Enter The Collagist, New Online Journal including Book Reviews

by Jane Ciabattari | Aug-14-2009

A new online magazine, The Collagist, launches Saturday.  The first issue has original fiction by Gordon Lish, among others; an essay by Ander Monson, poetry, and four book reviews—including one at 4,000-plus words and one a video review. We checked in with Dan Wickett to find out the plans for reviews and other aspects. Here’s what he had to say:

“We originally asked two people, Ryan Call (written) and Anna Leigh Clark (video) to be regular reviewers.  Back about two months ago or so, when we announced that we were starting The Collagist, we received many offers to write reviews—mostly from freelancers, including some other literary journal editors, and even NBCC members (I believe) like Anis Shivani.  We’ll actually be running eleven reviews in our September issue (The Collagist is a monthly journal) and hope to continue to see a wide spread in terms of type and style, with concentration on independent publishers.

“This month’s reviews include books published by Rager Media, Beacon Press, Dalkey Archive, and Coffee House Press.  Next month’s will have been published by:  Press 53, Two Dollar Radio, Raw Dog Screaming Press, Fairy Tale Press, Grove, New Directions, Soft Skull, Dalkey Archive and the University of Nebraska Press.”

Alas, he says, The Collagist will not be paying contributors in the early stages of the journal. “We have been so tied up in getting it ready for launch that we really haven’t had time yet to discuss plans for that down the line.”