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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:37 AM |
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Luke - in the next issue, we've got a few 10,000 word stories that I think of as "world standard" (there's nothing that bugs me more than lazy nonfiction). I grew up on comics and sci-fi/fantasy, so we don't really discriminate between literary and genre.
Full details about the issue are here, right up the top, if anyone wants to have a look: http://www.theliftedbrow.com/
I think with this one, we've finally struck the balance we're after. |
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:41 AM |
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Lisette! Yup, I think my tastes will change over time. That said, I don't have much of an appetite for "youth writer/artist/activist" stuff anyway. Maybe I just have a limited view of what that is. I do think a lot of good art is ghettoised that way.
But yes, the Brow basically publishes "stuff I personally think is exciting and good", and of course that will change, and the magazine with it. From the next issue onwards, we also have some contributing editors from around the world who are going to herd things our way that I wouldn't otherwise see. Although blind submissions are the most exciting things to get. |
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luke
Posts:5
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| 25-02-2009 11:44 AM |
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Ronnie, both experimental writing and music are represented in TLB - do you see writing lyrics/music as similar to writing literature?
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:46 AM |
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"So, how have you found the Melbourne lit scene - as opposed to the Brisrael lit scene?"
Ruh roh! I don't want to answer this one. The Brisbane scene seems to take itself a little less seriously and maybe produce better writing because of it. But I think that's because it's less of a "scene" and more of a "collection of people". At the end of the day, writing is about working hard at a desk, and the good writers seem to be the people who do that. But then I'm generalising and it's not really fair. |
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:49 AM |
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"Ronnie, both experimental writing and music are represented in TLB - do you see writing lyrics/music as similar to writing literature?"
I don't think so. A LOT of good lyrics are pretty awful by themselves! But we'll always have an interest in having musicians write short stories - in the last issue, Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown), Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes), Jonathan Meiburg (Okkervil River, Shearwater), and Beth Murphy (Times New Viking) all did that. I liked the results. Likewise, we had songs from Jonathan Lethem's band and Myla Goldberg's band - inherently interesting to see people's "other" projects. |
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admin
Posts:231
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| 25-02-2009 11:49 AM |
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| I think that's a really nice description of the Brisbane scene. Is it a lot more cliquey in Melbourne? Is it harder to be avant-garde in the 'city of literature'? |
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David
Posts:707
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| 25-02-2009 11:50 AM |
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I'm curious about the tug of war between genre and lit fic, and I'm impressed that you and the Brow are playing around in that space. Do you see a difference in average quality in your genre and lit fic submissions, and do you think there's a different quality standard for getting each of them into the mag?
Also, thanks very much for your time and for the opportunities that the Brow represents. |
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Discarded pizza boxes are an inexpensive source of cheese.
http://www.thetussock.blogspot.com |
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Kate
Posts:63
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| 25-02-2009 11:54 AM |
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Hey Ronnie, do you see yourself more as a writer or editor, or is that even a relevant question? I'm interested in your own plans for your writing. What are you working on?
K. |
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admin
Posts:231
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| 25-02-2009 11:55 AM |
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| We have 5 minutes left before Ronnie needs to leave us, folks. Any last questions? |
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:56 AM |
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I've found Melbourne a little cliquey, but it's tough to be annoyed by it, purely because it's easier to take a clique seriously form the inside. But I'm probably digging myself a hole here and I obviously don't mean to. There are HEAPS of nice young writers in Melbourne and HEAPS of very motivated ones.
The problem Melbourne is really facing, I think, is due to that very glut of motivation - too many people are starting journals when they could be helping me with mine! Torpedo, Ampersand, Red Leaves, Stop Drop n Roll - listen well. You all shall drown in the coming Depression, and on that day I shall poach you. I will, of course, pay you nothing. |
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Lisette
Posts:19
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| 25-02-2009 11:58 AM |
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Hmph. I think TLB is more than just a Brisbane vs Melbourne thing. But what Ronnie says sounds kinda true - Boomtowm is rocking in the support stakes when it comes to writers. There's only a few biffs that I've heard of, and they seem to disappear into the background.
Now, I'm wondering - do you edit any of TLB submissions RS? And if so, what is your approach? |
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 11:59 AM |
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David: Thank you for being impressed! It seems like it's just as rare to see an amazing literary/experimental story as it is to see an amazing genre story. I get the same feeling (incidentally, of being impressed) from both.
Kate: That is a relevant question, but it's also too scary a question to really answer. I'm working on a book, which I write in the mornings. Then I spend the rest of the day on the magazine. |
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Lisette
Posts:19
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| 25-02-2009 12:02 PM |
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Hey! No way RS, I can't wait to see what KM has to do with Red Leaves. Bilingual Japanese/Australian literary journal = awesome.
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 12:03 PM |
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"Now, I'm wondering - do you edit any of TLB submissions RS? And if so, what is your approach?"
I look at the white page and feel afraid. Then I make a little red pen mark and feel good. Half an hour later the page is covered in red pen and I feel very, very ashamed. But the story is better.
So, yeah! Most of the stories are edited really heavily. After that initial hand-edit, I type it into Word with "track changes" on and send it to the author. They send it back with maybe half the changes approved, half disputed. Then I send it back with half their disputes approved, half explained/argued further. It goes on like that, argued in more and more detail, until we're both happy with it. |
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Ronnie
Posts:15
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| 25-02-2009 12:04 PM |
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| No, I agree totally about Red Leaves. Kirk is actually our designer's boyfriend, so she finally gets to showcase her talent to the world. I have pretty boring design principles. |
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admin
Posts:231
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| 25-02-2009 12:07 PM |
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Well I think that's all our questions answered, so it's time to finish up now.
Thanks for being our guest today, Ronnie. We love The Lifted Brow, and encourage our subscribers to grab a copy, enjoy a fantastic read and listen, and think about submitting.
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