well-known magazine or the highest end, but it’d be a good place to start for aspiring writers. What attracted my attention are the cash prizes awarded for the winners of five categories: New Writers, Very Short Fiction, Fiction Open, Family Matters, and Standard. I noticed that the cash prize for New Writers is the second greatest of all, so I believe that they’re especially trying to attract new writers.

            Originally, I was going to go for Black Warrior Review, but upon discovering Glimmer Train, I’ve decided that that one would be the best choice to send my work. It’s not so high end that new writers can’t gain a foothold in it, in fact they want them, but at the same time, there are worse places to start out at. Plus, I want the cash.

            

Rebecca:

New Letters: Second Tier Journal. I’ve been a subscriber and fan of New Letters for about seven years and never considered submitting to this journal because the writing is so spectacular and leading edge on the industry. New Letters accepts all kinds of writing, regardless of genre, style, subject. Which means they also accept poetry, visual prose and unique approaches to sharing stories. The one critical concern for anyone submitting to New Letters is that the submission meets the standard of literary excellence.

There is no submission fee. New Letters also has writing contests, awards and weekend writing conferences, which do require fees. New Letters also offers a hands-on experience as internship in the world of publishing and credit hours towards a degree, the New Letters Magazine Publication Practicum (English 449A). The course includes experience with BkMk Press, which is book publishing and New Letters on the Air, the radio series.

New Letters Magazine Publication Practicum (English 449A).

BkMk Press has a separate submission standard and does not except genre, but instead nonfiction essays, fiction short stories and poetry. BkMk Press will take unsolicited submissions for a period of time in the calendar year.

I do believe agents scout a journal such as New Letters because of the diversity and the high quality literary content. So for serious agents of literary writers, this is one publication that should be considered. New Letters supports literary writers in levels, workshops, magazine, internships and conferences.

And should your story be accepted, they do pay. Not much, average $100. They do accept simultaneous submissions if you notify them.

One Story: I would consider One Story a Second Tier publication. I think the lucrative aspect of this publication for agents is that they only publish one story and so agents understand that this was a pick selected from hundreds of submissions. One Story seeks literary fiction between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They accept any style, so long as the work is literary.

One Story pays as well, $500 and twenty-five copies for First Serial North American rights. Rights revert to the author following publication. One Story seeks unpublished work only unless published outside of North America. This includes blogs and personal websites, which I find common among most publications, so it is best to hold onto your work until published in a journal before sharing on sites.

One Story does accept simultaneous submissions with notification. One Story also accepts interviews and translations. One Story also has a separate publication, One Teen Story, worthy of a glance for YA writers.

The Sun: Second Tier Journal. The Sun publishes essays, interviews, fiction and poetry. They lean towards personal writing, but also seek out pieces of political and cultural concerns. The Sun pays well, $300-2000 for essays and interviews, $300-1500 for fiction and $100-200 for poetry. The Sun purchases one-time rights and then the rights revert to the author upon publication.

The Sun discourages simultaneous submissions and rarely publish anything longer than seven thousand words. They do not require a query letter except for interviews.

The Sun receives submissions the old-fashioned way – through printed, typed, double-spaced submission using the postal system accompanied with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Since The Sun is selective, receiving thousands of submissions per publication, I believe agents scout for new clients through a journal of this caliper. Also, since The Sun publishes personal stories and interviews, agents might seek out particular voice or style that they preference and are passionate about in an up-coming writer.

Submissions for interviews for The Sun have a different method, usually a letter of inquiry first with the shape of the story and interview to avoid wasting time and receiving The Sun’s “approval” prior to conducting the interview.

Glimmer Train: First Tier Journal. Since this is a first tier journal, agents definitely read this magazine, to stay abreast of new styles and ideas, but also to find fresh and undiscovered voices in writing. Glimmer Train considers any original short story that is unpublished. Previous on-line publication is fine, but no novels, poetry or children’s stories.

Glimmer Train pays generously and reads every submission in every category. There is a two dollar processing fee, but Glimmer Train will even waive this if it is a hardship for the writer as the philosophy at Glimmer Train is no writer will be prevented from submitting work due to lack of funds.

A great aspect of Glimmer Train is the five submission categories to choose, along with four separate contests. There is the Short Story Award for New Writers (first place is $2500), circulation over five thousand. Most entries are one to five thousand words in length, but Glimmer Train will accept up to twelve thousand words. There is Very Short Fiction (first place is $2000) and word length is three hundred to three thousand words. Fiction Open has a first place compensation of $3000 with most entries running from three to six thousand words, but Glimmer Train will accept three to twenty thousand words in this category. There is also the Standard Category with a maximum word count of twelve thousand words and the first place prize is $700.

Finally, there is Family Matters with a first place of $2500. This category is for stories about families of all shapes and sizes, running between one and five thousand words, but up to twelve thousand words are accepted.

Glimmer Train is all about the writing. And all about supporting new writers. So this journal isn’t concerned with format, font, style and size…or even double spacing.

Out of the above journals, I will probably submit to all. I purposely did research on journals that I had a personal interest in submitting. For this class, I plan to submit to Glimmer Train as they are accepting stories concerning psychiatric care and I have a story that fits the bill so I feel it has a higher chance of publication. I plan to submit “Normal with Food” for this journal.

Last week I submitted interviews that I run professionally to The Sun and am anxiously awaiting to hear if these are worthy of the style and content that they are seeking.

Journal Reports Round 1

As promised, here are three of the Literary Journal Reports.

Marisa:

1. Portland Review

a. This journal seems to have a moderate level of “prestige.” It has published

famous and accomplished authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, but not

those on the level of, say Joyce Carol Oates. I believe that it is respected,

and an agent would read it, but I don’t think it would be on the top of

anyone’s list of mu st reads. Also, it do esn’t pay. (As a side note, the

design needs some serious work)

b. This journal publishes nonfiction, poetry, fiction, as well as photographs.

The work in this journal seems to be very literary. Some of the stories I

looked at were rather strange and experimental as well.

2. Room

a. This journal seems to be a lower-tier journal than the Portland Review.

It’s circulation is higher than the former, but I have a feeling that since it is

women-only, it is taken less seriously. I personally did not recognize any

of the names of writers previously published (but I might be considered

“under-read” by some people). It also pays a pretty high sum for fiction

writers published ($250 to $100). I believe that an agent might read this

journal.

b. The most unique thing about this journal is the women- (and

transgender-, genderqueer-, etc.) only rule. It publishes essays, poetry,

visual art, and fiction. The work seems to be focused on the experiences of

all kinds of women. I found the pieces in this journal to be much more

compelling than those in PR.

3. CutBank

a. This also seems to be on somewhat of a lower tier, though it probably gains

slightly more prestige because it is published though a university

(University of Montana, though, not exactly the most famous institution).

I couldn’t find any authors that I recognized who had been published in it,

and it does not pay. I believe that an agent might read this journal in the

right circumstances (if they had a connection to someone working on the

staff, for example), but with so many others journals out there, it seems

unlikely.

b. This journal publishes fiction and poetry. The fiction seems to be very

“stereotypical” literary fiction, nowhere near as experimental as the work I

saw in PR.

I find Room to be the most appealing out of all of these journals, but unfortunately also

probably the most competitive (though about half of my competition would be cut out

just by the nature of the publication). Many of my protagonists are also not women.

This is something that I’ve tried to work on for a while but have never really changed. I

think that some of my stories could fit in well, though.

---

Jacob: 

1        1. 34^th Parallel Magazine

"Our reality is fiction" is the main slogan you will read when coming across the 34th Parallel. This company is very enthusiastic about writing—so much that they especially note that writing fiction is much more important than conducting cinematography. With that said, this is a company that not only encourages more writers but more readers because everyone perceives a written story differently, rather than the strictly limited imagery of film

I would recommend this journal—while it resides more so in the middle tier in respects for its genuine motivation—specifically for writers who are just barely getting into the business and submitting their first manuscripts. It’s important to acknowledge magazines that are particularly flexible with any kind of fiction, as well.

Some authors included:  AJIRI AKI; JAN ALEXANDER; OSCAR BRUCE; LIZ FYNE; KAREN BREMER MASUDA; KW OXNARD. All those represented have written many of variety pieces. Whether one’s work may be contemporary, genre, tragic, comedic, literary, I would heavily suggest 34^th Parallel; especially for its engaging and enthusiastic behavior from its employees.

2    2. Southern Indiana Review

For a university with the current enrollment of just a smidge over ten-thousand students, the Southern Indiana Review’s credibility is quite impressive. While it is one of the greater universities I would personally suggest for any English major to look into, the review focuses more than just writing. I admire this the staffs’ intent to invite more branches of the liberal arts to be included. Contemporary art, drama, poetry, and non-fiction also reign supreme when wielding one of these issues.

I would definitely call this journal to be one of the most respected I’ve come across. Among peers and other professors I have had in the past, they have all recommended this review to submit craft.

Seeing how it’s closely affiliated with university and especially students, I think this is a good first step to take. Respected authors are as follows: Yael Massen—MFA student in poetry and non-fiction. Winner of the American Poets Award in 2016, when she received support from The National Society of Arts. Another winner of the National Poetry Series, Adrian Matejka, is also featured in the review. He’s the author of The Devil’s Garden (2009). He has also won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for his novel, The Big Smoke, while becoming a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.

I’m personally taking this journal into account for its flexibility and the deep creativity that go into each issue. With that in mind, as I am an illustrator myself, it’s inspiring the note that the S.I.R. acknowledges contemporary graphics and fine art to flow along the personal experience when reading the featured craft. The art itself also seems to a tell a story of its own.

3. Airplane Reading

I chose to look further into this literary magazine mostly because of my biased experienced with frequent air traveling. While it does appear to be about as flexible as the next 34^th Parallel, the magazine does have its own spunk and enthusiasm in inviting readers and writers to not only engage in fiction, yet with non-fiction.

Airplane travel can be dull, boring, however in most cases can put us in some of the most intriguing situations, no matter how big or small it may be. What Airplane Reading primarily focuses on is  "exploring and explaining what air travel does to us—and makes us do. Buy it now, but save it to read on your next cross-country flight." —Harriet Baskas, travel writer for USAToday.com, author of Stuck at the Airport.

There are many authors submitting into this journal, with each entry rallying up to 1,000 words maximum. With that in mind, this journal also invites great practice in flash fiction.

I didn't discover any "groundbreaking authors" who have included themselves in this fascinating branch of literacy, but that doesn't determine the featured stories do not have any merit. When exploring the Airplane Reading magazine, one would come across Lisa Kay Adam's Unaccompanied, which entails the warm conversations that could be uplifted when flying with strangers. You could even  come across Amy Gutierrez's piece entitled Swissair Sandwich, which is a hilarious, yet relatable, observance of the traveler's utmost annoyance towards a neighborly passenger who eats a sandwich while smacking his teeth and cheeks.

I think an agent should look into the pieces that are embedded in this journal, primarily for all their authenticity and raw relatability when we find ourselves enduring exhausting means of travel. I do see myself looking into this journal, further.

Among the three literary journals I've looked into, I would easily choose submitting my work into the Southern Indiana Review, mostly for my own fruitful knowledge of it and for its flexibility of inviting college students to be able to have their work viewed. As a college student, I think it's especially important to become more involved in writing atmospheres on your college campus, or anywhere else that follows the same platform. Much like this class, I think first-time submissions would receive greater feedback for their craft, as this could also open up more opportunity for workshops and/or literature review. S.I.R. is also home to a university that has a massive influence on English majors as a whole. I heavily suggest to reach out to those kind of schools, especially if anyone were to be attending elsewhere for their studies.

---

Ally: 

When looking at Literary Journals I am trying to consider my audience as much as I can. This brought me to finding some online journals, and some that I think would really take me seriously as an undergraduate writer. Many of the journals I was interested were exclusively online, so I tried to find an actual print one as well. Mostly because I would imagine agents are more interested in print lit mags over online formats. After rummaging through hundreds of journals I found three that are particularly promising to me; Moss, Cactus Heart, and Armchair/Shotgun. First of all, the titles call to me. I love the obscurity and artisticness to the titles alone. But each journal actually provides more than that and makes me feel like all three are my best chances of publication, especially with the drafts I have.

There were a lot of Literary Journals that I researched which did not apply to me. There was no way I’d even be considered. With that I tried really hard to find things I would fit into, which brought me to several kinds of possibilities. The first I am interested in is called Moss. This is an online journal, but their focus is on the Northwest. It seems they favor showcasing Northwestern writers with Northwestern voices and themes. My story “A Girl’s World” could possibly fit right into this journal. Being an online journal it also makes it seem less high stakes and more attainable. The second journal I was interested in is called Cactus Heart. The title of their journal is a metaphor for their focus. They want to find stories that are tender, and almost painful. They want those satisfyingly somber stories that leave lasting impressions. It feels like high stakes, but I consider it a challenge. The last journal I’m interested in sending my short stories to is called Armchair/Shotgun. This is a journal that’s been around since 2009. Their main premise is that the entire reading process is anonymous. They want good writing, and they don’t care at looking at experience or even names. This journal also prides itself in producing many writers’ first published pieces. This is something I looked for because I know my experience is limited, especially since I don’t plan on obtaining an MFA anytime soon.

The only disadvantage I see to the three I’m interested in is that they are probably pretty low on the “ladder.” Armchair/Shotgun seems like it would be the most respectable, mostly because, while they are young, they have printed some really impressive and stylish print journals which sell at A/S friendly bookstores. Cactus Heart makes more online issues than print, and Moss is entirely online. Because of that I would place Cactus Heart in the middle of the ladder with Moss near the bottom. Despite that though I genuinely feel these journals would be my best bet, not just because I don’t feel I’m producing high tier stuff, but because of the focus of each of these magazines. I don’t feel too concerned about whether an agent will reach this yet or not. I’ll consider it a stepping stone.Out of the three, I think I’m most interested in Armchair/Shotgun. This journal actually makes print copies, which I’m very interested in. That’s the option with the most opportunity for agent traffic. I also like the style and overall approach to the journal, and I would hope that my writing style would fit it. The only problem is that they are currently closed to submissions. But I will be keeping an eye out for when they re-open them. With that in mind I think I’m most interested in Moss, simply because I think it’s my best chance at getting published. I can really put more attention into my setting and voice and really capture that Northwestern feel that Moss claims to look for. I’m also interested in Cactus Heart, but I’m still unsure whether I’m a good fit.

Timeliness

So I can feel that some of you are getting a bit cranky because the stories have not been posted in a timely manner. I get that. I do things every week on a very tight schedule, and when things aren't going according to the timeline, I get messed up, myself. So I'm getting cranky, too, because while, yes, there was that one time when I didn't remember to post the stories right away, in this second part of the semester the reason that stories are not being posted promptly is because I am not receiving them on time.

*grouchy teacher voice* This is the part where I would like to remind you of the syllabus, which contains the following passage:

WARNING:  Because I take workshops so seriously, if you don’t upload your story on the day that it is due, you can expect your assignment grade to drop by a full letter.  If you are having trouble writing or finishing your story, please contact me and I will read what you have and help you.

Ahem.
*regular voice* Now all that being said, I like to be pretty easy-going about this kind of thing--if you say you need another few hours, especially for a story that's due on Thursday but we're not going to workshop until the next Tuesday, and you ask me ahead of time, I like to give you that. But I feel like now almost all of the stories are coming in late, which is not fair to me or fair to the students who turned their stories on time.

I am posting today's folder with only one story in it, because I have only received one story. From now on, I will post the workshop folder by 5 pm on the day the stories are due, unless you have spoken with me specifically about posting at another time.

That Article I Keep Talking About

Below is the link to that article I keep referring to, written by Claire Vaye Watkins about "writing like a man."

http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/41314/on-pandering.html

And here are some responses and news stories concerning that essay.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-on-pandering-response-20151125-story.html

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/11/24/claire_vaye_watkins_tin_house_essay_on_pandering_it_has_a_very_limited_definition.html

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/11/459234225/whom-do-you-write-for-pandering-essay-sparks-a-conversation

http://flavorwire.com/548904/claire-vaye-watkins-on-pandering-describes-a-specific-experience-of-writing-and-gender-but-has-the-power-to-start-a-broader-conversation

Read these before we meet for the next Watkins story (11-29). I look forward to the conversation.