The Latest News from Blydyn Square Books
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Blydyn Square Review
It’s official! Our brand-new literary magazine, Blydyn Square Review, launches this month! It’s the literary journal that (just like Blydyn Square Books) “makes you think.”
You may be thinking, “Ugh. Another cheesy literary magazine. Just what the world needs.” And you’d be right . . . IF you were talking about any magazine besides Blydyn Square Review. Because we’re doing things differently. How? For one thing, we’ve created the first-ever totally blind submissions process.
You see, I’ve always hated query letters. They’re awkward, stilted, pointless, and they make even the most interesting, unique writers sound like they plagiarized their letter directly from a how-to book on crafting the perfect submission. Publishing has turned into an atmosphere where a lot of truly talented writers are afraid to submit their work because they just can’t get their letter right. It’s time for my fellow publishing professionals to join me and finally admit it: Query letters suck!
When I decided to launch a new literary journal, I made a radical decision: No query letters. No names, no identifying information of any kind allowed. Just send us the writing and let your work speak for itself.
I mean, think about it. It sounds like common sense (and it should be): Let the writing stand (or fall) on its own merits. Unfortunately, the publishing industry has always disagreed.
Publishing has long been a “who you know” kind of business, and these days, it’s worse than ever. Having the “right” number of social media followers and a solid query letter has become more important than being able to write well. But with Blydyn Square Review, we’re turning the traditional model for traditional publishing on its head.
Blydyn Square Review launches on June 21, 2021. It will feature short fiction, creative nonfiction and persuasive or topical essays, poetry, and even the first installment of a serialized novel. Hey, it worked for Charles Dickens. Why not Blydyn Square?
So, your fancy query letter won’t get you a spot in Blydyn Square Review. But how CAN you get your piece considered? There are only two requirements for your piece to be chosen for publication in Blydyn Square Review: Write well and make us think.
Blydyn Square Review will be readable online by subscription—another thing that’s kind of radical. Rather than charging $40 (or more) for a yearly subscription like most journals or magazines, Blydyn Square Review will charge a single, lifetime subscription fee of only $25. We want to make our amazing content available to everyone, not just those with a ton of disposable income. Our view is that great literature—the kind that makes you think—should be available to people from all walks of life.
Blydyn Square Review will be published quarterly. Writers interested in having their work considered for publication should visit our submissions page. Readers interested in subscribing can sign up here.
We’re starting a literary revolution—join us!
Blydyn Square Book Club
This month, we read Bernhard Schlink’s novel The Reader. If you missed it, you can catch the video here. For July’s meeting, we’ll be reading This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. Join us on July 8 for a great conversation! Here’s the Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99955659944 Hope to see you there!
Blydyn Square Happy Hour
Don’t forget to join us next week, on June 17, for our monthly Happy Hour. We’ll chat about books, writing, working with a small press, and whatever else comes up. Join us on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/98599820090
Quote of the Month 
“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.”
—Maya Angelou
Brain Teaser of the Month
Congratulations to last month’s winner, Debbie De Morier, who won an Amazon gift card. The question was: Who will be directing the film version of Everett De Morier’s novel Thirty-three Cecils? And the answer was: Matthew Modine.
Now, answer this:
Next week, on June 16, the literary world celebrates Bloomsday. What IS Bloomsday?
Email your answer to info@blydynsquarebooks.com and you could be our next winner!
That’s it for this month. See you next time!
Tara Tomczyk
Editor in Chief
Blydyn Square Books
www.blydynsquarebooks.com
