/lit/ - Literature

>We have altered the design and added a new section with COMMENTS where the editors give small opinion on the pieces.

Why would you think this is a good idea?

>>2607872
To encourage actual debate.
We know we'll be scorned.
Have an open mind.

http://theaprilreader.org/TAR.Issue.14.pdf

>>2607878
I like that idea, personally. I wish people wouldn't scorn everything.

>>2607878

Who the fuck wants to debate with you? Why would you think we would want to?

No one even knows who the editors of TOR are. We certainly don't care. And we definitely don't care what the hell you think of the pieces you publish, and giving yourself a little soapbox to voice those opinions is downright idiotic.

you guys are still churning this shit out???!11!???

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

wow, really cool design!

Oh god...that font....I honestly can't read it.

TAR is clearly dead quit fucking with us.

7/10

>>2607872
>COMMENTS where the editors give small opinion on the pieces.

I don't really think that adds anything of value to the "publication"...you need to include some actuall decent content

are you guys doing this for your CV or something.....what do you get out of it?
its not very good

>My Hometown by Charles Willis

Edgy teen mode engaged

what in the actual fuck does that rather banal looking women have to do with anything in your fucking magazine??

it's lame reading the same fag all over and over again. stop it, you illiterate bitch.

>No capitalisation or syntax in the poetry

Goddamn I'm sick of this shit

"Our efforts to improve the magazine are seemingly successful. With the grace of luck and the cooperation of our authors, TAR appears to have turned dissolution into rise. The content of Issue 14 stands solidly, perhaps in a position far better than for many months prior. Website views have spiked dramatically, and submission counts are on the rise. This could only have been accomplished with the support of others, and for this increase we have solely to thank our readers."

I mean..that just doesn't scan very well..so I stopped reading there

I'd loved the last two covers but I'm really not sure about this one. Oh well. Reading now.

>>2607903
>turned dissolution into rise

not good

>The content of Issue 14 stands solidly, perhaps in a position far better than for many months prior. Website views have spiked dramatically, and submission counts are on the rise.

although grammatically correct-ish, I find your use of commas troublesome..two of them aren't really necessary and add nothing of value

>>2607901
Can not into poetry...

NaCl, if you ever get publish a book of poetry, tell us. I would buy the shit out of it.

>>2607916
Can not into everyone thinking they can get away with it just because ee cummings did.

Better content, better pizza. The April Reader

>>2607914
Fuck you comma police.

I kind of like the comments. I wrote for TAR once in the past but never got any real feedback good or bad. There's always 2 or 3 samefags that shit on these threads because people are actually trying to accomplish something, so it's nice for there to be something constructive. Oh well. Gotta get TAR out of 4chan to make it grow imo.

>>2607925
comma police is the name of my new band, Fuck You Comma Police is our first EP

>>2607922
Lol his name was Cummings, as in cum. As in jizz.

>>2607928
for real. 4chan is the most negative website.there's like 4 people on here that hate anything that's not deemed a "classic." I say move the magazine to a culture of more well-thought-out opinions.

The guy who wrote Cordyceps is back? Cool

>>2607933
you could try reddit

you could start a "my new literary mag. amidoinitrite?" thread.. they'd all probably upvote you regardless of quality

>>2607933
well, yes 4chan is characteristically negative, and we should try to stop being so negative. but if you're going to try and divorce TAR from 4chan, you might as well just dissolve it - because the only distinctive characteristic of TAR is its connection to 4chan, and its only vital spring is 4chan. if you want a more positive environment, literary magazine, etc, the only real answer is to move on. i'm not saying that's a bad thing to do, btw.

>>2607940

>>2607940
We post on reddit as well.

>>2607940
>The Atheism Reader

>>2607928

>There's always 2 or 3 samefags that shit on these threads because people are actually trying to accomplish something

there's probably more than 2-3 samefags... but yeah.. having the /lit/ "community" as the backbone of your publication..and trying to gain feedback from said community is a massive error that makes me seriously question the nous of the editorial team

also 85.7% of TAR's content is utter shite

I don't like TAR but I like these threads. Especially the rater fags that come through rating this shit. But I havent read TAR in months as I suspect most don't read TAR. Or they read the worst part. The poetry.

>>2607950
Tits Atheism Redditor. That's what they should call it.
Get ALL the upvotes!!!1!

>>2607948
which subreddit..I will upvote it for you

http://theaprilreader.org/TAR.Issue.14.pdf

TAR - The Anal Raper

>>2607955
The most annoying thing about TAR threads is the motherfuckers bitching about how they got rejected and "MY POEM IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING IN THIS ISSUE!!!!!!!" God I hate that shit. Get over it.

Poems have the gayest names yet. Fireflies fucked in the fields. Really. Fuck you TAR. The greatest and best issue yet my flaccid dick.

>>2607957
Somehow I doubt it :)

http://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/t278u/the_april_reader_14_a_literary_journal/

>>2607970
Did I say anything about submitting a poem to them. You seem kind of butthurt. The poetry is the worst thing about TAR. That is objectively true. Grow up faggot.

>>2607980
DOWNVOTED FAGET!!!!!

>>2607983
>objectively true

butt-pained rand faggot detected

Here's a newsflash you can slap on the front page for May - nobody cares.

>>2607980
Fuck I have to have a user name. Nope. Sorry bro.

>>2607986
Wow. Does not know what objective mean. Wow.

Afternoon folks. I don't want to feed the flames too much, but I will point a few things out to those who are interested

>The comments system is experimental. If it causes problems we will change it
>Same goes for the new double-columned page format

For those of you who are new, I don't really think the shitposters we have now are representative of our audience. By the end of the day, I suspect the TAR thread will be thriving as it always has.

If you want to submit new content to TAR, mail us at theaprilreader@gmail.com

Our thanks

I wrote a 1200-word piece on the manufacturing of Durex condoms, which highlighted the ways in which the company compromises your contraceptives for the sake of cutting costs. Would anyone prefer to read this, instead of the December Failure?

>>2608001

> Implying you have an audience

Some thoughts on the poetry:

Manic Episode: I like the language in the first stanza or two, it's neat and precise and has a good rhythm and snap. I don't think the rest of it holds up that standard; the end is far too on point, the "Oh, look ye and see" is an incredibly false note, and generally it doesn't maintain the tone or poise it started with.

The Symphony of Cats: No, I don't care for this at all. Overwritten, little sense of balance or flow. Heavy and unwieldy, and not to a purpose but just awkward. I don't care for the "soon they begin to dance" line either - it's just bad imagery. Inelegant.

Unfortunately: I want to like it, but I don't. There's just too many weird awkward things in it, mostly I think forced for the purposes of rhyme. "the populace awry" - "in my fore mind to forgive her" - "he'll finally fly the huxtable coop" (note also the tense shift from previous line) - none of this really works for me.

My Hometown: Far, far, far too on point. Not a bad poem technically, just way too obvious. Almost laughably so. Come on man.

Fireflies Flew In The Fields: I like this a bit. A little oversweet and too romantic, and I think some of the lines insufficiently rigorous or too loose. But I like the realistic tone, and the snap, of "I caught crappie and perch / with bailing twine and a stick" - the simple descriptiveness of it, and the way it pops. A good poem, although it could use more work.

I'll comment on the stories later if I read them.

>>2608007
according to statistics, we have one at least 200 strong. And this is a very conservative estimate. This month alone, unique website views have practically doubled

I think we're doing pretty good all told

>>2608018
Actually Prole, according to google analytics its much higher.

>>2608018

I've got some statistics, too. They're recommending you fuck off.

>>2608004

Hit me with it, gotta make sure my winky's well-bagged.

>>2608018
People you Jew.

The poetry is the worst shit I've ever read. Why did you think it was a good idea to include any of these poems?

>>2608035
read the comments.

>>2608035

They're trying to get hits on 4chan, they're hardly bright sparks.

I really liked the first story so far. Kind of reminded me of Philip K Dick.

Poetry is sort of meh but then poetry isn't my thing.

>>2607942
>4chan is characteristically negative
That is in the name. The April Reader is a nod to The Waste Land:

April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain. (&c.)

Well, it was either that or The Autistic Reader, but the latter didn't have the same ring to it.

But on a more serious note, 4chan does have some very intelligent posters. There is nothing wrong with criticism if it is apt. Certainly much more valuable than praise.

*God Tier*
Better than Pictures

*Good Tier*
Two-ton Paperweight
A chemical Imbalance
Train of Harmon

*Meh Tier*
portrait of a mountain
Mamalujo

*/jp/ tier*
A warm place

And fuck poetry I am not reading that shit.

I like to imagine the editors of TAR explaining to their overindulgent parents that their efforts will get them someplace.

Their parents go to sleep each night, hoping that their little neckbeards will one day fly the nest.

"My son writes a little magazine with his friends short stories in it"

etc., etc.

>>2608090
have you actually read beyond the editorial? Some of the fiction is actually pretty decent

>mfw that mamalujo guy has been published in Witness

>>2608095
>MFW I don't even

Jesus, Better Than Pictures hits a little too close to home. Prose was a little clumsy though.

hey u,

i want to apologize if I offended anyone with my liberal use of the word "faggot," in the previous months issue. regardless if the offense had come of faggots anti-homosexual connotations, or the fact i spammed a meme ("try harder, faggot"), i understand how it could be taken negatively.

anywho, thanks to the readers and the editors.

>>2608135
please tell us how you came up with the idea for unfortunately?

And rate it yourself.

also, why not capital letters and syntax? Was it by choice?

>>2608126
Please be so kind and be a little more detailed, maybe we can get a debate around the content.

Shitposting 101

Today's Subject Lesson: TAR

>>2608144

i wrote unfortunately in the godforsaken hours of the morning after i had gotten into an argument with my southern belle wiafu about how the only quality black people on television ever were amos 'n' andy.

i'd give the poem a C+, because i'm both modest and filled with hubris.

and my shift key is busted ;___;

>>2608135

Go thank yourself with a handjob, and then keep it to yourself.

>>2608176

Fuck you The Cosby's were damn fine people.

Didn't get in. I mad.

I'm confused about what the second story is supposed to be about. When I read through it the second time I noticed (derp) that they were all the names of the Gospels. Luke was the only one that escapes--is this a commentary on the book of Luke being a more authoritative version of the Jesus story?

>>2608176
>shift button is busted
>C+
>inb4 i copied and pasted it dude

>>2607871
Not including my masterpiece.

Fuck you guys.

What's the matter

#2alt4u?

>>2608180

i agree! my favorite minority family. you've got a bone to pick with the dame, not me.

Better Than Pictures was pretty fucking good. I liked it a lot.

>>2608193

Yeah, implying you don't have an investment in the - Magazine? Wankpost? Whatever, nobody really gives a shit. Bumps are called bumps.

>>2608199
What was the name of your piece?

For you rejects, perhaps if you would name them, I might try and tell you why. If that is something you'd want.

>>2608191
TAR is crap. Are they really making their authors wait till the end of the month to know if they got in? They don't use duotrope enough. They don't buttsex enough. Fucking faggots.

>>2608208
How the hell am I supposed to remember this. My internet presence is off the chain. My shit is everywhere.
#altpress #iamaltlit

it was called Ten and I don't really care why it was rejected.

>>2608245

>Noel Fielding

ok.

How will TAR choose the stories in the best of issue?
Are there any sure fire stories getting in?
What are everyone's favorite stories?
Fuckthe gramma police?

I thought the George Lucas Presents story was funny, but I was a little put-off by all of the references to modern movies for some reason. Also, I immediately recognized a little joke/meme from Reddit...like when you're talking about Jaws and you say: "If you play Jaws backwards it's about a shark that vomits people up." It's kind of a buzzkill to see a writer using techniques from reddit.

>>2608245
I remember Ten. But I take it you dont check your mail all that often?

"By the way your submission, since it is rather late, will be considered for Issue 15 next month."

>>2608258
Thats writing backwards stuff is actually from Slaughterhouse-5. Or perhaps even further back.

>>2608267
My bads bro.

>>2608257
A list have been made. That all editors will read. Then will probably have a really really long debate. A lot of crying. Faux resignations from the publication. A big raffle. At the end a true winner will emerge.

>Are there any sure fire stories getting in?
Yes, I believe so.

What are everyone's favorite stories?
I really dont want tell anyone yet. Perhaps when the anthology is out.

>>2608295
So your telling me lit has no say.

>>2608342
>>2608342
Interesting concept. I have never even considered it. But I highly doubt /lit/ would take the time to read all the stories and organize in a manner to vote without the process being tainted by cheating.

But its an idea, I'll forward it to the others.

Don't listen to any suggestions whatsoever about selection from /lit/, especially not any complaints from writers who didn't get in. Ignore that shit as hard as you can.

This double column bullshit again. I hate it so much. It makes reading really fucking annoying. Last month's was odd since we could only go in one direction but this is worse. Can I do anything about the format?

>>2608375
Nice lack of opinions.

I really enjoyed Portrait of a Mountain. It may not be the most original idea, but it has a Jack London/Hemingway vibe to it that I really like.

My only criticism would be that the author "tells" a bit too much sometime. He doesn't need to spell out that the backpacker has had a change of heart--he shows that in the way he doesn't kill the rabbit and ends up longing for it.

Near the end I thought maybe the rabbit was a hallucination.

I'm really stupid but don't all authors tell and not show...?

>>2608547
I liked it as well. The Hemingway influence was obvious. It would be fun if the author commented on the rabbit and some of his other choices (the dream?). Somehow I feel that his answers might make the story worse because you have already made your own interpretation.
The first story was a hard read for me having lost my mother this year. But really good.
The comment section was interesting but it needs improvement. Typos and grammatical errors are everywhere. It gives the impression of it being a last minute thing type of deal.

>>2608693

What's meant by "show don't tell" really means to convey things through actions rather than simply explaining them outright.

For example...
Showing: "The man looked at the bunny and put his knife away as he looked into its innocent eyes."

vs.

Telling: "The man looked at the bunny but put his knife away because his morality had changed and he no longer wanted to kill animals."

>>2609205
But you like still said what he did just differently. I'm lost.

>>2609232
:)/10

>>2607980

You should post to /r/literature. They're a bit less retarded than /r/writing.

>>2609303

The problem with reddit is that the more posters there are, the shittier the subreddit is. r/literature is better but the post would go pretty much unnoticed.

>>2607940
>>2607948
>>2607980
>>2609303
>>2609306

>reddit

GET THE FUCK OUT

this is jim meirose. for some reason i doubt he read any back issues of tar before he submitted.

i kinda like parabelleby a.s.a, and the illustrations that go with it are neat, but i'm puzzled as to why all the text is centred.

damn, bro. those editorial comments. fucking seriously? you're going to air your dirty laundry now? think about how the author might feel reading that one of the editor's voted against the piece, that he thought it weak 'a skeleton'. plus, that author was nominated or the pushcart prize, the o.henry prize and the shirley jackson award. are you really going to shit talk a guy like that? do you even know how important those awards are?

also, think of potential writers reading that. who the fuck would want to submit knowing that they very well could be the object of an editorial argument printed alongside his work. that is not cool. not cool at all.

>>2609369

If the dude is so great, I really doubt he gives a fuck. Are opinions suddenly not allowed to be wielded against prestige? And are they so terrifying as to discourage authors from submitting to a journal for which they receive no monetary recompense?

TAR is one of many proving grounds. If you don't like it, go elsewhere.

>>2609393

People do have feelings, you know, and writers, on the whole, are pretty sensitive.

Of course you're allowed opinions. Are you fucking stupid? My opinion is that yes, you are. What I'm saying is that it's not right to bring editorial discussions to the public like this. I'd have thought it would be common sense. Nobody wants to see the underside of the stitching; it's messy. And showing it makes you look messy. You're supposed to fucking sell yourself and sell your authors. You don't publish someone and then leave a note on the side saying "actually, I thought this was pretty shit but everyone else was so insistent". It's not only fucking stupid it's incredibly disrespectful.

>>2609310
>2012
>Message board wars

Reddit is no more retarded than most of 4chan is.

>>2609393

> Are opinions suddenly not allowed to be wielded against prestige?


If you want to be a professional some day, they never have been, unless you share in that prestige or you think an assault worth it to build a reputation. If you've nothing to gain, keep quiet idiot.

I thought that the Chemical Imbalance piece was great. Most of the fiction was at least passable this issue.

Keep going, TAR.

The design this month looks great. I have mixed feelings about the commentary section. I like the poetry commentary, but probably just because I like what they said about my poem. Not so sure I like the commentary on the fiction.

>>2609457

which poem was yours? because they were all filthy garbage. please stop writing.

>>2609459
And you imbeciles wonder why they have a comments section. Which by the way are really good a great way to stir controversy. If Jim Meirose has been published where he says he have no doubt been rejected over a 1000 times, and his pieces been called a literal skeleton. He can take it, believe me. This is refreshing. "Congratulations, you got published. You are worthy of criticism" At least it shows that TAR knows their place in the foodchain. I know some "zine" editors and they absolutely hate their readers, authors and love to think highly of themselves.

>>2609511

This is nonsense. They aren't readers if they think this is appropriate - they've clearly never read the kind of magazine this is intended to ape in their lives.

>>2609459
And you imbeciles wonder why they have a comments section. Which I welcome its a great way to stir some controversy. If Jim Meirose has been published where he says he have no doubt been rejected over a 1000 times, and his pieces been called a literal skeleton. He can take it, believe me. If it hasn't? Then its about time. This is refreshing. "Congratulations, you got published. You are worthy of criticism" At least it shows that TAR knows their place in the foodchain. I know some "zine" editors and they absolutely hate their readers, authors and love to think highly of themselves.

This is not unprofessional. You'd be stupid to think otherwise. Even forming an opinion is actually hard. Hint: Thats why most magazines don't do it. And its also the reason why you hacks can't do it

Im all for a more transparent editorial selection process.

>>2609411
>Reddit is no more retarded than most of 4chan is.
It's depressing just how much more retarded Reddit is. I can't imagine how you'd think otherwise.

>>2609520
>>Even forming an opinion is actually hard. Hint: Thats why most magazines don't do it.

How exactly do editors at "most magazines" decide what they are going to publish without forming opinions about submissions first?

I interned at Tin House a few years ago. If you honestly think the editors of literary magazines don't have intelligent opinions about the stuff they publish just because they lack the ridiculous ego needed to publish their every though, you are a moron.

>>2609537
He probably meant that there is difference between holding an opinion in a closed environment and forming an opinion in for the public to hold. I'm sorry to break the news for you but had you been something more than an intern you would realize that there are a lot of smoke and mirrors in that world.

>>2609459

Feel free to submit your own poem to TAR.

Good morning to all of you.
Hate levels are on the rise but still far from reaching critical mass I see. Surely you can do better than this /lit/?
Regarding the comments: So far we have not received a negative comment about it from the authors. Some have questioned it slightly, however not their own criticism. We would never do anything like this without taking feedback from the authors.
Someone said we are trying to ape after larger magazines. Don't know about that. They are usually funded by universities and tends to pretty restricted in how they can act with the community. This is our only edge. We really don't have any expectations. I really like the idea of having a debate with the community. In the age of information lets give out information. Lets not be in the closed editorial circuit. Being a journalist I know that this is a wet dream for many editors.
I think we need to realize one or two things with TAR:
We'll never be a full fledged prestigeous magazine. We lack titles, money and background. Albeit we actually have some credential (me being a journalist, martin becoming an assistant professor in literature and prole well he is rather secretive so i dont really know). We have work with what we have. And that is an open dialogue with a rather harsh community, hopefully our knew homepage will make dialogue easier.
Regarding Jim Meiroses work I believe that he can take the criticism, probably even with a smile on his lips, he seems like a man with tough skin. He has experience enough to know when he has done good. It's a neat and quick little piece, by the way. Read it.

And to think that we write the comments because of our own inflated ego... well I dont want to call a spade a spade but that is flat out retarded. I wish to reduce the amount of work I put into TAR, which is a considerable amount at this point. This was an extra effort made to bolster debate about the content. I did this for the authors.

>>2609354
The text was centered in Parabelle because that is how the author wanted it. He sent us an image file to show how the layout should look. Hopefully he would like to expand further.
>>2608693
Regarding show don't tell, look at the picture.

>>2609707
*We have to work with what we have

*new homepage

>>2609354
It is simply an aesthetic choice. With the text centered they and the illustrations become part of the same column of focus that expands and contracts with the cycles of the story, like a vertical sound wave.

>>2609707
I find the comment section a positive thing.

>>2609707
i think the commentary is a good idea. i read a japanese literature journal that is translated to english, and they also have this sort of commentary. the difference being the commentators are respected in the field (in japan).

it would be nice if you could put your qualifications. i know that it's a sort of an appeal to authority, but i'd rather read the commentary of someone that i know is knowledgeable rather than your average joe. if you have no discernible qualifications maybe you could coax a wild graduate student into providing some.

>>2609707

>I really like the idea of having a debate with the community.

Yeah, that sunds good, but some of the authors aren't in the community, and neither are all of your readers. If you want people to debate the work, start posting the work directly onto the site giving each its own page like you said you would, and put a comment box under each piece.

I still think that you need to watch what you say in the editorial comments. Saying why you chose the piece, what you like about it, fair enough; but letting someone say they don't like it at all and voted against its inclusion, that seems anti-productive, dumb, and rude.

>>2609776

>it would be nice if you could put your qualifications.

Agreed. This never bothered me before, but considering what some of you have written in the editorial section I think you at least owe the writers the benefit of knowing who is talking shit about them.

>>2609797
What an odd thing for Anonymous to say. If your work is in the thing then you should be pleased it made it there; anything they say about it (assuming they're not openly mocking it and claiming they only put it in as a joke) is beside the point.

ba-dump tssh
Time to open that bottle. I got accepted.

Seeing how the comments section has turned into an issue, I guess there is no avoiding mention of it.

I've talked with Peter, and he has agreed to modify or even shelve the comments idea since it doesn't seem to be inducing the results we had hoped. Perhaps we will include the option of sending feedback to authors on request, or release a comments .pdf separately to the actual release. There has been some positive feedback from authors about the idea in principle, but it is clear the way we're handling it now is creating needless division among readers. Actually, I had been against this idea from the very start for fear something like this would happen. Commentary draws only criticism towards the organization rather than discussion about the authors.

A pity really, I felt the content of this issue was most generally excellent. My apologies, for the future we will try to avoid these problems..

Poetry was shit as usual. first story and the theater one were pretty good.

no capitalization, arbitrary line breaks, no sense of meter....

it's like you don't even know what poetry is. did you guys scour the local high school for the emoest kids you could find to submit their poetry?

>>2610108
>leader of a magazine
>bad decision obviously not going well
>asks some guy hired off the street a month ago if it's okay to rectify bad decision

stay hopeless, tar

How do I submit my work to raT?

>>2610222
This is really just inevitable so long as we have a group-voting system. I might have founded it, but it isn't really realistic to call any one of us the "leader" of TAR currently.

>>2610223
theaprilreader@gmail.com, new issues are released monthly on the 1st.

>>2610228
> I might have founded it, but it isn't really realistic to call any one of us the "leader" of TAR currently.

shut up and grow a pair

>>2608730
>>2608547
I wrote Portrait of a Mountain. Thanks for your comments guys, I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

It's no surprise the Hemingway influence came out really. It was something I started when I had just finished reading The Old Man and the Sea and was feeling a bit depressed and bored. A few months later I looked at it again and decided to finish it and submit it to TAR.

About the rabbit and stuff: I wanted to show a stark contrast between man and nature, so I chose the most innocent animal I could think of which might feasibly live on a mountain. Like, I keep describing the rabbit as having pure eyes and being innocent and all, and when the backpacker looks at his reflection he's all dishevelled and greasy. The dream was to add to the element of nostalgia he feels, being on his own in a land he doesn't really belong.

I dunno, I didn't really have a clear focus or message when I started writing it. I kind of just thought it'd be fun to write a story about a guy climbing a mountain, and it took shape as I wrote it.

I know it's not the best piece by any stretch, but it's the first I've actually finished a story and edited it to a complete state, so I'm pretty pleased with how it's turned out, and that you enjoyed it.

the quality of work is definitely increasing. it's nice to see.

>>2610236

well done. it was a fine story.

>>2610236
it was shit
you should be ashamed

>>2610245
>>2610235
>same person

The rabbit story was decent, although certainly not my favourite.

Hey TAR guys here is a fucking suggestion:

Let these faggots on /lit/ make reviews about stories in the previous issues to be published so that everyone can see this faggot's opinion, and then others will be encouraged to reply with their own criticism. Yeah, I know I'm pretty fucking brilliant, so feel free to e-mail me and thank me.

>>2610255

WAS IT RAPE?

why don't we migrate to another board... both 7chan and 420chan have a well enforced "no faggotry" rule... but they have no traffic.

might be worth considering

>>2610268
Because you're not going to have a steady enough rate of new users to maintain any semblance of a community.

You guys could start by publishing my poem next time. I posted it on /lit/ numerous times and they enjoyed it. It also uses capitalization and proper syntax.

>skip to the comments section
>elementary spelling mistake in the third fucking sentence

At least pretend you give a fuck...

>>2610268
>both 7chan and 420chan have a well enforced "no faggotry" rule

420chan has a 100% faggotry rule

>>2610255
We'd probably be open to an idea like this, but I can't see what is so wrong with people posting their opinions in-thread. Honestly, you're just trying to bait us at this point. I'm not sure how we offended you, but it is pretty clear you're acting up for reasons completely unrelated to the latest issue.

>>2610268
We've tried 7chan in the past, and 420chan was also advertised on recently They weren't particularly as lively as /lit/ was (see >>2610272)

Besides, TAR was founded as a service to the /lit/ community. This expansion business has loosened the bonds we have with /lit/, but this doesn't mean we want to jettison from the place that started us. In all seriousness, I like /lit/ and want TAR to be an functional part of it.


>>2610277
Sounds great, send it as an attachment to us at theaprilreader@gmail.com and we'll consider it. Be sure to tell us how you want to be credited

HOW MANY UNIGUE VISTORS DO YOU GET ON AVERAGE PER WEEK?

I HAVE A BLOG THAT DOCUMENTS THE BIRDS IN MY GARDEN. IT GETS 600 UNIQUE VISITORS PER WEEK (MINIMUM)

DO YOU GET MORE OR LESS THAN THEIS?

>>2610298
I ALREADY SENT IT YOU DICK

>>2610301
More people like birds than literature

>>2610306
So seriously. If you have a complaint about TAR and you're willing to state it in reasonable language, lets talk about it. Otherwise I am going to ignore you.

>>2610317
YOU COULDNT IGNORE ME IF YOU TRIED

I thought George Lucas Presents: A Chemical Imbalance was one of the better stories. The prose was kinda stale and not deliberate at times, but the humor more than made up for it.

>>2610501
oops

today OP was pretty cool

Meirose story didn't make any sense to me. So I just googled Mamalujo. Turns out the title holds some information. Its from Finnegans Wake. All the characters are there.
http://www.robotwisdom.com/jaj/fwake/mamalujo.html

I wrote Two-Ton Paperweight. How'd you guys feel about it?

>>2610301
Post link plx. I want to prove my garden's bird's are objectively better than yours' birds.

>>2610674
Looks good to me bro, I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned much in the thread. I kept expecting the protagonist to wind up crushed in the dumpster, was kind of disappointed to see nothing happened in the end

I ripped off a short story from another author, submitted it to TAR.
It was featured in TAR 13

can you guess which one it was

bonus points if you can name the author whom I plagiarized

Reading. Will post my thoughts on the pieces in about an hour

>>2610861

Thanks for the important announcement. It was totally necessary. Now I will stay tuned to /lit/ in anticipation of your piercing critical analysis.

>>2610866
Thanks for the important complaint. It was totally necessary. Now I will stay tuned to /lit/ in anticipation of your piercing critical trollery.
loll ecksdee

>>2610886
Thanks for the witty rebuttal. It was totally necessary. Now I will stay tuned to /lit/ in anticipation of your thinking I'm the same guy and the subsequent critical damage.

>>2610916
>>2610866
Somebody really needs to hurry up and ban this guy.

bamp

Better than pictures - going by what I heard in thread, I thought this would be great. It wasn't. Generic as fuck idea that doesn't go anywhere and ends far too quickly to be genuinely interesting. Pretty much a "novelty idea" sci-fi where the author focuses on one thing and doesn't try plugging it into a bigger plot. 3/5 for writing.

Mamalujo - Very well done flash fiction. I don't know what the hell TAR is thinking saying it wasn't up to snuff. 4/5, could be longer.

Two-ton paperweight - This one is really excellent, probably deserved the award. Good story development, nice inclusion of characters mentioned earlier in the story during the ending The trash scene in particular was well done, don't make the mistake of eating while reading this like I did! 4/5

A Chemical imbalance - Edgy hipsters trying vainly to mimick good writing with brand bullshit. Reddit tricks don't make it any better either. 2/5

Parabelle - Is Ur a metaphor for industrial society? I caught some similarities in the message with contemporary environmental problems. By the way, did you make those pictures yourself? 4/5

Train of Harmon - posing to be pretentious as fuck and doesn't say a meaningful word. I don't know man, you could have done a better job fleshing out the environment. 3/5

A warm place - >>>/jp/. Wtf is with that ending. 2/5

Portrait of a mountain - TAR: pretentious stories written by hipsters. The writing quality needed work . 2/5

>>2611141
>why on earth does the poetry section have a gigantic broken penis for a cover

Manic Episode - I feel like I've seen this before. 2/5, nothing particularly interesting

Symphony of cats - flashbacks to when I used to own cats going on. 3/5, the imagery was interesting

Unfortunately - what the fucking fuck. 2/5

My hometown - Boring. If I hear "my hometown" one more time... 1/5

Fireflies flew in the fields - Enjoyable poetry, felt like a studio Ghibli movie the way you described it. 4/5, this is how real poetry is done

And there ya goes. Not bad this time, sure as hell better than last issue at least. Keep it up knaves, I think we're getting better

>>2611141
A Chemical Imbalance wasn't even that tryhard. I liked it a lot, and it had me laughing at a few points. It's a nice story, I don't see why you disliked it so much.

>>2611178
Bullshit. That one was tryhard right from the moment the author mentioned George Lucas. It didn't talk about anything substantial, there was no plot development whatsoever beyond a disconnected series of events. Jesus /lit/, I thought you would have known better

>>2611200
2deep4u, I suppose.

>>2611206
>LOLOLOL LOOK AT ME TROJAN CONDOMS SMELLED LIKE DEAD FISH OLIVE OIL
So deep bro

Two-Ton Paperweight guy here again. Thanks for your praise and criticism. You guys probably know enough about this to give me some advice. That's the first story I've published, and I'm considering doing some more writing. Can I use TAR on a resume and submit something to a paying magazine? Who should I be thinking about submitting to next?

>>2611238
You're better off making a thread asking for the input of published writers. We have a few on /lit/, but most of us don't know a damn thing.

TAR is on duotrope now, so it can't be that bad. Cite at your own peril

>>2611255
>duotrope
>over 4000 other "publishers"
>duotrope != prestige

>>2611285
Be reasonable, TAR isn't THAT bad.

So is the idea going to be have at least the best story from each month in this best of TAR or just a few best of you wankers want to publish?

>>2611666
>devil get

We plan on including the monthly award winners, but since we only introduced this much later into the year, most of this is going to be based on opinions. I've looked through all the prior release threads and generally looked to recommend content liked by everyone in them. I think the final result will be pretty representative of the best we've received so far.

>>2610108

> organization

Dude, you run a pretend lit mag for people from the internet hate machine, get some perspective.

>>2610301
Only worthwhile literature is about birds anyway.
Especially parrots

So Prole. Will you guys not bitch out on the best of issue and publish "Some Pervert's" shit. He was objectively the best in the spring/summer era. Now in this new year and third era fill your shit with another proporner errotica jock. I mean shit. You've taken the 4chan out of The April Reader and now it's like Te pril Reder stop being such a faggot. You have the opportunity to make 4chan style writing the shit and you fucked it up with a baseball bat and you classical standards of standards. I mean shit my nigger. You leave and they take them damn coffee in a fucking tea cup. It's a fucking tea cup serve your damn coffee In a mug. I know that might have been rambling nigga but you understand just get it done.

>>2611968
>waaaa waaaa stop having standards waaa

Jesus. If there is anything wrong with TAR it's that its standards are (still) too low.

>>2611977
You don't be getting what I be saying you ignant nigga. Open your eyes bitch nigga. It's all about making a Zune with that style they just playing classics grab ass with out no interesting shit that makes it 4chan. They lost them luster.

>>2611141
I am glad you interpreted Ur that way. At one point I considered including an image of a power plant as the final of the larger illustrations, which should also answer your other question. I prefer ambiguity, I hope you will agree excluding it was the correct choice.

I think it's pretty tits that Meirose chose to submit his shit to TAR

academic credentials of poetry editor: pretentious half-aristocratic German/Russian grad student in comparative literature. reads and speaks German, Russian, French and English. Once prole will have seized dictatorship over the journal again, TAR will just have been another station on my way to utter, complete and irreversible world domination. (or taxi driving in Paris, pretending I'm Napoleon). seriously, who needs academic credentials for choosing and writing about poems? you just need a substantial ans coherent terminology; academia is just one of the sources for that. who thinks that correct grammar is a prerequisite for poetry? go write a letter about it.

>>2612156
>>2612156
That would have been fun for one month, but seriously every fucking issue?

>>2611968
>objectively the best

I thought you stopped posting here 'edgy

>>2612712
They lost them luster
/thread

needs more 4chan-esque work..some wincest literature or something.... otherwise fuck off..you're not our literary magazine..

>>2612999

>>2612999
/mu/ is ruin... wow just back to square 1 with you
>>>/b/

>>2612999

Bamp. Read the issue, guys. The prose isn't bad.

>>2614185
Do it, faggots.

>>2611150
How funny you noticed that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Mayakovsky#Literary_life

(It actually is a penis)

>>2615474
god damn it TAR

>>2607871
It represents the phallic principle in poetry, writing poetry as pissing (v. graphomania), and generally a neoprimitivist approach. we're wild barbarians.

>>2615581
Mayakovsky basically thought reading poetry should be like stroking a penis and nodding to why most people write poetry. "They want to get laid"

He is one of my favorite poets actually and his text "How to make poems" , where that picture is presented, is an eye opener for anyone who want to write poetry. I've never managed to find the text on internet, altough i've never had to since i have it in my swedish translation of "A cloud in trousers".

No gray hairs streak my soul,
no grandfatherly fondness there!
I shake the world with the might of my voice,
and walk – handsome,
twentytwoyearold.

>>2615612
I'm going to buy a book of his. Recommend one to me.

>>2615651
A cloud in trousers is a good start and perhaps the one most widely translated.

bamp

olé

Have you thought about physically publishing it? I don't mean professionally, but maybe print out a few copies and then leave them in book shops or wherever free for people to pick up.

>>2617725
Yes, we'll probably do a try with the anthology. But there are a lot of costs to be considered if you want the right paper and the quality.

I pretty much have to redo the design as well. The difference between proper paper publishing and "internet pdf's" are enormous. Considering print palletes, they way the print works, margins and the right font choice.

But yes, we want to do this.

>>2617765
That was me