Litmags and their reviewers

A year ago, I noted here that John Darling had posted a wonderfully helpful online directory of links to submission guidelines for nearly 1,000 literary magazines. He calls his list The Ivory Tower. Poets & Writers also maintains a database of literary journals and provides other helpful resources for writers.

Today, I glanced at the number of litmags I’ve bookmarked on Delicious. Jay Dee must have inspired me, because the total is now 1,100—up from 700 last year. You can visit my Delicious litmag bookmarks anytime by clicking on Literary journals in the blog’s menu, under the heading “Resources for writers.” I can’t say how many of the magazines are still being published, and there’s a vast range of quality, but just perusing the list is fun.

Evaluating the literary magazines

Many people don’t know of the existence of litmag reviews and commentary. The folks listed below noticed a need, and they addressed it. (applause)

Jenny Brantley – Literary Magazine Review – University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Denise Hill, editor – NewPages Literary Magazine Reviews

Travis Kurowski, editor; Sarah Lowery White, managing editor; Marcelle Heath, assistant editor/online editor; Robert Bern, New York editor – Luna Park – “reviews of some of the most interesting literary magazines recently published, as well as essays, interviews, and excerpts from the literary magazine world”
[Updated on November 14, 2009]

Kristian Markus – The Mag Blogger – “Unbiased Reviews of Literary Journals”

Chloe Yelena Miller – Portal del Sol Reviews of Literary Journals and Editors – “reviews of online literary publications and print publications with an online presence”

Becky Tuch – The Review Review – “a way to guide writers toward the journals that most interest them”

Dan Wickett – Emerging Writers Network – frequently blogs about his favorite literary journals and litblogs

How my clients find me

Some spectacularly good writers have come my way lately. I’ve been trying to stay on top of my inbox while reading manuscripts as fast as possible. I’m always, always grateful for writers who include everything I’ve asked for with their queries.

At the moment, I take as new clients about one percent of the writers who contact me seeking representation. The percentage will decrease as time goes on, because my existing clients will require almost all of my attention. Even now, I turn down writers who will go on to be published, there’s no doubt. Occasionally, I consider taking on a new client whose work is good enough to sell, even though I’m not a fan. Then, I remind myself that I’m a much better advocate for the manuscript I couldn’t put down—the book I can’t wait for other readers to enjoy because I loved it so much. I need that thrill to counterbalance the long hours of hard work. Furthermore, I’m terminally honest. Ahem. Ask anyone who knows me.

Except for a nonfiction author who was referred to me by a publisher, this year, my clients learned of me through sources I’ve found surprising. I hadn’t realized how widely some of these sites were known and used. One client noticed my blogger listing on Publishers Marketplace, one apparently read something I’d written about critique groups that was reprinted on Self-Publishing Review, one was connected through WordHustler, and one saw my agency listed on David Kuzminski’s site Preditors & Editors. While I might receive a larger volume of queries as the result of publicity in other media, these particular connections have been the most beneficial so far. It’ll be interesting to see if they continue to send me good writers.

I’m looking forward to introducing you to my clients, but I’m also superstitious. I don’t want to jinx anything, so be patient. Heaven knows my talented clients are.

Get out and comment

I recently finished reading Chris Brogan and Julien Smith’s Trust Agents, which I can now recommend as a primer for anyone unfamiliar with ‘net culture who needs to figure out how to use the Web’s social networks to improve customer service and expand business opportunities. In one word: delicately.

Trust Agents reminded me to leave comments, at least occasionally, on the blogs I read regularly. I’ve always considered it a little rude when a blogger, or an organization with an online presence, insists on hosting every discussion instead of joining conversations elsewhere. (Thanks, Chris and Julien, for delivering me from hypocrisy.)

The authors of Trust Agents suggest making a practice of acknowledging those who help, as well as putting a little effort into promoting others. In their words:

Whether you’re at the top of your game or just starting, you have to realize that you did not get there alone.

It’s pretty common to feel that you are responsible for a lot of the success you’ve obtained, but that’s not entirely true. There may be a few lone wolves out there, but most of us got where we are today through the help of many, many people. We didn’t get there alone. The people who helped us didn’t always need to; often, they helped because they saw potential in us or just because they’re good people. We think you should be good people, too.

Which brings us to our point: Share your influence, even if you only have a little.

Coincidentally, as soon as I finished reading, Jay Eckert—who blogs at Is that a dog butt on my foot?—popped over to Treated & Released acting just like a trust agent.

At Jay’s suggestion, and in the spirit of sharing, I’ve compiled a list of 10 blogs that I almost never skip reading. They’re that good. Directly from my RSS feed reader to you:

• Publishing in the 21st Century (Richard Curtis)
• Janet Reid, Literary Agent
• Pub Rants (Kristin Nelson)
• The Shatzkin Files (Mike Shatzkin)
• There Are No Rules (Jane Friedman)
• BookEnds, LLC (Jessica Faust)
• Writing Companion (Marsha Durham)
• Publishing Perspectives
• The Intern
• Arts & Letters Daily

If you have bloggers to thank for the intel they share, or even for cheap entertainment, you can show your gratitude and at the same time recommend them to rest of us. Here are the rules, courtesy of Jay (or make up some new ones):

1. Put the Lemonade Stand Award badge on your blog or post.



2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
3. Link your nominees within your post.
4. Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their blogs.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

Free bat guano with qualifying book purchase

The Little Professor Book Center on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, is an independent bookstore owned by Curt Holsapple and Richard Purdy. It’s always, uh, intriguing to see what they’re displaying in the store windows. Currently, they’re offering customers bat guano as a premium with the purchase of a book about gardening, bats, or vampires.

Where do they get the guano?

What can I say? Offbeat is essentially what Athens is about, and I assure you I am not complaining. It suits me just fine.

On IndieBound.org, you can become a fan of Athens’ own Little Professor Book Center. Use the Indie Store Finder when you’re in unfamiliar territory. There’s also an Indie Store Finder app for the iPhone.

A dozen or so Little Professor franchises remain in the U.S. Praxis Bookstore Group, the parent company that owns the licensing rights to the Little Professor trademarks and business systems, evolved from the Little Professor brand as a service to help people who want to open independent bookstores.

Have you voted for your favorite SXSW panel proposals?

Two of my acquaintances in the book industry recently mentioned that their SXSW 2010 panel proposals are currently being put to a vote online. I’ve checked out their ideas and cast my votes, and so can you.

Bob Robertson-Boyd, online community builder extraordinaire and mastermind behind the promotion of WorldCat.org (“find items in libraries near you”) wants your vote for Discovery, Identity, and Rights: Three Deep Web Problems.

Most of us don’t know we have a deep web problem. It sounds vaguely pornographic, but it’s not. Robertson-Boyd hopes to discuss identity management mechanisms that can be used to provide access to controlled content (e.g., password- or key technology-protected content) while preserving the content owners’ business models. He promises to answer the question “What search sites are in use today to expose the deep Web?” It sounds like a panel that book publishers, news organizations, and international credit card thieves will appreciate. OK, I’m kidding about the last group of rapscallions. The truth is, I know writers who would love to have direct access to the most current scholarly journal articles that are eventually archived by JSTOR, and that’s just one example of controlled content.

If you think his panel idea is worth supporting, I hope you’ll vote for it. Here’s what Robertson-Boyd has to add:

If you really think it is good and worthwhile, could you ask some others that you know to vote for it? I want to put libraries in front of a lot of influential people and get them thinking about the services made available via libraries but otherwise hidden.

OCLC and libraries in general are in a good position to help expose deep web content. Also, few people understand that a lot (whooole LOT) of content isn’t exposed via search engines. We hope to get folks thinking about this, provide some context for the role that libraries can play, and identify more of the challenges in exposing deep web content.

Kassia Krozser, the intrepid blogger at Booksquare and one of four principals with the startup ebook publisher Quartet Press, is proposing to give SXSW 2010 attendees a preview Beyond Publishing: When Every Book is Connected to Everyone.

Krozser was kind enough to post links to the publishing-related SXSW panel proposals on her blog, so you can see descriptions of the prospective topics at a glance and vote for the ones you like.

If you can’t make it to Austin for SXSW Interactive next year, rest assured that many of the panels will make news. SXSW PanelPicker voting closes on September 4, 2009. Results should be revealed in October. Go!

[Updated on September 1, 2009]
Turns out Robertson-Boyd proposed the panel idea, but with the expectation of turning the actual presentation over to his colleagues. “Licensing content and authentication mechanisms are not my strong point,” he says. “I can describe the problem and direct those people who are subject matter experts toward what needs to happen on the Web, but the details are best left to the experts. If we’re accepted, the panel will delve deep into the publisher’s business models, access rights, identity management, and authentication.”

You can vote for his panel idea until September 4, 2009.