New NEA guidelines; submission-fees insights & stats; editor interviews; advice on "breaking in;" thoughts on genre; reviews of Hawai'i lit mags; Orca closes; and more
I'm sorry to see y'all go. While you never accepted any of my stories, it always saddens me when a lit mag I like closes, even though you're doing what's best for you. I wish all of your staff so much luck in the future!
I have to say that Joe P (and his staff) at Orca has been so helpful with critiques that I have printed them out and re-read them. I only hope that one day I will be able to give his critiques and suggestions the credit they deserve.
Glad to hear you found the critiques so helpful. I have to say that one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as an editor is to have people come up to me at AWP and say that my suggestions made the difference in a story of theirs getting published.
Sorry to see your journal close. Even though all three of my submissions were rejected by Orca, I learnt a lot from your critiques and from the articles published in your journal. Your book was very helpful, too. Thanks.
Thanks, Vaidhy. Sorry we weren't able to except any of your submissions. It's amazing to me how quickly we went from a brand new journal to one with an acceptance rate of about 1%.
I think it is important to emphasize this new clause you discovered related to NEA: "The applicant will not operate any programs promoting 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws, in accordance with Executive Order No. 14173." This is shocking to me and, if it is shocking to other writers, please consider joining the resistance movement. For the first time in my life when I registered for a medical appointment last week, the receptionist asked me for, and I quote, my "legal sex, masculine or feminine." This is the reality of 2025, unfortunately. Best to stay informed, and thank you for sharing all this worthwhile information with us.
That's interesting. I believe in pushing back even in small ways. I would tell them I didn't understand the question. I don't have a "sex." I would tell them that my pronouns were she/her....
"But is the work and dedication of editors and publishers any greater than that of writers?" Yes-- we are also writers and spend our lifeblood and writing time--and often our personal money--running these magazines. Without editors and publishers, there is no literary culture. It's hard and, quite frankly, often thankless work. I didn't understand this until I began running a magazine. (Also, kudos to Mark Danowsky, a fine poet who works tirelessly to promote other writers with One Art.)
Without POETS and without WRITERS, there is no literary culture. There is no such thing as a lit-mag without OUR CREATIVE WRITING in it. Period. Full stop.
Oh no, so sorry to read that Orca is closing. :-( I'll always appreciate that they placed a story I wrote featuring a slightly unhinged protagonist, a woman whose inner mother-bear was awakened. It is a beautiful journal and I'll miss it.
Becky, it made me smile for real when I read "Have a sweet week, pals" and "Fondly, Becky"—your warmth comes through. I always feel like we could sit and have a coffee or tea together and you'd seem in person just the way you are online. Thanks for that.
I really enjoyed the weekend discussion about NEA grants. It was one of the most thought-provoking and respectful conversations I’ve seen here.
For what it’s worth, I hope NEA funding continues. In addition to literary magazines, grants can fund book festivals and workshops for young writers. Call your congressional representatives! Trump tried to end the NEA in his first term and got defeated by a bipartisan vote.
RE: Submission Fees and Their Discontents. .... The abuse of truly outrageous submission fees - - far greater than $3 or even $10 - - has been the bane of dramatists and screenwriters everywhere. There have been play fests in NYC, for example, that charge $500. to enter. As a Lifetime Member of The Dramatists Guild of America, I can confirm that their Board of Directors has long offered the same insistent message to all theatre companies and play fests across the USA: "If you cannot afford to run your theatre nor your play festivals unless you levy charges on the playwrights, then DON'T HAVE A THEATRE & DON'T RUN A CONTEST." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The same is true for lit mags: no one is holding a gun to your head to start a journal. Can't afford to do it without forcing writers to pay for your bad decisions? Then STOP.
I won't pre-judge the NEA grants. I'm set to attend the 2/18 Zoom session to find out if my press is eligible ("my" in the sense of membership, not ownership).
Of course, it's possible that the granting process will end up being kind of subsumed, mission-wise, to supporting the 250th U.S. anniversary celebration. In 2016, my press put out an anthology called "America, We Call Your Name", which might help our eligibility. But we shall see.
If any or several philanthropists provided the same funds, to intercept depending on a government whose offensive inhumane dictates cripple creativity, would NEA be able to persist?
As someone who is more or less just getting a writing career off the ground this whole grant thing doesn't sit well with me; for all the obvious reasons. As cheesy as this sounds, at 58 I'm finally doing what I should have been doing years ago and now that might be taken away from me? (yeah I'm getting a tad alarmist, sorry)
See you in chat later today, Becky, I've got good news to share!
Given those new conditions, fuck applying. I will not comply.
Right? It's Orwellian.
My guess is that those conditions violate the first amendment. There’s no friggin way I would apply.
Hopefully that one is also going to court ASAP
Thanks Becky. Your comments about Orca's closing, and especially regarding our staff, really touched me.
Joe P.
I'm sorry to see y'all go. While you never accepted any of my stories, it always saddens me when a lit mag I like closes, even though you're doing what's best for you. I wish all of your staff so much luck in the future!
I have to say that Joe P (and his staff) at Orca has been so helpful with critiques that I have printed them out and re-read them. I only hope that one day I will be able to give his critiques and suggestions the credit they deserve.
Glad to hear you found the critiques so helpful. I have to say that one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as an editor is to have people come up to me at AWP and say that my suggestions made the difference in a story of theirs getting published.
Sorry to see your journal close. Even though all three of my submissions were rejected by Orca, I learnt a lot from your critiques and from the articles published in your journal. Your book was very helpful, too. Thanks.
Thanks, Vaidhy. Sorry we weren't able to except any of your submissions. It's amazing to me how quickly we went from a brand new journal to one with an acceptance rate of about 1%.
I think it is important to emphasize this new clause you discovered related to NEA: "The applicant will not operate any programs promoting 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws, in accordance with Executive Order No. 14173." This is shocking to me and, if it is shocking to other writers, please consider joining the resistance movement. For the first time in my life when I registered for a medical appointment last week, the receptionist asked me for, and I quote, my "legal sex, masculine or feminine." This is the reality of 2025, unfortunately. Best to stay informed, and thank you for sharing all this worthwhile information with us.
That's interesting. I believe in pushing back even in small ways. I would tell them I didn't understand the question. I don't have a "sex." I would tell them that my pronouns were she/her....
"But is the work and dedication of editors and publishers any greater than that of writers?" Yes-- we are also writers and spend our lifeblood and writing time--and often our personal money--running these magazines. Without editors and publishers, there is no literary culture. It's hard and, quite frankly, often thankless work. I didn't understand this until I began running a magazine. (Also, kudos to Mark Danowsky, a fine poet who works tirelessly to promote other writers with One Art.)
Without POETS and without WRITERS, there is no literary culture. There is no such thing as a lit-mag without OUR CREATIVE WRITING in it. Period. Full stop.
Thank you, Karen! 🙏💜
Oh no, so sorry to read that Orca is closing. :-( I'll always appreciate that they placed a story I wrote featuring a slightly unhinged protagonist, a woman whose inner mother-bear was awakened. It is a beautiful journal and I'll miss it.
Becky, it made me smile for real when I read "Have a sweet week, pals" and "Fondly, Becky"—your warmth comes through. I always feel like we could sit and have a coffee or tea together and you'd seem in person just the way you are online. Thanks for that.
I really enjoyed the weekend discussion about NEA grants. It was one of the most thought-provoking and respectful conversations I’ve seen here.
For what it’s worth, I hope NEA funding continues. In addition to literary magazines, grants can fund book festivals and workshops for young writers. Call your congressional representatives! Trump tried to end the NEA in his first term and got defeated by a bipartisan vote.
Thank you for including my post with all of the other incredible things you shared here! (Aside from those new application rules, those suck.)
Thanks for the shout-out in this post of posts.
RE: Submission Fees and Their Discontents. .... The abuse of truly outrageous submission fees - - far greater than $3 or even $10 - - has been the bane of dramatists and screenwriters everywhere. There have been play fests in NYC, for example, that charge $500. to enter. As a Lifetime Member of The Dramatists Guild of America, I can confirm that their Board of Directors has long offered the same insistent message to all theatre companies and play fests across the USA: "If you cannot afford to run your theatre nor your play festivals unless you levy charges on the playwrights, then DON'T HAVE A THEATRE & DON'T RUN A CONTEST." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The same is true for lit mags: no one is holding a gun to your head to start a journal. Can't afford to do it without forcing writers to pay for your bad decisions? Then STOP.
Covering so much territory in this piece! 😵💫🤩
The lit-mag world turns and evolves. Nothing ever stands still - - but Becky's there to catch it.
I won't pre-judge the NEA grants. I'm set to attend the 2/18 Zoom session to find out if my press is eligible ("my" in the sense of membership, not ownership).
Of course, it's possible that the granting process will end up being kind of subsumed, mission-wise, to supporting the 250th U.S. anniversary celebration. In 2016, my press put out an anthology called "America, We Call Your Name", which might help our eligibility. But we shall see.
Thank you for including me in this excellent roundup!
If any or several philanthropists provided the same funds, to intercept depending on a government whose offensive inhumane dictates cripple creativity, would NEA be able to persist?
As someone who is more or less just getting a writing career off the ground this whole grant thing doesn't sit well with me; for all the obvious reasons. As cheesy as this sounds, at 58 I'm finally doing what I should have been doing years ago and now that might be taken away from me? (yeah I'm getting a tad alarmist, sorry)
See you in chat later today, Becky, I've got good news to share!