Online e-zines are popping up like mushrooms in the TU/Man Cave World Headquarters (anyone know for sure what a morel looks like?).
Many are clearly commercial endeavors, and while the Underground is frequently asked to promote them (sometimes with a suggestion that we all “owe it to the sport”), I’m reluctant to deliver my audience – especially given the near-universal lack of any return support for the blogging community.
(If that suggests I’m in the midst of a cynical phase, your instincts may be right.)
Fortunately, there are still a few real products of the digital revolution out there, and I’ve mentioned a few; the Sleeping in the Dirt magazine and the brilliant StoryArc literary blog among them.
Now it appears there’s a new literary e-zine on the scene (at least there will be in Fall of 2010).
Rise Forms publishes high-quality, literary work that conveys the passion and contemplative nature of fly fishing. Emphasis should not only be on what is said, but on how it is said, seeking to capture both the voice of the modern fly fisher, while also reflecting on the rich traditions of past angling authors. Pieces should be well-crafted and polished with attention to language and how it is used to express ideas and convey the emotional experience.
Rise Forms may or may not survive longer than your average literary endeavor (the half life of which can often be measured in months, not years), but aiming high at least offers the suggestion of nobility (sadly, aiming low often “suggests” more cash).
See you online, Tom Chandler.
The fact that they don’t consider photographs artwork is a bit troubling…..
Steve(Quote)
Good catch. Interesting:
It’s probably worth an email asking them why…
Tom Chandler(Quote)
As the saying goes: “You get what you pay for.”
And according to their submission guidelines they’re paying $15 per story and $5 for artwork.
Tosh(Quote)
That kind of payment isn’t really unusual for largely unsupported art & literary magazines (poets think a $10 check is a big payday, but then, they’re uniformly odd).
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Attention to language & no photographs?
Sounds like the J. Peterman catalog.
Good luck to them though – noticed a few fellow Pennsylvanians on the editorial staff!
troutrageous1(Quote)
Well, there goes the neighborhood.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
I understand your cynicism. A few years ago I had decided that everything that could be written about fly-fishing, had been written already. At least, all the good stuff.
As my loving wife all too often states, “Wrong againâ€
Submission guidelines sound a bit generic, but what else could they be? Plus, in this day, these times where everything (and I mean everything) is photographed, I rather like the idea of no digital images.
I could use a little more poetry in my life, a bit more fiction and maybe a good yarn or two.
It’s an interesting group of editors… I bought Halverson’s book on the Rainbow Trout but haven’t read it yet….it sounds good.
I wonder though….I’m an old guy and really haven’t gotten used to reading anything more than a few pages on a computer screen. It’s not my attention span, I just find it hard. (Although intrigued, I have not Kindled or I-pad-ed……yet). So will we read a book or long essay on the computer? I don’t know.
I guess that’s why I keep reading you – mercifully and lovingly short.
That’s a compliment, btw.
I’m hopeful for Riseforms.
John(Quote)
My cynicism revolves around the changing nature of the Internet, not the folks creating stuff around fly fishing.
It happens. I get over it eventually.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
I wish them luck, but we know there will ALWAYS be the Underground to keep us happy in the end.
Thanks for your effort Tom
roger
Roger W(Quote)
Always is a long time. If current trends continue, it’s going to be a lot shorter than “always.”
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Hi Tom,
I wrote you a little while ago, but didn’t hear back. My computer access is limited, so maybe I just missed your reply. This new e zine thingy is kinda cool. I mean they want to be literate, and all that. No pictures, though. That kinda sucks. I like pictures. Every picture tells a story. Uh. Yea. Rod Stewart. Yea. Rod. Took me a minute. So what’s with the website for rise form? Kinda sucks. Woulda sucked back in the day. No nothing. And I looked at their whois shit. They bought it for a year. Riseform.com expires in a year. Like what you’re saying is kinda prophetic. You know. Arc of the diver. Can’t remember that dude that sang that. But the no photo thing. You know, when I was pretty little. Maybe fourteen or so. My mom had this boy friend. Strange dude. Anyway this strange dude took me to his apartment to look at his “etchings”. Mom thought it was cool. Guy wore an ascot. Fucking ascot. Hate em to this day. Anyway, here I am with this old dude and his etchings. And it’s like getting really creepy. So. This is weird. Like you talk in this post about Morel mushrooms? This is so weird. He like GIVES me morel mushrooms. But no way they were Morels. They were that other shit. So. Here I am, fourteen, with this guy that is just going bug-shit, and well, let’s just say that when somebody starts talking about “art” I get the shits. Like old, wrinkly men who dont have no clothes on. No shit. And hey! This stuff about the “editorial staff”!!! Like check THAT out. Man. Nothin but dudes! What’s up with that shit? No ladies? Man, like they’re just LOOKIN for young hot dudes to guide them. That’s whack.
I thought you liked to write about fly fishing stuff here on the underground? Man, I’m gone for a 6 month observation, and here YOU are with this riseform.com stuff. Rise. Form. You slow nowadays? Man you fronting for these freaks?
Ah, shit. It’s probably totally legit. Mormons with one wife and a gazillion kids in Utah. Hell. Nevermind. I thought about it. I’m just scared they’ll use the big words, and it’ll be hell for me trying to understand what they’re sayin.
Whew. Gonna go take my meds and get ready for tomorrow.
Peace,
Cool Eddie
Cool Eddie(Quote)
Hey Tom,
Me again. Hey. Could you like go into my post and edit out all the “f-bomb” stuff? I don’t usually talk like that. That would be way cool of you. I just get a little freaked out still with the etchings and the old dude and stuff. Man, I was just like running away from a bear screaming the f-bomb when that happened. Anyway, just took the meds. I’m feeling better now. But man. Some old sixty-year old dude naked. An it ain’t your dad. That’s some weird shit.
But I hope the the riseform.com ezine thing goes good for those guys. Unless they’re like sixty. And run around with no clothes on.
Best,
Cool Eddie
Cool Eddie(Quote)
Stumbled onto this old note from Cool Eddie.
Please lure him back. Use whatever it takes.
At least Cool Eddie isn’t boring.
Sully(Quote)
If only. If only…
I heard a rumor that Cool Eddie was leading the rebel charge in Libya, and another that said he had retired to Mexico after serving as the model for the “Most Interesting Man In The World” ad campaign.
No one knows for sure.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Hey Tom,
Thanks for taking the time to give a shout out to our new (in a couple of months) magazine. We’re pretty excited about our editorial board–there are some good writers and great editors there.
Addressing the “no pictures” dilemma. We have no problem with pictures. I love them myself. I’ve been known to take one or two. There are dozens of places (if not more) to get your fill of high quality, stunning fish-related pictures on the internet. We wanted to focus on the written word, especially here at the beginning (who knows, we may change our minds later–that’s one nice thing about being digital). Our goal is to try and fill the literary void.
Suggesting that because we are not currently accepting photographs but we are accepting original, non-photographic artwork means that we do not believe photographs are artwork is inaccurate. Again, there are many places to find photography. However, there are fewer places to find other forms of art (yes, it is out there, but we would like to provide a place for it to be more widely recognized). See paragraph above.
John, you’ve rightly noted a problem with lengthy material on the internet–is anyone going to take them time to read it? Each article can easily be printed for offline reading. Also, we’re toying with other digital delivery methods. We hope to have a yearly “Best of…” in print form for purchase.
Tosh, We hope you’re willing to donate so that we can up the payment to contributors. When the funds have to come out of someone’s pocket, that becomes a dilemma. The reason for the lower price for the artwork is not because the artwork is valued less, but we are hoping there will be more art per issue, meaning that the combined art budget will actually be taking a larger slice of the pie than any other single department. You may want to check what other recent FF magazine start-ups are paying their contributors.
For any other questions, please, visit the site and email us directly. We’re more than happy to address any question and take into consideration any suggestions you may have.
-scott c
Scott Carles(Quote)
Cool Eddie,
We appreciate your interest(?) in our publication. I’m sure it must have been taxing to put together your comments considering the circumstances you were writing under.
Really, I don’t know how to respond. One thing I do know, you are absolutely right about the lack of females on our Board. I hesitate to ask, but are there any you would recommend?
Again, thank you for your interest.
Sincerely,
Under-sixty-and-fully-clothed
-scott c
Scott Carles(Quote)
I’m looking forward to Cool Eddie’s response. This should be entertaining (in an apparently medication-enhanced, stream of consciousness sort of way).
Good luck with the publication, Scott.
Steve(Quote)