Approaching Release Date & Newsletter!

Our genre editors are coming out with final picks for the second issue of Superstition Review, which should be web-ready and published within the next few weeks. At the moment, the non-genre design editors (such as myself and Connie Hackathorn) are presently toiling away editing photographs and non-content pages–materials such as headshots and biographies for this release of our magazine.

Among the most interesting things I’ve learned over the course of my study of writing and publishing, through this internship and in general in this literary year of my life, is that writers are largely self made and self advertised. My best friend is an actor–upcoming, and thus stuck at the whims of agencies and directors. An actor, for the most part, has to work to fit up to a certain look and keep presence at particular appearances. Performing professions are paid to have a look. For writers, it’s a privilege and a perk, if not sometimes a burden.

From what I’ve learned of the writing world, a publisher will often distribute and do some advertising for your book, but for YOU, as the writer, you’re responsible for being witty on your own book tours, setting up your own signings, and proving–without agency assistance, that you are completely awesome.

This is an example of writers being awesome in public.
This is an example of writers being awesome in public.

And face it, you are. This photograph illustrates famous writers Greil Marcus, Josh Kelly, Robert Fulghum, Roy Blount, Jr., Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Marsh, Jerry Peterson, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Joel Selvin, Matt Groening, Tad Bartimus, Amy Tan, and Kathi Goldmark–courtesy of photographer Tabitha King–showing off their attitude and charm. This collective of writers is known as the Rock Bottom Remainders and they perform as a rock band when they’re not churning out incredible, insightful, and exciting written word.

As a writer, some of the most important advice I’ve gotten, namely from G. Lynn Nelson at Arizona State University, is simply to “write real.” Be yourself. Be authentic. Even if something never happened, don’t act as if it isn’t true. As writers, it is our job to make our fantasies and memories true and engaging. Hopefully, if you are a writer, like myself, you enjoy this process of creation as well.

We here at Superstition Review enjoy sharing this experience with you.

In addition to our published magazine coming out, we are also releasing two issues of a newsletter detailing what it is we do here and who we work with–artists and interns alike.  We hope you can join us in receiving these updates to your e-mail inbox. Please sign up at the main Superstition Review website or leave a comment here for more information.

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2 thoughts on “Approaching Release Date & Newsletter!

  • November 11, 2008 at 7:47 pm
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    That advice, ‘write real’ is interesting, but how would you say one applies it when writing something that doesn’t exist in reality? Fantastical things and what not?

  • November 13, 2008 at 1:26 pm
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    Hey Anon.

    That was a question a lot of us had, especially fiction writers like me. The reasoning is that you just must treat your worlds and words, however founded or un- in reality as if there’s some tie to ground it to legitimacy. In this case, in a phantasmagorical psychedelic science fiction piece, for example, keep in mind that when they’re not discovering new worlds, some times your characters eat chocolate or sleep.

    The story is not the entire world. Treat it respectfully — give it a reality of its own.

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