Esquire is giving the short story a little nudge.
Or, given the bar-brawl story they just published, more like a shove.
They are starting to publish stories again, albeit only online, and are also sponsoring a contest for short stories under 4000 words with one of these three titles:
- Twenty-Ten
- An Insurrection
- Never, Ever Bring This Up Again
The first two seem ambiguous enough to spawn a number of interpretations, but that last one tells too much. Nonetheless, it’s good to get more stories in glossies, and I think it’s even better they’re online. Nothing exists unless it’s online. Any of my friends can and will read my stories when they’re online, but when they’re in print mags, nobody bothers.
So kudos, Esquire.
GQ, watch out. I just might have to cheat on you.
Hey Book-Fox,
It’s J. Lough, MPW 08. How are you doing, working on a novel yet?
I completely agree that “Nothing exists unless it’s online,” especially with regards to short fiction, and it’s something I’m not too unsettled by, which seems to be unusual these days. People in my workshop at NYU seem to still relish an unpaid publication in a small lit journal with a circulation of around 500, rather than a paid publication online with unlimited potential readership, which is so incredibly confusing and counter-intuitive.
Hey Josh,
Right now I’m focusing on short stories. But the plotting and characterization of a novel are happening concurrently. So yes, I guess you could say I’m working on a novel.
A number of my stories are out at journals, though, so that’s the first step.
send me an email to let me know what you’re up to: john matt fox (AT) hot mail dot c o m.