AWP: Starting a Lit Mag

I received some fantastic advice from the AWP panels I attended on starting a literary magazine, which inspired me to found Hapax. Because panel talks lend well to sharing experiences, the lit mag founders that spoke at the panel had some contradictory opinions. But there were some common threads:

• Encourage new writers to submit. A lot of the time, writers assume that you aren't open to emerging writers unless you specifically say so.
• Partner and engage with other lit mags and their fans. This is your most immediate audience, and a chance to form self-reinforcing relationships.
• Make it personal. People love personal experiences with journals. Many fear that lit mags won't remember them even if they publish with you.
• Find new income streams. Patreon, Kickstarter, and other crowdfunding sites are good resources.
• Stay relevant. No one likes an outdated look or presentation for their published work.
• You don't need to be an expert in many fields--just know enough to do what you need to. If you know your limitations, it's better to ask for help with the technical, design, or financial aspects of running a lit mag.
• Have a coherent brand. Your identity is important in differentiating yourself, sustaining a faithful audience, and attracting the submissions you want.
• Even an online magazine can have a specific look and presentation. It should be reader-friendly, easy for contributors to show off their own work, and unique.

​The bottom line is to deliver a great experience to everyone: the submitter, the reader, the sponsor, the partners. If you can do that, you can stand out and get to a critical growth point in order to become the lit mag of your dreams.