Yesterday I met my friend Myron outside a Barnes & Noble. I was holding a heavy bag of $45 worth of literary journals and magazines. I had originally gone into the store simply to write down a list of literary journals on sale for later research. While scribbling names onto yellow post it notes (I never go anywhere without a thick pad of post it notes, they are a big part of my organization system) I couldn’t help but be wooed by the evocative titles and eye-catching cover art.
I flipped through about half of the journals on the shelves, sometimes murmuring happily to myself about the writers and art included, sometimes grimacing at the poor layouts. Eventually I forced myself away from the section with two journals in my hands, the summer-fall issue of Golden Handcuffs Review and the fall issue of Willow Springs, both based in Seattle, WA.
Why was it impossible for me to put these two down?
First, the size. A literary journal should be about 10.5 x 7 in. Many journals experiment with size, and almost always to the detriment of the inside layout. They have a tendency to go bigger or wider, and this seems to cause designers to want to fill the extra space by stretching the text across the longer width, which is difficult to read and causes eye strain. The first rule of design is to make it reader-friendly. The abnormal size may draw attention on the shelf, but once opened no one will want to read it.
Second, cover art.
Willow Springs’s cover art is a little on the grim side, which isn’t what usually attracts me. But I have recently been looking into ornithology and have always had a fascination with birds. What I really liked about this cover, though, was the paper it used. I’m not an expert on paper types, but it had a softer, ridged feel to it which appealed to me.
The cover for the issue of Golden Handcuffs Review I bought isn’t available online yet, but it’s a glossy white cover with a black framed b/w photo of dollhouse furniture. It has a much more professional, cleaner feel to it than Willow Springs’s.
Why does any cover art appeal to anyone? It really depends on your personal aesthetics, but most successful covers will have an image on the cover that asks a question. The only way to answer that question is to look inside.
In addition to the two literary journals I picked up a copy of Poets & Writers, which seems geared towards a much younger demographic these days than it did when I read it in high school. I also picked up a copy of The Atlantic.
After telling Myron about my purchases, he lightly criticized me for spending my money at the corporate bookstore instead of an independent.
“One thing I learned from my publishing program is that it doesn’t really matter where you spend your money, it still supports the publishing industry,” was my response. Although it would be great to support an independent bookstore in addition to the publishing industry.
So the next time you are at Barnes & Noble, Borders, The Strand, Powells, or Mom & Pop’s Books, check out the literary journal section and chip in the $10 for an issue of a literary journal of your choosing. You could stick to the big names like the Paris Review or try a smaller one. Either way, you will be exposed to new writers, artists, and you will help support those small presses across the U.S.
Bent Shelf Book Reviews 