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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

One Story, One Donation

A couple of writers who were rejected from One Story sent me the latest correspondence they received from the hot literary journal, which has been written up in the New York Times as "a little spot of hope":

Help Make One Story a Long Story

Dear friends,

One Story is proud to announce a new chapter in ourmission to save the short story. Recently, we have been granted charitable status by the IRS. After five years of publishing out of our apartments,volunteering our time, and scrambling for resources, we will now be able to ensure One Story’s future. We have already been awarded our first grant by the New York State Council on the Arts. Our goal is to build a large community of readers who share our passion for short stories. We want One Story to be a permanent part of the literary landscape, atop magazine that protects this unique form of American literature. Make One Story your story, by contributing to this effort. We are seeking an engaged group of donors who will help us reach our goals by contributing funds, sharing contacts, and volunteering time. No amount is too small. We’d even love your ideas about where you’d like to see your donations have impact, and what special events would spur you and your friends toextend your support. Please visit one-story.com and join us today inpublishing One Story.

Sincerely, Maribeth Batcha

PS After five years of running on a shoe-string budget, our printer bills have started to pile up. Adonation today will truly help see One Story through this transition period! Click here to help!

I don't know: "Here's $50; publish my story." How about that for a suggestion?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna pass. What are the chances that that ONE story is any good? Out of four to six stories in a regular journal, maybe one is okay.

Give me "Dozen Stories." That would rock.

Anonymous said...

I counter the venerable NYT; One Story has been a little spot of hopelessness for me.

I could give myself a little pep talk here: Rah, Rah, make a donation, submit again. Except I realized that after receiving this e-mail that I kind of like the hopeless theme and find it rather rewarding.

Anonymous said...

But see, journals can't save the short story. The so-called death of the short story is a symptom of the malaise known as publishing, which is a pox on writing as it stands now. See, publishing and writing are not the same thing, but as publishing has become the ultimate goal of so-called writers... Do I make myself clear? No. OK. Well, writing is not business, and it's not charity. So One Savior... I mean Story, can go the way of the eight-track for all I care. It doesn't mean that the short story is dead or any such craziness.