The Little Magazine in Contemporary America

Little magazines have often showcased the best new writing in America. Historically, they have served the dual functions of representing the avant-garde of literary expression while also helping many emerging writers become established authors. Although the changing technology and increasingly harsh financial realities of publishing over the past three decades would seem to have pushed little magazines to the brink of extinction, their story is far more complicated. Small publications continue to persevere, some even to thrive. In this collection, Ian Morris and Joanne Diaz gather together the reflections of twenty-three prominent little magazine editors whose literary journals have flourished over the past thirty-five years. Highlighting the creativity and innovation behind this diverse and still vital medium, contributors offer insights into how their publications sometimes succeeded, sometimes reluctantly folded, but mostly how they evolved and persevered. Topics discussed also include the role of little magazines in promoting the work and concerns of minority and women writers, the place of universities in supporting and shaping little magazines, and the online and offline future of their publications.