Notes from Crew Quarters -- Lit Mag Names

This week, Mike Jacoby asked our crew what they would name their fantasy lit mag.

Amy Hansen, Associate Poetry Editor

I would call my journal "Meh" and publish photocopies of workshop comments on first drafts.

Jen Howard, Editor-in-Chief 

I always wanted to found a journal and call it "Spread." The word felt layered in good ways to me, speaking most literally to the two-page layout of the magazine itself, but also to diffusion and expansion and maybe to something sexier as well. But I just used "The Spread" as the title of a rabies/zombie/kissing story, so I suppose that dream is out the window.

James Dyer, Associate Nonfiction Editor

I would title my journal "Slit Moist Kumquats," and we would focus on publishing mysteriously uncomfortable sounding prose.

Sarah Bates, Associate Poetry Editor

My first thought was to call it "Hundred Aker Room." But then people yelled at me for being unoriginal, so instead I would call my own magazine "Seven Dollar Milkshakes," and I'd look for works that use food to talk about the hard stuff. Love, loss, is there a god? I want poems about wings and beer!

Matt Ftacek, Associate Poetry Editor

Well, my family has a newsletter called "The Birds Eye." In honor of that, I would name my journal "Birds Eye Review." I would look for poetry and prose that has a strong sense of home, family, and food.

Jill Harris, Associate Nonfiction Editor

I'd call my magazine "Narwhal" and would solicit things that were weird and exciting!