Editor’s Blog

www.crazylitmag.com

STILL CRAZY has suspended submissions until September 15, 2010. Please check back then.

STILL CRAZY received a listing in POETS & WRITER’s MagNet in the May/June 2010.

http://www.pw.org/content/literary_magnet_45

First of all, though the title of the magazine is playful, the editor is dead serious about publishing good writing. The magazine wants to showcase the creativity and the richness of people’s inner lives.

Secondly, the magazine’s selections are not necessarily “crazy.” The title was chosen more for its appeal to the creativity and youthfulness that remains in all of us as we age. Too often, people over fifty are thought of as dull or uninteresting or overly sentimental. STILL CRAZY wants to provide evidence that proves otherwise, both in the quality of the writing and the subjects portrayed in the writing.

Third, the magazine provides a venue for writers and writing by and about people over fifty. The editor believes that most literary magazines are interested in younger writers and writing that appeals to a younger audience.

The guidelines for length have been changed to 3,500 maximum word count. Submissions of 2,500 words or less are more likely to be published.

Most people are uploading their files correctly, but some are having problems. Sometimes I open the file and see a list of folders, or a zip file. Other times, I have been asked for a password. When these things happen, your submission will be declined. The file path should be such that it goes to your specific file. When I open the file, I should see the text of your poem, or short story, or essay. The easiest way to do this is to browse your files. For example, in your “C” drive, select “Documents,” then the folder, then the file containing your work (e.g. c:\Documents\My Poetry\name of poem). Click on the name of the file to upload it.

The January 2010 issue of Still Crazy came out this month. It is Volume III, Issue 1. We’re in our third year!

Take a look at the bios displayed on the web site. The writers have impressive writing resumes.

Still Crazy received two submissions on Christmas Eve. Now, that’s dedication to craft. I was knee deep in unwrapped presents, wishing I had the courage to approach my family about taming the Christmas monster.

Two nice Christmas gifts I received from my list: Too Much Happiness, Alice Munro’s new book of short stories. If I could write like anyone, I’d choose her. I was somewhat disappointed that I had read three of the stories in previous collections, although I reread them with gusto. Maybe I even enjoyed them more than the first time I read them. The second book was Line by Line; How to Edit Your Own Writing, by Claire Kehrwald Cook (Modern Language Association, Houghton Mifflin, 1985). I haven’t had time to dip into this one yet.

Here’s wishing all Still Crazy readers a happy and prosperous 2010.

Barbara Kussow

STILL CRAZY is now accepting submissions for the July 2010 issue. Send submissions to submissions@crazylitmag.com.

Two books about poetry that I highly recommend are:

1) The Eye of the Poet; Six Views of the Art and Craft of Poetry, edited by David Citino (Oxford University Press, 2002). The book is written by practicing poets and teachers of poetry. The poets represented are David Baker, David Citino, Billy Collins, Yusef Komunyakaa, Maxine Kumin, Carol Muske, and Ann Townsend. That’s seven, if you’re counting. David Baker and Ann Townsend co-write a chapter. Each essay offers a different slant on writing and reading poetry.

2) The Poetry Home Repair Manual, by Ted Kooser (University of Nebraska Press, 2005).
Ted Kooser was the 13th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.
The title provides a clue to Mr. Kooser’s approach. He gives practical advice in plain language.
I particularly like the chapters on writing about feelings and writing from memory.

Both are books to which I return from time to time, always finding new insights.