The Pittsburgh Writer Information overload. This 90s child has always preferred living a simple life, and information overload has always been a problem for me. I crave a slow existence. Where life doesn’t move at breakneck speeds. Where I’m not bombarded with one news catastrophe after another. I remember life before the internet, and it was a glorious, quiet existence.
In life before the internet, we used overhead projectors with clear film at church where one had to read backwards if you were the operator, slide machines in class, and cassette tapes. DVRs weren’t a thing, and if you wanted to save a tv show for your deployed-with-the-Air-Force dad, then you had to find a VHS tape long enough to cover both show and commercials.
As a child of the 90s (born in 1985), I saw the floppy disc transition into USB drives. Heck I remember being excited I could finally save a full Word document in the library at school and take it home to finish in dad’s office. We used encyclopedias, not Wiki, and other paper resources to do our reports. For as much as I can appreciate the ease and accessibility of the internet (heck, I run a blog for crying out loud), I do miss the simplicity and comforting space that was – and still is – the library.
For as much time as I spent in my high school’s library, there are two sections I never really learned to appreciate: magazines and newspapers. Now that I’m a writer, and one who writes historical adventures, I’m finding myself pouring over newspapers more than I ever have my entire life. This new habit got me thinking about other forms of media. So, for today’s blog post, I’m going to take a look at five magazines all about books and writing I really should subscribe to but don’t.
1 – Creative Nonfiction
This magazine is printed here in Pittsburgh! (You really do learn something new every day). Direct from their “About” page: I am often asked: “What is creative nonfiction?” Or, in some cases, “what the hell is creative nonfiction?” The answer—or answers—can be complicated because creative nonfiction may mean different things to different people, a characteristic that makes this form so elusive and alluring.”
Creative Nonfiction has consistently featured prominent authors from the United States and around the world and in its 24 years has helped launch the careers of some of the field’s most exciting writers. Creative Nonfiction has a circulation of 10,000 and serves the whole spectrum of readers, from nonfiction and journalism enthusiasts to poetry and fiction writers, editors and agents.
Creative Nonfiction is printed in Pittsburgh, PA, by Broudy Printing, and is distributed in the United States by Ingram Periodicals, Media Solutions, and Small Changes.
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What do I like about this magazine? Not only is it printed right here in my hometown, but its focus is primarily nonfiction. As a lover of both fiction and nonfiction, this is a refreshing change from the usual Chicken Soup type stories. Not that Chicken Soup is a bad publication. It’s just never been my cup of tea. This magazine features more modern life stories
2 – The Strand Magazine
Straight from their About page: “The Strand Magazine is a quarterly which offers the best of both worlds—publishing previously unpublished works by literary masters such as John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joseph Heller, Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams and H.G.Wells, as well as new works of fiction by today’s bestselling authors such as Alexander McCall Smith, Michael Connelly, Joseph Finder and Jeffery Deaver. Our reviews section looks at the latest mystery/thriller offerings, Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and anthologies, in addition to audiobooks and DVDs.”
This magazine publishes articles, reviews, interviews, short fiction and other articles. Having never before heard of this magazine, this one is a strong contender to be my first subscription, even above the one printed in Pittsburgh!
3 – Fiction
“Fiction is a literary magazine founded in 1972 by Mark Jay Mirsky, Donald Barthelme, Jane Delynn, and Max Frisch. […] Since its inception, Fiction has aimed to bring the experimental to a broader audience, and to bring new voices to the forefront, publishing emerging authors alongside well known and established writers.”
What I like about this magazine is its simplicity. It’s a very straightforward magazine without a lot of fluff. I also like that writers are able to submit stories for potential publication. I might have to file this one away to try and submit a story or two myself!
I must be honest right now. I really thought I was going to include more magazine examples but then I realized my list was going to look like all the other crazy long lists out there. Short, sweet and simple. That’s always been my motto. I don’t know who originally coined it, but it works for me! Simplicity is the name of my game.
If my lists get any longer, stress automatically presents itself in ways I don’t like. These days are all about keeping my blood pressure low (sadly not even kidding about that). So I may possibly slow down with the blogging in the coming weeks. You may see only two blog posts a week + a book review instead of three blog posts and book reviews whenever I like. All in the name of giving my poor, overworked brain a break.
In the meantime, I hope you’ll consider bookmarking the above magazines! Happy reading!
