Writer Activism?

Opinion

FOR ALL THE TALK of American literature today being heavily politicized, the results have manifested themselves– in stories, poems, and novels– chiefly in personal, solipsistic ways. Focus on the individual more than society. (See alt lit and autofiction.) Absent are sweeping novels or poems which encompass the broader world– whether like The Octopus by Frank Norris on the left, or Atlas Shrugged from Ayn Rand on the libertarian right. Or poems like “Thou Shalt Not Kill” by Kenneth Rexroth, or “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg.

Absent as well is a writer with the platform, credibility, and strong voice of an Emile Zola who proclaimed, “J’Accuse!” about the Dreyfus case.


WE’VE noticed even with our modest “Save the Writer!” petition a marked hesitation from writers, editors, critics, professors, and other literary people when one would think all would be on board for the modest ask that readers be notified, with brief statements on an inside page, when books are A.I.-generated.

We’ve asked a few of this nation’s most prominent authors (we won’t name them), to join our campaign, hoping to find an Emile Zola or Salman Rushdie among them. So far: Silence.

A NOT-ROBOTIC WRITER

The direct opposite of a bot-generated writer was the Bard, William Shakespeare– as is described in a new post, “Shakespeare and Creativity,” at New Pop Lit’s News blog. Please read it and see what you think.

ALSO big thanks to all who’ve signed the petition to date!

Happiness?

Opinion

ARE WE SERIOUS about our Happiness campaign?

Absolutely. It’s a needed reaction to the depressing state of the culture now– and the state of the world. Celebrations of depravity quickly become tiresome. Nothing is more boring than gazing upon a garbage dump. We’re out to brighten things up.

BESIDES, when we later publish edgy new work– we enjoy edginess when it’s done well– it will stand out vividly against a Happiness backdrop.

At the forefront of course of our new Happiness campaign is our Special Edition of Fun Pop Poetry, the Happiness Journal. A modified version of the standard model: FPP SE. Order yours today.

Literary Opinion

book review, Opinion

OUR OP-ED PAGE RETURNS

We are a free speech literary site. Which means an ability and willingness to express dissenting opinions. This includes dissenting opinions about literature.

TODAY we bring back our opinion page as an outlet, we hope, for a variety of opinions and criticism from all directions about today’s literary world and the products of that world. Starting with a biting review by G.D. Dess of Ben Lerner’s much-hyped novel, The Topeka School.

Holden’s voice echoes in your mind long after you put down the novel, whereas Adam’s voice becomes inaudible the minute you turn the last page.

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(Art: “Brooklyn Bridge” by Joseph Stella, created 100 years ago.)

 

The Pre-Breakthrough Moment?

Opinion

WE DON’T KNOW if we’ll be the ones to punch a hole in the culture which talented-but-undiscovered writers can jump through. But we know someone will, and soon. There are too many outsider writers better than those in the established New York-based literary order for artistic upheaval not to occur.

LOCATIONS

That there needs to be alternate centers of literary and publishing activity to the New York monolith, in other parts of the country, is stating the obvious. The way to do this is by creating better literary products along with inexpensive ways of producing those products.

VEHICLES

For us, it’s all or nothing. Breakthrough at some point or fold up shop.

Our chief tool to achieve our objectives is a new literary product which we’ve been calling–

THE 3D SHORT STORY

When’s the last time someone seriously tried to reinvent one of the standard literary forms? 

Allen Ginsberg did it with his poem “Howl.” A long time ago.

Gordon Lish tried to do it with his unique minimalist take on the short story as featured  from 1987 to 1995 in his literary journal, The Quarterly— which included the likes of Amy Hempel, Mark Richard, Diane Williams, and many others.

the quarterly

A worthy attempt. But his writers and their writing were too restrained, too tame– they didn’t go nearly far enough with their aesthetics or their imaginations.
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OUR attempt at Artistic Breakthrough begins on June 6th, 2019. Word will occur here as soon as one of the completed stories is posted. 3D Day IS coming.

giacomo balla street light

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(Art: “New Planet” by Konstantin Yuon; “Streetlight” by Giacomo Bala.)

 

 

Ballyhoo Nation

Opinion

We haven’t posted an Op-Ed in a while. Is there a better day for it than one of the more contentious days in American history?

We contend this commentary from New Pop Lit editor Karl Wenclas is an objective look at events, in the context of a realistic view of American history. Feel free to disagree!

Making noise and screaming for the benefit of television cameras is who we are.

 

How To Tell Stories To Children

Opinion

At NPL, we’re trying to revive reader-centered writing; writing that’s written for readers. But what does that mean? NPL editor Andrea Nolen explores this question in our latest addition to the Opinion page, How to Tell Stories to Children.

 

One of my favorite books on writing isn’t technically about writing at all, it’s titled How to Tell Stories to Children, by Sara Cone Bryant. Bryant was a storyteller– someone who told stories to live audiences. She would travel from school to school treating children to Aesop’s Fables, The Brothers Grimm and the like.

Sometimes the children weren’t well-behaved and many of Bryant’s insights came from figuring out how to get the kids’ attention despite themselves. Bryant was working in the early twentieth century, but today, when a reader’s attention is distracted by their iPhone, laptop and whatever else, authors face the same problem. How do we engage readers? How do we tell stories for readers?

 

Thank you to amazon.com for cover image.

Beyond Hypocrisy: The n+1 Story

Opinion

Hear ye, hear ye!

Spoiled rich girl Dayna Tortorici just impaled n+1 on a watermelon!

Dayna made editor at n+1, yet she doesn’t know who Daniel Handler is and couldn’t care less about his racist jokes at the National Book Awards!

Is it possible that cronyism could lead to incompetence and hypocrisy?! I never thought that could happen either!

Fortunately, NPL editor Karl Wenclas is here to make sense of the insane literary world and speak truth to power in his scathing editorial, Beyond Hypocrisy.

To survive in the high-priced, high-cost world of New York publishing, literary individuals are forced into a schizophrenic mindset.

On the one hand they’re required to be correctly liberal in their attitudes, if not Leftist. On the other hand they’re placed at the center of power and money in the richest, most capitalist city on the planet. Within the pyramid of hierarchy that defines that city, the realm of literature exists at the highest levels. As the recent swanky black-tie National Book Awards dinner demonstrated.

Thanks to usatoday.com for Daniel Handler image.

The Art of the Con?

Opinion

NPL editor Karl Wenclas meditates on the Tao Lin phenomenon once more with Self Marketing 101: Tao Lin, in which he asks if the future of literature really is on a sweaty Madison Avenue mattress…

Thank you to ElectricLiterature.com for the enticing photo of our anti-hero.

New Pop Lit News is Here!

Announcement, News, Opinion

Hey, everybody!

I’m thrilled to announce that NPL will now have it’s own news feature, New Pop Lit News, complete with our dedicated correspondent, Lloyd Poast! Catch our paper in the Coffeehouse!

Lloyd will keep you informed about changes in the literary world, as well as pop news, such as New York Comic Con ’14!

Welcome, Lloyd!

Also, don’t miss Karl’s latest, Ten Unanswered Questions about Tao Lin, where our editor asks ten painful questions about Tao’s *strange* career.

The Old Guard

Opinion

A new addition to our Opinion page!

New Pop Lit editor Karl Wenclas weighs in on the controversy surrounding Paul Elie’s Vanity Fair article “How Salman Rushdie Survived the Satanic Verses Fatwa”.

Catch Karl’s essay, The Old Guard, or check out previous commentary here.

Thank you to Vanity Fair and Washingtonian for the photo.