“. . . This is a critical time not just for Granta but also for the future of the literary journal as an art form. It is no longer enough for a literary magazine to publish ‘good writing,’ or even ‘new writing.’ We’ve got the Internet now.”
So says Dan Crowe in his article “Publish and Be Damned,” which is part review of the 100th issue of Granta, a British “magazine of new writing,” and part call for a literary revolution.
“When Plimpton founded the Paris Review it was an act of rebellion; similarly for Bill Buford when he relaunched Granta in the 1970s. They wanted to shake things up a bit. With the new owner in place, it is time for another shake-up. . . . ”
If you want to start or revamp a literary magazine, here is some good advice I culled from Mr. Crowe:
– “[Granta or you or The Rumpus] must not only seek to publish good writing, but it must seek to become original again–original and broad-minded in the ways it communicates with its readers.”
– “But by far the best stuff I published was writing I commissioned from scratch.”
– “A big (and fun) part of the challenge [re: acquiring unpublished work from established authors] was seeing what I could get them to work for instead of money.”
– “The advantage small journals have over bigger institutions is that they run on enthusiasm, a limitless tank of zeal that tops up every time there is the slightest step forward.”
-Identify oneself. Where are you going to “shine”?; “What will be [your] trademark over the next decade?”
Fist pump.
