November/December 2024

Our November/December issue features a special section on the legacy, impact, and innovation of small presses and magazines; an interview with poet Mosab Abu Toha, author of the poetry collection Forest of Noise; a profile of Jeff VanderMeer, author of the Southern Reach series of literary speculative novels; our ninth annual 5 Over 50 debut author feature; a Q&A with Regina Brooks, the new president of the AALA; lessons in learning to say no to protect your creative well-being; plus the rewards of teaching K–12, writing prompts, contest deadlines, and more.

Features

The Marine Biologist Inside the Writer at Play in the Microworlds of an Overgrown Pool: A Profile of Jeff VanderMeer

by Kate Tuttle
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In Absolution, the surprise fourth volume of the Southern Reach series of literary speculative novels, Jeff VanderMeer continues to provoke critics and eschew labels while plunging readers into the unpredictable wilds of Area X. 

Independent Publishing: The Legacy, Impact, and Innovation of Small Presses and Magazines

You Said You Wanted a Revolution: The Nonprofit Presses of the 1970s and the Start of a New Era in Literary Publishing

by Dan Sinykin
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The author of Big Fiction: How Conglomeration Changed the Publishing Industry and American Literature celebrates and reflects on the journey of several extraordinary nonprofit presses on the occasion of their fiftieth anniversaries.

Sustaining the Literary Magazines We Love: Reconsidering Old Models in Search of Longevity

by Joyce Chen
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Literary magazines are vital to creative innovation and the uplifting of new talent—but we must find new publishing models if we want to to carry on their tradition and adapt to changing times.

The Next Revolution: Nerve, Passion, and Community Spirit Mark a New Generation of Indie Presses

by Adrienne Raphel
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Although they vary widely aesthetically and organizationally, the emerging presses of today are redefining the conversation around what it means to produce a book and bringing new voices into the mainstream.

News and Trends

A monochrome representation of the Empire State Building and the surrounding New York City cityscape in sepia tones. Each line and detail is made up of very small keystrokes.

The Written Image: Typewriter Art

by Staff

U.K.-based artist James Cook uses a typewriter to create architectural and portraiture artworks consisting of thousands of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks, encouraging viewers to look beyond their first impressions.

Tags: 
The Written Image | visual art

The Practical Writer

Stepping Off the Tenure Track: The Rewards of Teaching K-12 as a Writer

by Michael Bourne
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The author of Blithedale Canyon shares the stories of writer-teachers who sidestepped the path to professorship to teach K-12 instead, giving them the chance to have meaningful and stable work without the academy’s pressure.

The Literary Life

The Time Is Now: Writing Prompts and Exercises

by Staff
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Write a poem that alternates between two narratives, a short story that charts the progression of a relationship, or an essay that reflects on major events in your past.

Trying to Pour From an Empty Cup: Lessons in Learning to Say No

by Sandra Beasley
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As a writer, success often seems tied to availability. The author of Made to Explode collects insights from fellow writers on how they honed the skill of saying no and learned to enforce the boundaries needed to sustain life and art.

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