New editor of BASS; staff resignations at Chestnut Review; end of NYTimes poetry column; teaching writing to the CIA; thoughts on Kafka; advice for submitting; hundreds of markets & more
There's been an awful lot of sideshows in the lit scene of late in relation to the horrors going on in Israel/Gaza. And honestly, I think they diminish the seriousness of what's happening and has been happening there for many years. Granted, being online it's good to see that there are writers speaking up. I know I have, while more or less casually observing what's happening in the lit scene and otherwise ignoring it. But, I took more notice of what happened with Chestnut Review, where a publisher was pressured to publish something he was reticent to publish, decided not to, and was then collectively branded as having censored a writer. The online discourse was such that even he came to agree with the allegation, which I'd say is false. Reason being, the bio was submitted after the poet's work was accepted with an ultimatum that if the EIC didn't publish it, then the writer would rescind their accepted work. Given the circumstances, saying no to that--regardless of the editor's political position on *any* matter--is an expression of his freedom to publish what he wishes to publish. Had he done otherwise, it would have been compelled speech, which is what all those who accused him of censorship were actually advocating.
Can someone elaborate why the intent “to avoid making a political statement” provoked such a response? If an editor objected to my bio, I would expect them to have final say over what they published. What am I missing?
I suppose if people feel strongly about an issue they have a need and I suppose ought to speak out about it. But while I've been trying over the last couple of years to separate the art from the artist so I can learn things and not just cancel everything someone has done, I keep seeing people drawing lines and putting their politics over their art. Not that it's a new thing, but it seems like a waste of good work to me. It's not like any of the names mentioned in the Gaza Dispute portion of this post are titans or giants in any game I know of, so why should I give a shit about their politics? Do your art, not as a careerist who has no conscience, but as someone who has a gift readers like myself would like you to share. Because of my opinion on the conflict, I don't really care if you are for one side or the other in the Middle East and don't feel any compunction to not read this or that one because they are. Dividing into tribes again and again is Balkanization. Social circles are getting smaller and smaller, and demands for purity are getting more and more unreasonable.
I have no problem with a lit mag saying they don't want political statements in their contributor bios. Are bios now a sacred form of expression? If someone wanted to trumpet MAGA propaganda in their bio, would a lit mag have to publish it?
The NYTimes poetry column ending makes me really sad. I feel like instead of responding to Anne's very powerful choice, NYTimes just rolled their eyes at poetry itself. Yes, sure they can "survive" without poetry, but as more and more places of apparent culture and conversation begin to exclude the voice of poets and writers, one has to wonder where that culture is in fact coming and growing from? And where the heck it is going
Let's hope the new BASS editor is open to publishing work without considering the journal. (A policy of reading blind would be amazing, but I'm sure this is a longshot.) Over the years, I've read some amazing stories in the series, but I've also read some duds that I suspect were included only because a well-known author published it in a well-known journal (usually the New Yorker). There's great writing beyond the top twenty or so literary journals! It would be great if BASS reflected this truth.
Abby, I have read the piece and am familiar with its arguments. The problem with it is that it overlooks the Nation - State Basic Law, the statements by Netanyahu and others that Israel is not the state of its non Jewish citizens, legal and unofficial discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and, most glaringly, the occupied West Bank where Jewish settlers have a different set of legal and political rights than Palestinians. These and other practices have of course led B'Tselem, Yesh Din, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International to conclude that Israel has imposed a regime on the Palestinians that fits the legal definition of apartheid (and resembles South Africa's apartheid much more than it differs). These organizations' reports contain what Orwell would call "unpleasant facts" that are largely undisputed. The reports are available online.
I couldn't comment or see the article about photos, since I can't do a paid subscription, so I will post my comment here. I'm not comfortable with submitting a photo before they choose to accept or decline my work, which should stand on its own merit, not my appearance. If a lit mag wants the photo after accepting the work, fine.
Thanks for sharing your interview, Becky. The Lit Mag Reading Club is a blast. I’ll have to check out Russell Banks. Fetch was one of my favorites too as was 11 things I have left now that my daughter is gone. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/880389/pdf
The CIA's involvement on the literary world goes back to at least 1956, when the CIA funded the establishment of the Australian magazine, Quadrant, which still exists and still remains far right in its views and in what it prefers to publish. You can read the full context here. https://litmagnews.substack.com/p/the-poet-who-wasnt-there-but-became
I also loved Lichtman's piece in the Paris Review. He gets us inside a place most of us will never get to see. So why do they have a museum and a gift shop at CIA headquarters?
Becky, You write this: Editors and writers (yes, writers can submit work too!), be sure to submit your nominations for Best American Short Stories (for stories published in 2024) to this address: What does this mean? Does it mean, that I can sent my published story to her, regardless of whether the pub wants to send it? I thought that those nominations came from... well. God. Or who knows whom. Or the publication picked what they thought was their best and sent those. So please elaborate. Do we have to sent the printed piece? The place online where it came out? A file with the place where the story got published. Details, details, details.
There's been an awful lot of sideshows in the lit scene of late in relation to the horrors going on in Israel/Gaza. And honestly, I think they diminish the seriousness of what's happening and has been happening there for many years. Granted, being online it's good to see that there are writers speaking up. I know I have, while more or less casually observing what's happening in the lit scene and otherwise ignoring it. But, I took more notice of what happened with Chestnut Review, where a publisher was pressured to publish something he was reticent to publish, decided not to, and was then collectively branded as having censored a writer. The online discourse was such that even he came to agree with the allegation, which I'd say is false. Reason being, the bio was submitted after the poet's work was accepted with an ultimatum that if the EIC didn't publish it, then the writer would rescind their accepted work. Given the circumstances, saying no to that--regardless of the editor's political position on *any* matter--is an expression of his freedom to publish what he wishes to publish. Had he done otherwise, it would have been compelled speech, which is what all those who accused him of censorship were actually advocating.
Can someone elaborate why the intent “to avoid making a political statement” provoked such a response? If an editor objected to my bio, I would expect them to have final say over what they published. What am I missing?
Reminds me why I run my own lit mag... I can't be fired, only canceled.
I suppose if people feel strongly about an issue they have a need and I suppose ought to speak out about it. But while I've been trying over the last couple of years to separate the art from the artist so I can learn things and not just cancel everything someone has done, I keep seeing people drawing lines and putting their politics over their art. Not that it's a new thing, but it seems like a waste of good work to me. It's not like any of the names mentioned in the Gaza Dispute portion of this post are titans or giants in any game I know of, so why should I give a shit about their politics? Do your art, not as a careerist who has no conscience, but as someone who has a gift readers like myself would like you to share. Because of my opinion on the conflict, I don't really care if you are for one side or the other in the Middle East and don't feel any compunction to not read this or that one because they are. Dividing into tribes again and again is Balkanization. Social circles are getting smaller and smaller, and demands for purity are getting more and more unreasonable.
I have no problem with a lit mag saying they don't want political statements in their contributor bios. Are bios now a sacred form of expression? If someone wanted to trumpet MAGA propaganda in their bio, would a lit mag have to publish it?
The NYTimes poetry column ending makes me really sad. I feel like instead of responding to Anne's very powerful choice, NYTimes just rolled their eyes at poetry itself. Yes, sure they can "survive" without poetry, but as more and more places of apparent culture and conversation begin to exclude the voice of poets and writers, one has to wonder where that culture is in fact coming and growing from? And where the heck it is going
Let's hope the new BASS editor is open to publishing work without considering the journal. (A policy of reading blind would be amazing, but I'm sure this is a longshot.) Over the years, I've read some amazing stories in the series, but I've also read some duds that I suspect were included only because a well-known author published it in a well-known journal (usually the New Yorker). There's great writing beyond the top twenty or so literary journals! It would be great if BASS reflected this truth.
Abby, I have read the piece and am familiar with its arguments. The problem with it is that it overlooks the Nation - State Basic Law, the statements by Netanyahu and others that Israel is not the state of its non Jewish citizens, legal and unofficial discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, and, most glaringly, the occupied West Bank where Jewish settlers have a different set of legal and political rights than Palestinians. These and other practices have of course led B'Tselem, Yesh Din, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International to conclude that Israel has imposed a regime on the Palestinians that fits the legal definition of apartheid (and resembles South Africa's apartheid much more than it differs). These organizations' reports contain what Orwell would call "unpleasant facts" that are largely undisputed. The reports are available online.
Becky, this was so good!
I see we read similarly :)
Loved the CIA piece in The Paris Review. I have a nod to it in my next newsletter out this coming Sunday. Such a fun read!
I couldn't comment or see the article about photos, since I can't do a paid subscription, so I will post my comment here. I'm not comfortable with submitting a photo before they choose to accept or decline my work, which should stand on its own merit, not my appearance. If a lit mag wants the photo after accepting the work, fine.
Thanks for sharing your interview, Becky. The Lit Mag Reading Club is a blast. I’ll have to check out Russell Banks. Fetch was one of my favorites too as was 11 things I have left now that my daughter is gone. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/880389/pdf
The CIA's involvement on the literary world goes back to at least 1956, when the CIA funded the establishment of the Australian magazine, Quadrant, which still exists and still remains far right in its views and in what it prefers to publish. You can read the full context here. https://litmagnews.substack.com/p/the-poet-who-wasnt-there-but-became
I also loved Lichtman's piece in the Paris Review. He gets us inside a place most of us will never get to see. So why do they have a museum and a gift shop at CIA headquarters?
A superb list of all things Kafkaesque:
https://lithub.com/a-kafkaesque-list-of-things-described-as-kafkaesque/
Be sure to read the one about the guy banned for life from Airbnb.
Becky, You write this: Editors and writers (yes, writers can submit work too!), be sure to submit your nominations for Best American Short Stories (for stories published in 2024) to this address: What does this mean? Does it mean, that I can sent my published story to her, regardless of whether the pub wants to send it? I thought that those nominations came from... well. God. Or who knows whom. Or the publication picked what they thought was their best and sent those. So please elaborate. Do we have to sent the printed piece? The place online where it came out? A file with the place where the story got published. Details, details, details.