July, 2010.
Early last spring, I approached poet Bill Pearlman about working together to produce an on-line literary magazine. I’d been thinking about the idea for years: a forum coming out of Mexico for excellent writing in English. I’d spoken with C.M. Mayo, the eclectic author of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, a month or so before and she helped “jell” the idea, both with her enthusiasm and with concept. “Mexico doesn’t really have a literary magazine specifically for writing in English,” she said. “Why not do one?”
Yes, I thought. Why not? And Bill liked the idea, too.
After a few weeks, the magazine began to shape itself: We wanted to publish pieces from already established professional writers. We also wanted to be a forum for new writing. The magazine would be for English writing in Mexico, we decided. Or, English writing about Mexico. But what if there’s something we really like, we asked, and it doesn’t fit either? Bill came up with the third category, which is the “if we like it, we’ll publish it” category.
In addition, we wanted any profit from the publication, which would initially be generated from a series of winter literary readings that Bill had initiated, to support the local International PEN chapter’s scholarship fund for Mexican youth.
To me, it was important that we have a “magazine,” not a blog. Sorry, but I wanted “old-fashioned” format. And I think you’ll find that here–something that looks like a serious magazine. And maybe old-fashioned on-line publication is about to become new fashioned, anyway.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent me an op-ed column (June 9, 2010) from The New York Times, written by David Brooks. In it, Brooks compares what he terms “internet culture” to “literary culture.”
“The Internet culture” he says, “may produce better conversationalists, but the literary culture still produces better students. It’s better at distinguishing the important from the unimportant, and making the important more prestigious. Perhaps that will change. Already, more “old-fashioned” outposts are opening up across the Web. It could be that the real debate will not be books versus the Internet but how to build an Internet counterculture that will better attract people to serious learning.” Op-Ed Columnist: The Medium Is the Medium
We’re choosing to be part of literary culture.
SOL: English Writing in Mexico will come out thrice-yearly, in July, November, and March. We’ll have short fiction, book excerpts, literary nonfiction, poetry, essays, and book reviews. We’re proud of this first issue, and we know you’ll enjoy the work of veteran writers like C.M. Mayo, Tony Cohan, James Cervantes, Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin, and Hal Johnson. Bill Pearlman and I have pieces here, too.
But be sure to pay close attention to our new writers. Jan Harvey, Margaret Tallis, and Carolyn Hernandez are writers we think you’ll be hearing more from.
As for the future, we hope to be able to publish a hard copy edition of SOL yearly. But hard-copy or on-line, our goal is this: to bring you excellent creative writing through an on-line literary publication.
Editors: Eva Hunter, Bill Pearlman
Assistant Editor: Carolyn Roberts
Design: Kate Fowler
A fabulous idea. I will suggest it as a must read to my Creative Writing class.
Please sign me up.
Catalina,
Thank you. I’m happy you like SOL. And your Creative Writing class–yes!
Eva
This is great! I didn’t want to stop reading the stuff!
Hello,
quite interesting. I am wondering, how do you submit texts?
thank you
K.
Kelly, please go to the link on the Table of Contents that says “Call for Submissions.” This will give you complete information about how to submit. Thanks for your interest.
Eva Hunter
Nicely done….
Thanks, Bill. It’s good to get comments like this.
Eva
Hello Eva,
I am sorry for not writing before because I was overloaded with come compromises, but I would like to participate in Sol Magazine for Novermber with some of my poetry, since in that month, the 25th is dedicated to Violence against Women, maybe you can publish “Being a Woman” a translation I made from my own “Ser Mujer”. Please tell me if I can send it in an attached mail, so it doesn´t move all over and you can examine it and see it it is ok?
Of course I´d like to submit for Sol Magazine.
Regards,
Victoria Romero
Victoria,
Please send your submission for SOL to solliterarymagazine@gmail.com. We closed submissions for the November issue on September 15, but of course will look at things for March.
Eva
I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives useful information ,`-
Thanks, Bryan. I hope you’ll subscribe to the magazine if you haven’t already.
Eva Hunter, Editor
Hi Eva:
I am visiting and writing in San Miguel on a first visit, with plans to return again (and again). I just discovered SOL by a seeing reference to it in Atencion. I am wondering if a print edition of SOL (with the pieces published online in its first year) was produced, and if it is available for sale, and if so where?
Colleen
Dear Colleen,
The March 2010 issue will complete SOL’s first year of publication. Yes, we do plan to produce a hard-copy edition of each year’s SOL. I’d expect the first print edition will be coming out by fall. Thanks for your interest in SOL. I hope you subscribed so that you’ll get every on-line issue!
Eva
Yes, I also subscribed this week while I am here! I wish I could attend the writers festival but unfortunately must return to Canada on Tuesday. Maybe next year.