At this point, the Internet isn’t going away. To those out there who thought they’d bide their time until the “”fad”” died — well, think again.
Mediums that once circulated primarily through print are moving online. Literary magazines are no exception.
Literary Laundry is a new, online, literary magazine that focuses on contemporary literature. College graduates and current undergraduate students from across the world help maintain the magazine.
“”With editors presently spread across three continents and five time zones, we all must remain flexible in scheduling,”” said one of four executive editors, Jonathan Canel, a history graduate from Stanford University. “”We feel that each person provides a unique and valuable perspective on literary art.””
The editors of the magazine hope to facilitate the same sort of community that social networking and media sites employ.
“”Young people invest an overwhelming amount of time sharing their opinions and observations via online social media sites,”” Canel said. “”At Literary Laundry, we hope to capture this spirit of sharing and combine it with an enthusiasm for literary reflection.””
Canel believes this process can evolve into an “”online social culture.””
Although an online journal may appear more distant than a community-published magazine, a global literary magazine offers many benefits.
“”We decided to host the journal online as well as in print for two reasons,”” Canel said. “”First of all, we wanted to solicit submissions from around the world. Secondly, we wanted to share our efforts with the broadest possible audience. On both fronts, nothing could beat the networking power of the Internet.””
With the first issue of Literary Laundry going online just this fall, the site has already “”hosted over 10,000 visitors from 83 countries,”” according to Canel.
“”An online journal allows us to host a virtual, world-wide discussion alongside our journal,”” Canel said. “”Readers can share comments on work and participate in discussion forums.””
Such a widespread audience and this open format for reader-writer interaction simply could not exist for a print magazine.
“”Our target audience is everybody who, like us, craves serious and enjoyable literature,”” Canel said. “”We remain committed to publishing excellent undergraduate work. Our journal is for you, too.””
Canel encouraged student writers to get out there and get published regardless of where it is.
“”Most students write for personal satisfaction,”” Canel said. “”Some showcase their writing in university venues such as campus literary journals or spoken-word performances, but few seek publication from a national venue.””
Literary Laundry, like so many other online journals, makes submission for publication easy.
“”A tremendous number of publication venues exist today,”” Canel said. “”If you are persistent, you should be able to find a publisher who appreciates your aspirations.””
While there are certainly print literary magazines at the UA, online journals that focus on undergraduates present another route for publication.
What matters is getting your stuff out there.
Check out literarylaundry.com for more information.