NewPages Blog

“And if you want to write, you just write and publish yourself. No need to ask permission, just open a website. And if you want to write a book, you just write it, send it to Lulu.com or BookSurge at Amazon or PubIt or ExLibris and you’ve got yourself an e-book. No problem. And that is the future of publishing: 18 million authors in America, each with an average of 14 readers, eight of whom are blood relatives. Average annual earnings: $1.75.”

From: “When everyone’s a writer, no one is: In a world where everything’s free on the web, what will happen to publishing” by Garrison Keillor, May 25, 2010, The Baltimore Sun

Susan Kan, founding director of Perugia Press, is now offering a personal manuscript review service for individualized feedback on poetry manuscripts.

Dedalus Books (UK) is able to continue publishing thanks efforts from writers JM Coetzee, Jonathan Coe, and the president of the European Commission to get the Arts Council to reinstate funding.

With the addition of Splash of Red (Asbury Park, NJ) to the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, I had a marked increase in e-mails from Editor Dylan Emerick-Brown providing updates – not just of publication content, which is itself impressive, but of several other activities organized by Splash of Red. I asked Dylan if he could give me a snapshot of all of these activities and accomplishments, which he has provided here. Now, I hope you’re sitting down as you read this – because most amazing of all – Splash of Red is celebrating its one-year anniversary. That’s right – all of this is within the first year of publication. And, Dylan tells me, he could add to this on a weekly basis.

Splash of Red is truly a model of what can be accomplished when people are driven by their love of literature and for their community. I know there are many wonderful publications out there participating in similar ways, both in publishing and in their communities. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line and let me know. Other publications, new start-ups as well as those long-established, could certainly benefit from knowing what others are doing. And it’s to the benefit of us all to encourage more of these activities in expanding and supporting our larger literary community.

From Dylan Emerick-Brown:

In the past year, our first year, Splash of Red has published interviews / articles with or work by:

Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction Eleanor Strout;
Pulitzer Prize winner in Non-Fiction Diane McWhorter;
Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction Junot Diaz;
Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction Robert Olen Butler (free download audio recording);
Pulitzer Prize winner in Poetry & former US Poet Laureate Charles Simic;
Pulitzer Prize finalist in Poetry Sydney Lea;
Former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky;
Jorge Colombo – the artist whose iPhone drawing made The New Yorker’s cover history;
John Hemingway – author & grandson of Ernest Hemingway;
Mark Vonnegut – author & son of Kurt Vonnegut;
Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor;
Frank Warren – editor & creator of Post Secret;
William P. Young – author of The Shack;
Arthur Nersesian – “underground” New York City author;
Philip Connors – rising non-fiction author of the critically acclaimed Diary of a Fire Lookout.

Events Organized for the Asbury Park community:

Live reading with Pulitzer Prize finalist in Poetry Sydney Lea;
Live reading with author of Sex with Kings & Mistress of the Vatican Eleanor Herman;
Live reading / Pitchapalooza with author & editor David Henry Sterry;
First art exhibition of Danielle Lovallo;
Live reading with author of Me and Orson Welles Robert Kaplow;
Live Skype event featuring Daniel Wallace, author of Big Fish post-screening of the film;
Live reading with Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction Junot Diaz
(7/18) Live Skype event featuring Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction Robert Olen Butler.

Splash of Red organized a public mural project on the Asbury Park boardwalk. Three local artists were chosen to select three poems published on the website and create a piece of art inspired by a stanza. This unique marriage of literature and art will be revealed July 4th weekend. Additionally, Pulitzer Prize winner in Fiction and New Jersey local Junot Diaz lent a quote – the only he has ever written about the Jersey boardwalk – from a currently unpublished book that will be painted as the fourth panel in the overall mural. The mural itself will be painted on the eastern front side of the historic Asbury Park steam plant. Featured artists are Porkchop, Jeff Allen and Joey Parlett. Featured poets are Anthony Alessandrini, Catherine Owen and Tom Faure.

Other literary experiments include the revealing of a previously unpublished rough draft of a poem by Pulitzer Prize finalist in Poetry Sydney Lea alongside the finished published version for educational value.

We took a poem from poet Anthony Alessandrini and a piece of art from artist Joey Parlett. Each was given the others’ work and from that, created a piece of art all their own inspired from the others’ artistic medium. The result was a poem inspired by art and art inspired by a poem in a fascinating controlled experiment.

Lastly, we have published many emerging and well-known authors of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, artists and graphic narrative illustrators. This has all been accomplished in the past year, July 3 being our one-year anniversary. This has been made possible through hard work, dedication and a passion for bringing quality work to those who appreciate it. We are more than simply an online literary magazine. We are a literary experience.

In case you were wondering, our title comes from these three inspirations: 1) the infamous red ink in draft after draft to get the best quality writing, 2) the blood and passion that goes into only the most skillfully crafted art, and 3) great work stands out just like a splash of red.

Writer Steve Almond is self-proclaimed as “crazily” self-publishing one of his books. In April, he spent the day on the Chester College of New England campus and interviewed with Compass Rose staffer Laura Evans, who delved into this experience of self-publishing. The following is an excerpt from the full interview.

LE: You’ve recently begun self-publishing, right?

SA: It’s been pretty basic. There were a couple of projects, some things I wanted to put into the world, and it didn’t seem appropriate for some corporation or publishing house to invest money in me because I didn’t think the books were going to be profitable in that way. They’re too personal and kind of strange. These days you can put out books yourself fairly cheaply, and the best thing about it is that they cost less. And rather than have the book be a commodity that a corporation puts out and sells to a bookstore and maybe someone comes along and picks it up if you’re lucky, I can read from these books to an audience. Then, if they like it, they can buy it from me, the artist. It’s a nice feeling to be able to have it in person, like an artifact of some kind rather than a commodity that someone expects to make money on. And there’s a beautiful simplicity to it. Technology’s done all these bad things and so forth, but it also has created the opportunity for artists young and old to democratize the means of production. I’m just taking advantage of that.

I mean, I have this new book coming out, the Rock and Roll book, that Random House is publishing, and I’m delighted. That’s a whole other thing. I hope it sells a zillion copies. But I don’t have to worry about that with these little books. I just get to have the pleasure of reading them to people and having them connect in a more personal, organic way.

LE: So when would you advise self-publishing?

SA: Well, you need to do an apprenticeship. It’s great to just publish because the means are there, but your work has to be worth putting into the world. You have to spend some time, usually alone, sometimes depressed, working, and writing and writing and writing, and making bad decisions, then eventually some pretty good decisions, and then hopefully at some point some really good decisions. True decisions. I don’t know how long that takes for anybody else (for me it took twenty years), but I don’t think it’s reasonable, and would probably be very frustrating to just self-publish and expect that you’ll have a readership. You know, I’m happy to have put a few hundred of these little books into the world, but I’ve invested a lot of time and energy into becoming a better writer, earning the privilege of being able to read to people. Most writers right out of the gate don’t have that.

Read the full interview here.

Jim Kesey (now 70 years old), cousin to author Ken Kesey, talks about the author’s life as Pentacle Theatre in Salem, Oregon opens the stage production of “Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Gary Sullivan is selling original art he’s done for the “New Life” series of poetry comics which have appeared in Rain Taxi from 1997-present. Comics versions of poetry by K. Silem Mohammad, Rod Smith, Katie Degentesh, Tao Lin, Flarf Basquiat/Kevin Young, and more to come.

From Creative Nonfiction Magazine:

For a new book project to be published by Southern Methodist University Press, entitled “Immortality,” we’re seeking new essays from a variety of perspectives on recent scientific developments and the likelihood, merits and ramifications of biological immortality. We’re looking for essays by writers, physicians, scientists, philosophers, clergy–anyone with an imagination, a vision of the future, and a dream (or fear) of living forever.

Essays must be vivid and dramatic; they should combine a strong and compelling narrative with a significant element of research or information, and reach for some universal or deeper meaning in personal experiences. We’re looking for well-written prose, rich with detail and a distinctive voice.

For examples, see Creative Nonfiction #38 (Spring 2010).

Guidelines: Essays must be: unpublished, 5,000 words or less, postmarked by August 6, 2010, and clearly marked “Immortality” on both the essay and the outside of the envelope. Please send manuscript, accompanied by a cover letter with complete contact information (address, phone, and email) and SASE to:

Creative Nonfiction
Attn: Immortality
5501 Walnut Street, Suite 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15232

READ International is a UK-based agency that sends used books to poverty-stricken areas of the world where they are used in literacy programs, in schools and in the community. Writers have become essential to the agency’s fundraising efforts through Read for READ International, a short story contest with a difference. Stories from 30 short-listed authors are competing until mid-July to raise the most money for the organization. The ten stories that raise the most money will go to a judging panel and the top three will be included in a fundraising anthology alongside work by established writers. Readers are asked to support their favorite story by donating a minimum of 2 pounds (about $3 US dollars) through a secure donations site via Pay Pal.

Several other charities are asking authors to donate stories. Cross Genres is currently asking authors to post stories to support re-building efforts in Haiti. Oxfam is well-known for its fundraising anthologies and the planned Write for Charity anthology will support the work of Unicef Canada.

Submitted by Kate Baggott
Freelance writer, English teacher
http://www.katebaggott.com

Check out Anis Shivani’s 15 Feisty Small Presses And The Books You’re Going To Want From Them on The Huffington Post.

Bucknell English Department seeks Assistant Professor of English (Creative Writing). Oct 15 deadline.

UNC Pembroke seeks Assistant Professor in English Education and Assistant Professor in English/Interim Editor, Pembroke Magazine.

Penguin has a job opening for an Editor in their Young Readers division (NY).

Penguin also offers ten-week internships in areas such as contracts, editorial, graphic design, managing editorial, marketing, production, publicity, sales, subsidiary rights, and operations. Fall deadline for application is Aug 15 (Spring Jan. 11, Summer Feb. 28).

“What Comes” is a of a brand new poem broadside by Carolyn Forch

Creative Nonfiction is currently seeking medical/biological illustrators for #40: Animals. This is an excellent opportunity for illustrators (student or professional) to have their work prominently featured in a literary magazine with an international audience and a circulation of over 7,000.

Artists will work closely with editors and designers and receive a modest honorarium. Creative Nonfiction is seeking all types and interpretations of animal illustration in the field of medical and biological illustration.

Interested artists should email three low-resolution jpeg samples of their best work to information[at]creativenonfiction.org no later than July 15th. Artists will be chosen by August 1st, with work taking place between early August and the middle of October.

From IR Associate Editor Deborah Kim: “Indiana Review is having the Blue Light Trivia Contest in July. Each week, we’ll be posting a different trivia question. First person to answer correctly in the comments will receive our newest issue, 32.1, Summer 2010.”

After fourteen years of editing Pleiades, Kevin Prufer is stepping down to make the move to join the creative writing faculty at University of Houston. “Others, notably Wayne Miller, Phong Nguyen, and Matthew Eck, will handle the day-to-day editing of Pleiades. From afar, I’ll join Joy Katz as Editor-at-Large and continue my work co-direting the Unsung Masters Series.”

The Newly Redesigned Literary Magazine Reaches Out to MFA Students

PITTSBURGH, PA, JUNE 23, 2010: The Creative Nonfiction Foundation (CNF) has received a grant from the BNY Mellon Audience Development Fund to reach writing students in creative nonfiction Master of Fine Arts programs. The campaign aims to develop CNF’s relationships with MFA students across the country, engaging them as not only readers but as potential contributors.

“Creative Nonfiction is an essential resource for anyone studying the genre, and in forming early relationships with MFA students–as both readers and writers–the magazine will continue to reach and publish today’s most promising new voices,” CNF Editor Lee Gutkind said.

55 organizations applied for BNY Mellon Audience Development Fund grants, but only 21 received funding. The grant will enable CNF to offer complimentary departmental subscriptions to Creative Nonfiction to schools with MFA programs in creative nonfiction; to provide complimentary copies of its Summer 2010 issue (#39) for graduate-level classroom use; to make an editor available for an in-class discussion, in person or via telephone or Skype; and to provide subsidized Creative Nonfiction subscriptions for all active students in these programs (a 4-issue subscription will be available for $12, reduced from $32.).

Edited by Lee Gutkind, Creative Nonfiction has been devoted exclusively to vividly written literary nonfiction since its first issue, published in 1994. In March, with the publication of issue #38, the tri-quarterly journal re-launched as a quarterly magazine with an updated look and larger size. Expanded content combines long-form essays and true stories with columns on craft, reflections on the current state of literary publishing, encounters with editors and writers, regular columns by Phillip Lopate, Richard Rodriguez and Heidi Julavits, and more.

For more information, please contact Creative Nonfiction at (412) 688-0304 or email: fletcher-at-creativenonfiction-dot-org

[Press Release from CNF]

Third Mind Books is self-proclaimed as “Your Primary Source for Beat Literature.” It’s the result of Arthur S. Nusbaum’s lifetime of involvement in beat literature, including having met many of the orginal artists of the time: “I am a long-time collector & enthusiast of the Beat Generation & its legacy, with particular emphasis on the life & work of William S. Burroughs.” Nusbaum has developed “a resource by & for the collector-enthusiast that offers desirable, significant rarities for sale. A description of the condition & content of each item is written or extensively edited by myself.” Beat-related writing (essays, interviews, etc.) are posted regularly on the NewsBeat blog (contributions welcomed), and there’s also an area to post “My Wants” and “Your Wants” for Beat materials. Future plans for Third Mind Books include a curated museum with tours (Ann Arbor, MI).

Read more about Nusbaum in this Ann Arbor Chronicle article.

Poet Peter Seaton passed away last month, but news of his death has only recently been making its way through the community. Read more here on fait accompli (Nick Piombino’s blog) and here on PennSound.