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Making Comics

Book Review by Denise Hill.

After watching this book trailer for Making Comics by Lynda Barry, I still didn’t understand it but was intrigued enough to get the book. I started with the “assignments” just for fun and fell in love. It’s not at all what I had expected. Barry is very much of the you-don’t-need-to-be-an-artist-to-create-art mindset (says it’s better if you haven’t been formally trained in drawing!). The book is essentially a guide to how she teaches her course at UW-Madison in Interdisciplinary Creativity (her areas of interest include “comic strips, cartoons, writer, spoken-word, graphic illustrator, exploring question of ‘what is an image?’ in work”). The book is interspersed with Barry’s own personal stories, classroom experiences and explanations of methodology. She blends drawing and storytelling using memory recall exercises and various approaches to daily journaling. Barry instructs how to create both nonfiction and fiction using her story generating and mapping ideas.

It’s a subtly prescriptive practice that over the past couple of months has repeatedly surprised me with the outcomes – just as she says it will. While some assignments are meant for use in groups, I was able to complete them solo. When we can be back in the classroom, I plan to use her techniques with students, from remedial to college writing as well as literature. Barry’s own love of her students and (obsession with) their creations has instilled a new attitude of appreciation for me. And when family (safely two-week quarantined first) come to visit for Christmas, I plan to sneak in a round of Face Jam or Character Jam on game night.

For writers, for teachers, for non-artists most especially – this book will have you reimaging what it means to be creative. Barry closes: “Everything good in my life came because I drew a picture. I hope you will all draw a picture soon. I will always want to see it. XOX”

Making Comics by Lynda Barry, Drawn & Quarterly, November 2019.

Call :: We Pay Contributors: Driftwood Press Submissions Open

Driftwood Press website screenshotJohn Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. www.driftwoodpress.net

Call :: Palooka Seeks Chapbooks, Prose, Poetry, Art, & Photography

Deadline: Year-round
Palooka is an international literary magazine. For a decade we’ve featured up-and-coming, established, and brand-new writers, artists, and photographers from all around the world. We’re open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. Give us your best shot! Submissions open year-round. Issue 11 features work by Paul Luikart, Duke Stewart, Nils Blondon, Khalilah Okeke, Tim Chapman, Mark Halpern, Clark Merrefield, Leanne Hoppe, Donald Illich, and Malia Nahinu. palookamag.com

Call :: Don’t forget Driftwood Press Pays Contributors

Driftwood Press 7.2 coverJohn Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, they actively search for artists who care about doing it right, or better. They are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. They also offer their submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note they have editing services and seminars, too. Read Issue 7.2 featuring Jessica Holbert, Seth Brady Tucker, Janiru Liyanage, Katherine Fallon, Yi-Hui Huang, and more, for a taste of what they like. Submissions accepted year-round.

Call :: Palooka Seeks Short Works for Magazine Publication & Chapbook-length Manuscripts

Palooka is an international literary magazine. For a decade we’ve featured up-and-coming, established, and brand-new writers, artists, and photographers from all around the world. We’re open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. Give us your best shot! Submissions open year-round. palookamag.com

Call :: Driftwood Press Open to Submissions Year-round

John Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. We pay our contributors.

Call :: Palooka Seeks Chapbooks, Prose, Poetry, Artwork, Photography

Palooka is an international literary magazine. For a decade they have featured up-and-coming, established, and brand-new writers, artists, and photographers from all around the world. They are open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. Give them your best shot! Don’t forget submissions are open year-round.

Call :: We Pay Contributors! Driftwood Press Submissions Open

Driftwood Press website screenshotSubmissions accepted year-round.
John Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, interviews, and contests. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing services and seminars, too. www.driftwoodpress.net

Take a Walk “In the Woods” with Emily Steinberg

Magazine Review by Katy Haas

Emily Steinberg takes a walk “In the Woods” with her dog, Gus, in her visual narrative found in the Midsummer 2020 issue of Cleaver. During her walk, she focuses on Gus and her surroundings, reflecting on the way the real world and its real problems seem far away. In the woods, “All human makings disappear . . .” and there is only the sounds of the wind in the trees and the creek and Gus’s paws around her. This moment doesn’t last forever, though. She has to cross the threshold back into the real world where everything “comes sweeping back. Crowding my brain. Not letting me breathe.” But for a moment there is peace.

This short visual narrative gives readers a moment of peace as well as we soak in the quiet moment of respite along with Steinberg. Each panel features only Gus, a fluffy scribble of a dog padding through the woods, a dog always good comfort when it’s needed. The piece works as a good reminder to take a moment to find calm and quiet in the midst of the tragedies and turmoil swirling around us. By taking these moments, we’re able to recharge as we head back into the real world to face everything once more.

Call :: Palooka Seeks Diverse Forms & Styles Year-round

Don’t forget that international literary magazine Palooka is is open to chapbook and journal submissions year-round. For a decade they’ve featured up-and-coming, established, and brand-new writers, artists, and photographers from all around the world. They’re open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. Give them your best shot! palookamag.com

Call :: Palooka Open to Lit Mag & Chapbook Submissions Year-round

Palooka is an international literary magazine. For a decade we’ve featured up-and-coming, established, and brand-new writers, artists, and photographers from all around the world. We’re open to diverse forms and styles and are always seeking unique chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, artwork, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. Issue 11 featured work by Paul Luikart, Duke Stewart, Nils Blondon, Khalilah Okeke, Tim Chapman, Mark Halpern, Clark Merrefield, Leanne Hoppe, Donald Illich, and Malia Nahinu. Give us your best shot! Submissions open year-round. palookamag.com

Call :: Driftwood Press Open to Submissions Year-round

Driftwood Press call for submissionsJohn Updike once said, “Creativity is merely a plus name for regular activity. Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right, or better.” At Driftwood Press, we are actively searching for artists who care about doing it right, or better. We are excited to receive your submissions and will diligently work to bring you the best in full poetry collections, novellas, graphic novels, short fiction, poetry, graphic narrative, photography, art, and interviews. We also offer our submitters a premium option to receive an acceptance or rejection letter within one week of submission; many authors are offered editorships and interviews. To polish your fiction, note our editing service, too. www.driftwoodpress.net

Driftwood Press Extends Application Deadline for Online Seminars

Good news! If you missed the April 30 deadline for Driftwood Press’s 2020 Online Seminar Series, you’re in luck! They have extended the deadline to apply to May 30. These seminars will run for five weeks starting on June 1 and ending on July 3.

The Erasure Poetry Seminar instructor is Jerrod Schwarz who teaches creative writing at the University of Tampa. This seminar features an in-depth look at the history, practices, and importance of erasure poetry. Every week students receive a video lesson, tailor-made writing prompts, and detailed feedback. The course will culminate in a Showcase Booklet of students’ work which will be made available for free download on Driftwood’s website.

The Editors & Writers Seminar is targeted towards three types of writers: writers submitting to magazines and wanting to fight through the slushpile, writers who wish to be editors of short fiction or run a magazine, and writers who wish to become better editors of their own and others’ work. The instructor will be Driftwood Press Fiction Editor James McNulty. Students receive weekly video lessons, a writing or revision assignment, a reading assignment, and detailed feedback on writing assignments.

Don’t forget that the biannual journal is open to submissions year-round and the publishing arm is currently open to submissions of novellas, graphic novels, and comic collections. They do charge a reading fee. Expedited response options available for journal submissions.

Driftwood Press Wants Your Graphic Work

Any graphic novelists or comic creators in the house? Driftwood Press is eager to hear from you! They currently accept short graphic works (one image up to 22 pages of comic art) for publication in their biannual, online journal. They’re open to serializing longer graphic works with presentation of the work’s first chapter and a series outline. The editors also seek graphic novel manuscripts for publication consideration. Submit full or partial manuscripts via Submittable.

Comic submissions to the magazine and graphic novel manuscript submissions are both free. Learn more about what they’re looking for at their website.

But if graphic work isn’t for you, the magazine is still accepting submissions for two of their contests until July 1.

Call :: Palooka Open to Submissions Year-round

Palooka screenshotDon’t forget that literary magazine and chapbook publisher Palooka is open to submissions year-round. Even better? They are currently offering free digital copies of past issues to help lift the spirits of creatives and book lovers. So go ahead and grab a copy today. Palooka is open to all voices, forms, and styles. Submit unpublished chapbooks, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art, photography, graphic narratives, and comic strips. There is a $3 fee for fiction, poetry, and nonfiction journal submissions and an $8 fee for chapbook manuscripts.

Graphic Nonfiction for Everyone

World Literature Today - Spring 2020

Magazine Review by Katy Haas

A big fan of graphic novels (and nonfiction and poetry), I’m always thrilled when a literary magazine releases an issue featuring graphic work. World Literature Today’s Spring 2020 issue features a selection of graphic nonfiction by seven artists.

Each piece brings something different to the table. The art styles are all vastly different and each focuses on something unique: politics, history, art, ego, love.

My favorite of these is “Shadow Portrait” by Rachel Ang. Ang’s art is calming and enjoyable to look at, muted tones splayed across the page. She writes of love and ego, the ways in which we see ourselves in art, in stories, in the people we love.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is an excerpt from Guantanamo Voices: True Accounts from the World’s Most Notorious Prison by Sarah Mirk, illustrated by Omar Khouri. Unlike Ang’s calming tones, this excerpt uses bold lines and an orange color scheme which ramps up the feeling of anxiety the story produces. I’m a little disappointed at the length of the excerpt—the four pages we’re given leave on a cliffhanger that left me wanting more, though I suppose that just highlights the writer’s and artist’s skill.

This selection of graphic nonfiction has a little bit of something for everyone, and each artist/writer utilizes their craft impressively. This issue of World Literature Today is a real treat to read.