• BOOKS
  • ABOUT

WILSON WYATT JR

~ WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY – THE ART OF WORDS AND IMAGES

WILSON WYATT JR

Monthly Archives: October 2012

The Value of a Literary Review…along the road to good writing

07 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in The Delmarva Review, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Fiction, Literary Arts, Literary Writing, Nonfiction, Paul Soderberg, Poetry, Publishing, Secret World of Literary Reviews, The Delmarva Review, Writing

The Delmarva Review, vol.5 – 27 authors, nine states, D.C., and three other countries

The Delmarva Review published its fifth annual edition of prose and poetry this week, rising competently at the far end of the writing spectrum, known to discerning readers as literary writing.  I say the “far end” of the spectrum, because it is the place reserved for literature as an art.  This is the place where art and craft combine in the writer’s quest for excellence…aspired to by many, but attained by few.

That sounds intimidating, and perhaps it is to some writers.  But to others it is a rewarding journey.  A literary journal like The Delmarva Review attracts hundreds and hundreds of submissions for the few that are finally published.  Of course, there are space limitations.  For the aspiring and persevering writer, publication in the review is a well-deserved achievement.  Even the best writers receive rejections, but selection for publication is always an occasion to be celebrated.

The Delmarva Review is one of some 3,300 literary reviews around the world.  That sounds like a lot.  But, when you consider there are over 200,000 commercial magazines in production, literary reviews are, indeed, at the small end of the spectrum. It’s interesting that they are growing in numbers, not diminishing.

For those who would like to know more about literary reviews, their purpose and history, I recommend an excellent article by an experienced editor-writer, Paul Soderberg, “The Secret World of Literary Journals,” available to read online at: http://thefeatheredflounder.com/2012/05/the-secret-world-of-literary-journals/

Today, as I and my talented editorial associates stuff envelopes with copies of  The Delmarva Review, to be on their way to readers, this concludes a year of difficult work. “Difficult” because it has been a year of choosing the final stories, essays, and poetry to publish in our fifth edition.  However, like for the authors, it is an occasion to celebrate.  The reward is treating our writers with the respect they deserve and producing a literary journal of quality for readers with high expectations.

We will now wait…and wait…for the comments…for our own critical review.  For you see, even the editors can face rejection.

Of interest to writers, the submission period for the sixth issue of the Review is from November 1, 2012 to February 28, 2013. We publish a print edition as well as a downloadable digital edition, available at Amazon.com. You can see the website for copies, guidelines and a submission link: www.delmarvareview.com

As executive editor of The Delmarva Review, I am thankful for the remarkable talent and generous spirit of all the people who worked on this edition.  All contributed as volunteers.  They include fiction editors Margot Miller and Harold Wilson, nonfiction editor George Merrill, poetry editors Amanda Newell and the late John Elsberg, managing editor Mala Burt, designer Laura Ambler,  copyeditor Jeanne Pinault, and our prose readers, who help to discover the best work. Thank you, as well, to our publisher, the Eastern Shore Writers Association, a nonprofit organization that supports and believes in the literary arts.

Back and front cover – The Delmarva Review, vol. 5  (Click on image to enlarge)

Writing

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Photography

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Past Posts

  • November 2021
  • November 2020
  • November 2019
  • February 2019
  • October 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,466 other subscribers

Blogroll

  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Blog Stats

  • 28,056 hits

Log in/out

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Join 108 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...