Trabuco Road Delenda Erat

(Vince, you out there? How’d I do on my conjugation?)

Closed shop on my spec-fic literary magazine dream. Officially. It’s probably been dead since last summer — at least, in my heart. I feel bad for holding onto some stories over that time. It’s probably not the biggest crime ever committed by an editor, but maybe it is. Ultimately, though:

  • It wasn’t as interesting as I’d hoped.
  • The reading market really isn’t demanding that another web-zine exist.
  • In fact, we had far more submitters than readers. Far. More.
  • I couldn’t get anything written while working on TR.
  • After the second issue, I started to doubt that running the mag would expedite my ascent to King of the World.
  • My slush readers were fantastic (many sincere thanks).

And hopefully someone knocks off my layout approach. I really think that’s the way to go for online literary journals: make it look more like print. Print looks that way because it’s easier to read serifed fonts, loosened leading, ten-ish words per line, and indented paragraphs over the long-haul, not just because it’s a different medium. IMHO. Always IMHO.

Bleib schoen gesund.

bkd

4 comments

  • Jimbo

    BK,

    I don’t care about ANY of that. What I do care about is that I never got anything of MINE on there…dammit…

    Well, I enjoyed it. For whatever that’s worth;) I thought it was well done and most importantly, Trabuco had personality, which is a helluva lot more than most of them have. I also believe you knew exactly what you wanted and stuck to that. There is a lot to be said for that sparky. Anyway, good job.

    Now, write. You have no excuse, unless of course you’re going full time into the furniture making business. – Ski.

  • Maria

    Yes, there are more writers that readers. Sad state of supply and demand. You did a nice job with the magazine while you were doing it, and that was nice.

    The table is looking good too. But don’t shake the stain before opening. Gets bubbles in it. I know this because I did this. The bubbles can actually be quite frothy and as you then “paint” there are bubbles. You would think they would not stay on the brush or the wood, but they do.

    Best of luck to you on all your future endeavors be they writing or furniture.

    :>)

  • bkdunn

    Thanks — and somehow I got bubbles even without shaking. Maybe I should’ve stirred less vigorously. Or more vigorously. No idea. Maybe I can find something on the internet about that. Fortunately, my radial sander will make removing the initial coat of stain an act of joy.

    bkd