Believer Magazine, McSweeney’s - Bryant Park Reading Room

I am here in Bryant Park at the Bryant Park Reading Room for the "Word for Word Author" Series. These writers are from Believer Magazine and McSweeney's. McSweeney's is the lit magazine I submitted to write for. (Sentence ended on preposition! Yipes!) I hear (or not) whether they think I am worthy after August 7th.

If there is one thing I am used to that is waiting, rejection and not knowing.

But back to NOW. I am blogging LIVE since Bryant Park has free wifi. How great and modern is that? Again, add it to my list of why I love New York so much.

Today's program...Here is the blurb:

Popular authors from McSweeney’s literary magazine with keen advice on how to write - and publish - ground-breaking fiction.

Here are the authors:

Jessica Anthony, The Convalescent
Joe Hagan, Writer, The Believer, New York Magazine
James Hannaham, God Says No
Arthur Phillips, The Song is You
Brandon Stosuy, Senior Writer at Stereogum

Here are their books:

I am sitting here at a Parisian park table with matching green chair under an umbrella looking out over Bryant Park and listening to writers talk about writing while writing myself.

I have enjoyed half-listening to these writers while writing.

Hmm. Seems a lot of these people went to grad school. Yay, a hang up of mine. Wonder if I will address it any time?

One guy is a blogger and writes about Norwegian black metal. Something I actually know something about from my documentary days at Sundance Film Festival.

Another guy teaches and writes. Another is a blogger and writes. Hmmm.

I seem to be most drawn to Jessica Anthony. I think I like her. She read from her book and it was the kind of writing that I am drawn to - funny, observational, descriptive. I think second place for me is James Hannaham, but I would not like to hang out with him. Just because he seems long winded. THAT is the pot calling the kettle black. Maybe he is me?! Ah, but Jessica. Dreamy.

Not much interested in serious writer guy on the left.

Dreamy Jessica won $10, 000 for submitting a poem to Poetry.com. She said they have crappy poems and she could write crappy poetry. And she did. In 20 minutes. And she won. And then she put herself through an MFA writers program with the money. Wow. I like that. Crappy poetry leads to MFA.

Oh finally. Q & A time. The public gets to pipe in. I know there will be one! Wait for it. Wait for it. Aha! Perfect. The classic "This is not a question, really, but a statement." That translates to "I am really just here to hear myself talk and declare my own brilliance in front of this captive audience." There is always one. Or two. Stand back, I know. I am a semi-professional moderator. It is trying.

So here is my plug: get Jessica Anthony's The Convalescent