What do you want for Christmas?
Fame, fortune, a three book deal? Francis Ford Coppola to option the film rights to your as yet unpublished novel? Well join the queue!
Actually, all those desires boil down to the same thing – you want to be published, to have your work read. And if that’s what you want, then one of the things you should give yourself for Christmas is a subscription to a magazine that publishes fiction.
Yes you. You, the writer. The one who wants all those things above. You cannot expect to find the platform for your work, the adoring fans, the respect of your peers, the five figure advance that pays off your mortgage, and the chance to spend a night with George Clooney or Angelina Jolie (or both if you like: who am I to limit your desire, or your stamina?) – none of these would be possible (and in fact, the ultimate item on my list is probably impossible under any circumstances) without the presses and anthologies that keep the beginning writer in hope and expectation, and tiny crumbs of money.
So here are three of the British best from this year – pick one and add it to your Christmas list, or treat yourself to a present from you to you, because when these magazines are gone -and we’ve lost far too many recently, due to Arts Council funding slashes – THERE WILL BE NOWHERE FOR YOU TO GET YOUR WORK PUBLISHED.
Ambit one of the oldest, the greatest and simply the coolest of British journals – this publication is chilled enough to freeze a Mod’s knackers.
Crimewave – part of TTA press: they have a bloody awful website in my opinion, but a crackingly good publication.
Frogmore Press a prettier publication you will not find, and the poetry in particular is superb.
Message received?
Jolly good. Help yourself to a cookie then.
5 Comments
Sarah Salway
9th December 2008Good post. You’ve inspired me – I do have some subscriptions to literary journals but not these, so I’ll pick one. Thanks for the reminder! Now, can I have a cookie….
Kay Sexton
12th December 2008Sarah, have three! Can’t think of anybody who deserves them more. The chocolate ones with vanilla centres are the best, I think.
Tania Hershman
13th December 2008Kay, you are so right and this is what I try and do already, at the very least I buy one issue of a new lit mag to see if I want a subscription. A new recommendation from me: Ninth Letter. It arrived last week, the size of a telephone book, filled with stunning fiction and a great layout. Great -and large – stocking filler!
Kay Sexton
14th December 2008Tania, have a cookie, you deserve it! Ninth Letter is a gorgeous publication too.
Sparks
14th December 2008And The Paris review…it arrives every three months and I’m in love with it. x