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Latinidad® – 2/10: Palabra Magazine
Contents:
1. Saludos
2. Q&A: Elena Minor
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BEFORE YOU SEND IT OUT
“As I am a ‘newbie’ to the business of writing and publishing, Marcela was able to break down the process in a way that I could clearly understand. Make sure she tells you the story about the two plumbers! Although success will not come overnight, I feel I have acquired a knowledgeable guide to direct me through the jungle to the mountain top.”
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1. Saludos
While there are hundreds of literary journals, very few are by and/or for Latinos. Palabra magazine, launched in 2006, provides a much-needed opportunity for Latino writers to publish their work and for readers to discover new voices. Support the Latino literary community by subscribing to Palabra; expand your own platform by submitting your work to Palabra. To learn more, read this month’s Q&A with founding editor Elena Minor.
Helping Latinos get published,
Marcela Landres
2. Q&A
Elena Minor is founding editor of Palabra: A Magazine of Chicano & Latino Literary Art. She is an award-winning writer with work published or forthcoming in RHINO, Mandorla, Hot Metal Bridge, OCHO, Quercus Review, Diner, Passager, City Works, Vox, Poetry Midwest, 26, Segue, BorderSenses, and The Big Ugly Review, among others. She is a past recipient of the University of California at Irvine’s Chicano/Latino Literary Prize and she teaches creative writing to high school students. For more information, visit http://www.palabralitmag.com/
Q: What inspired you to create a literary magazine?
A: I wanted primarily to create a vehicle for Latinos who write outside the box to get their work published. Although there exist more than 800 literary magazines (online and print), most don’t regularly feature Latino writing, and of those that do, it had been fairly confined to an aesthetic and an ethos that define our work through an Anglo American perception of who we are and what we should be writing. To a large degree that still exists. Latino writing that doesn’t follow conventional literary form, that flows back and forth from English to Spanish to Spanglish and that doesn't speak to subject matter that is predefined for us, rarely gets to publication.
Q: You're an award-winning writer of fiction, poetry, and plays. How does your own writing background influence how you run Palabra?
A: I'm not a conventional writer, have never been truly successful at it, and don’t really want to be. But I am interested in the possibilities of language--in experimenting with its form and structure without forcing it. So I’m always on the lookout for work that is out of the ordinary and that shows an understanding of the possibility of language. I enjoy a well-told story or finely crafted poem as well, but they have to show a spark, something that engages me and stays with me after I’ve read it.
Q: Beyond its focus on Latino writers, what makes Palabra different from all the other literary journals out there?
A: It’s purposely eclectic--designed that way to showcase the diversity of Latino writing, especially unconventional writing. We don’t all write in the same way or about the same things. It will take risks and publish something that isn’t necessarily polished or award-worthy but which shows some real ganas.
Q: When submitting their work to Palabra for consideration, what one thing should writers do to catch your eye? What one thing do you consider a turn-off?
A: Write organically but with discipline and focus. My major peeves are sloppy work and not reading the submission guidelines.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you offer to someone who is thinking of launching a literary magazine?
A: Be clear about why you’re doing it and for how long you’ll commit to it. Know that it will take time away from your own writing. It will always cost something.
3. Workshop
Getting Published Despite the Economy
WHAT: Getting published is never easy, but the current economic climate offers additional challenges--and opportunities. In this workshop, you will learn: why debut writers are more valuable than published authors; what agents and editors are looking for more than ever; and the one trait that will ensure publication (hint: it's not about the writing!).
Workshop attendees have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with an editor who will critique a ten-page sample of their writing. Space is limited so register early!
WHEN: Saturday, March 27
WHERE: Seattle, WA, address to be announced
4. Resources
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HOW EDITORS THINK
"I read How Editors Think in one sitting and was engaged from beginning to end. It is well written, highly informative, and humorous—I found myself laughing out-loud in a few spots! Thanks for sharing the secrets of the trade."—Mayra Lazara Dole, author of Down to the Bone
Inspired by my experience as a former Simon & Schuster editor, How Editors Think: The Real Reason They Rejected You reveals what it really takes to get published. For more information, visit E-book.
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SAN MIGUEL WRITER’S CONFERENCE
Registration Deadline: February 15
Dates: February 19-23
The bilingual English/Spanish conference features workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Faculty includes Barbara Kingsolver and C.M. Mayo, among others. For more information, visit http://www.sanmiguelworkshops.com/
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KWELI JOURNAL SEEKS SUBMISSIONS
Deadline: March 10
Kweli Journal is a new online literary journal established to identify, promote, and nurture emerging writers of color. They also seek to expand the audience of authors of color who already have a foothold in the industry. For more information, visit http://www.kwelijournal.com/
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INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARDS
Deadline: March 12
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 International Latino Book Awards to be held at the Javits Center in New York City on May 25. Books must carry a 2009 publishing date to be eligible. For more information, visit http://www.box.net/shared/ccto71snrg
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YA MYSTERY ANTHOLOGY
Deadline: March 31
Editor Sarah Cortez and Arte Publico Press seek original mystery fiction by Latino writers for a YA anthology tentatively entitled You Don’t Have A Clue. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/ybe7av7
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SHORT STORY/POETRY COLLECTION PRIZE
Deadline: March 31
The Hudson Prize seeks unpublished collections of short stories or poems. The winner will be published by Black Lawrence Press and receive a $1,000 cash award. For more information, visit http://www.blacklawrencepress.com/
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RANDOM HOUSE INTERNSHIP
Deadline: April 16
Random House’s internship program is geared to students between their junior and senior years in college, and has been called “a first rate publishing internship” by The Princeton Review. For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/ya5ggyw
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$7500 SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY COMPETITION
Deadline: May 1
The Henry George School of Social Science seeks essays from students attending high school in New York City who are college-bound in fall 2010. For more information, visit http://www.henrygeorgeschool.org/essay910.htm
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GIRL SCOUTS SEEK SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR
The Senior Writer/Editor, Program Development, works with the national Program department to envision, plan, and create new and cutting-edge informal educational materials on a variety of topics for girls in grades K–12. For more information, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/ then click on “Jobs” then “View all jobs.”
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GIRL SCOUTS SEEKS RESEARCH ANALYST (STEM)
The Project Research Analyst will collaborate with program staff to evaluate programming to advance gender equity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. For more information, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/ then click on “Jobs” then “View all jobs.”
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GIRL SCOUTS SEEKS RESEARCH ANALYST (GSBB)
The Project Research Analyst will collaborate with a cross-functional team to evaluate programming for Girl Scouts Beyond Bars/Girl Scouts in Detention Centers under a grant from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other projects. For more information, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/ then click on “Jobs” then “View all jobs.”
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“Write to where you want to be, not where you’re at.”
--Michael Perry
Latinidad® © 2003 by Marcela Landres
