Comments on: Confessions of a Cranky Lit-Mag Editor http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/ Writing about writing Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:58:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Beggard Presley http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-240799 Beggard Presley Sat, 01 Sep 2007 22:57:25 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/#comment-240799 Bah, who gives a shit at the end of the day anyway? Slush pile or not -- the average lit mag has a couple hundred readers, who promptly forget the contents of the previous issue as soon as the next one arrives in the mail. What names do I recognise? Why isn't mine there more often? Blah, blah, the evening dinner version of 'literature'. Believe you me, it's forgetabilia in its most obstinate claims to art. Well, it does give a little peep show thrill, I guess. When it comes to stuff that stand the test of time . . . Bah, who gives a shit at the end of the day anyway? Slush pile or not — the average lit mag has a couple hundred readers, who promptly forget the contents of the previous issue as soon as the next one arrives in the mail. What names do I recognise? Why isn’t mine there more often? Blah, blah, the evening dinner version of ‘literature’. Believe you me, it’s forgetabilia in its most obstinate claims to art. Well, it does give a little peep show thrill, I guess.

When it comes to stuff that stand the test of time . . .

]]> By: Toni D. http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-227475 Toni D. Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:28:25 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/#comment-227475 Gee, Phil, I guess the point is that even journal editors have only a finite amount of time available for reading manuscripts, and therefore can't afford to read every word sent to them, including piles of ...slush. Instead of getting so worked-up about this inevitable state of affairs, which has (from the sounds of it) kept some of your own "soaring masterpieces" from seeing the light of day, perhaps you ought to take a hard look at your own opening gambits. Gee, Phil, I guess the point is that even journal editors have only a finite amount of time available for reading manuscripts, and therefore can’t afford to read every word sent to them, including piles of …slush. Instead of getting so worked-up about this inevitable state of affairs, which has (from the sounds of it) kept some of your own “soaring masterpieces” from seeing the light of day, perhaps you ought to take a hard look at your own opening gambits.

]]> By: phil http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-18083 phil Mon, 19 Jun 2006 06:07:55 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/#comment-18083 bullshit. if this idiot equates an opening line with a soaring masterpiece, why should i bother with him? please let me know what publications he edits so i never send anything out in his direction. its disheartening to see that an opening line means more than a literary payoff, but i guess these are busy people, and can't be expected to have time to.....read.... anyone else see a problem with this? bullshit.

if this idiot equates an opening line with a soaring masterpiece, why should i bother with him? please let me know what publications he edits so i never send anything out in his direction.

its disheartening to see that an opening line means more than a literary payoff, but i guess these are busy people, and can’t be expected to have time to…..read….

anyone else see a problem with this?

]]> By: Paul Volponi http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/comment-page-1/#comment-16294 Paul Volponi Tue, 13 Jun 2006 01:24:55 +0000 http://www.slushpile.net/index.php/2006/06/12/confessions-of-a-cranky-lit-mag-editor/#comment-16294 I agree with his fire in the first sentence- but I think it needs to go deeper than that. I worked a lot with kids who didn’t want to read, in places like Rikers Island and drug rehab centers. I’d copy the best scene in a classic novel and slap it on the front cover to spark interest in these reluctant readers. Sometimes it worked, too. So when I started to write some fiction myself, I’d try to open with the best scene in the book, or at least something real compelling. I agree with his fire in the first sentence- but I think it needs to go deeper than that. I worked a lot with kids who didn’t want to read, in places like Rikers Island and drug rehab centers. I’d copy the best scene in a classic novel and slap it on the front cover to spark interest in these reluctant readers. Sometimes it worked, too. So when I started to write some fiction myself, I’d try to open with the best scene in the book, or at least something real compelling.

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