One feature of the Submissions Manager that we’ve used since April 2010 is that it allows some statistical analysis. Since that time, Still Crazy has received some 600 submissions. The acceptance rate was approximately 13 percent.
Keep in mind that the magazine is published biannually. Each issue has about 3-4 short stories, 3-4 essays, and 10-12 poems.
Here are two great comments from Still Crazy readers and writers:
“In Still Crazy I see the pieces giving voice to feelings that might only be experienced once a person has reached the fifth and sixth decades. I think there is an audience who wants to read those expressions. I think there might even be a need that they be voiced in order to pay tribute to the whole life experience. In that regard, there is a void that is being filled …” — Bernie Brown
(Bernie Brown has a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature. Her short stories have appeared in Still Crazy and in such publications as Words of Wisdom, The Armchair Aesthete , and All Things Girl. Recently, she was accepted as writer-in-residence at the Weymouth Center in North Carolina.)
“I sent for a copy of your magazine after finding it while surfing the Internet, and I just wanted to tell you that I enjoyed it so much I ordered a subscription. It’s such a breath of fresh air to find a literary magazine devoted to the stories of the ‘over 50’ crowd. And especially to find a publication for this age group that treats us as if we are still active, vibrant individuals instead of being filled with information on doctors, drugs, and nursing homes!” — Cathy Scibelli
(Cathy Scibelli is a freelance writer whose essays have been featured in a variety of publications including Disneyland and Culture, A Book of Miracles, New York Newsday, and Fate Magazine. Her blog –www.iconicmuse.blogspot.com–was chosen for Star Status recently by The Story Circle Network.)
Still Crazy has received an overwhelming number of submissions and, as a result, will not be accepting new submissions until after May 15, 2011.
These are tough times for literary magazines. Many fail because they lack financial support.
Even those that are sponsored by colleges, universities, or other organizations often fall on hard times.
Still Crazy receives no outside support. The magazine is basically a labor of love. It operates, as they say, on a shoe string. The editor receives no salary. Revenues come from sales and subscriptions. Expenses include printing, postage, web site maintenance, printer toner, and paper. Any shortfall is made up by the editor.
If you like the concept – a literary magazine that publishes poetry, short stories, and essays written by or about people over fifty – please consider supporting Still Crazy with a donation.
Barbara Kussow
With the January 2011 issue, STILL CRAZY will begin its fourth year of publication. The January issue will be out the first part of the month
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.
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
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