Running a literary magazine is a lot of work. It’s also a great learning experience. Here are eight important things I learned during my eight years as founding editor of Bartleby Snopes. 1. Most Writers are Good People. Sure, there are a few jerks who respond to rejections with a tirade of profanity, but the … Continue reading 8 Things I Learned From Running a Literary Magazine for 8 Years
When I started Bartleby Snopes Literary Magazine back in 2008, I didn’t have a long-term vision. I wasn’t trying to create the next great lit mag. I launched the magazine because I was a frustrated writer. I was simply tired of waiting six or more months for a form rejection, and I wanted to do … Continue reading Saying Goodbye to Bartleby Snopes
If you want to piss off a writer, charge a submission fee. It seems like nothing bothers writers more than being told they have to pay for something. How dare a magazine charge us just to read our work! It’s an outrage! They should make their money by selling subscriptions and ad space! More ads, … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why Submission Fees Really Aren’t the Scourge of the Publishing World
You've heard it a thousand times: don't submit your writing to a literary magazine without reading what they publish first. It's a great piece of advice. By reading the lit mag, you not only support what they do, but you also get a sense of what they publish. This allows you to send something that … Continue reading What You Should Be Looking for When You Read a Lit Mag
Every so often, someone will start a conversation about wanting to start a lit mag. It usually begins something like this: I think I really want to start my own lit mag, but I have no idea how to do it. The conversation will then morph into Is it really worth it to start my own … Continue reading Do You Want to Build a Lit Mag? Get Tips from the Experts
There is a plethora of advice out there on how writers must follow the rules of the game if they want to get published in lit mags. Last week, I posted 10 things writers do that piss off editors. This week, I'm turning the tables and looking at all the things the editors do that … Continue reading 10 Things Editors Do That Piss Off Writers
Writers are the second hardest working people in the lit mag industry. The hardest working? You guessed it: the editors. And guess what? They get a lot less "reward" out of it than the writers do. Yes, writers spend hours and hours writing, editing, researching, and submitting. Add in the countless hours of bitching and … Continue reading 10 Things You Are Doing As a Writer That Piss Off Editors (And Could Get You Blacklisted)
