So. Narrative Magazine.
@halduncan has said a few words about these folks spamming literary blogs. He is irritated. I feel like I want to comment on the nature of his irritation.
I haven’t worked with Narrative Magazine. I found only a small mention of them at the Water Cooler. I went to their site (I imagine you can find it without my help) to have a little browse around. If you go yourself, and if you look at the submission guidelines, you will see that NM charges a reading fee on all submissions. They say this is because they don’t charge people for reading NM. I don’t care why they think they need to do it, I only want to point out no other reputable literary magazine does this.
Maybe they’re breaking new ground, out here on the frontiers of the internet, or maybe that smell you’re noticing is bullshit. Who am I to say?
If you’re thinking that what you want is to submit to NM, I have one thing to say to you. Hal Duncan, from whom I got word of this magazine, wants to sell me his books. Jenks and Edgarian want to sell me hope. Only one of those is something I’m willing to pay for.
Long and short, kids: When someone asks you to violate Yog’s Law, look long and hard at what you’re going to pay for.
Edit: (via @halduncan) Jeff Ford has something to say about Narrative Magazine.
