“The problem with creative-writing programs is not the quality of instruction; it’s the enforced isolation with other people who are thinking, eating, and breathing the same things you are.”

from the Reddit AMA with the editors of The Paris Review.

Other highlights: They receive (roughly) 15,000 submissions a year; they will never be “online only” (shouts to trees); they like New York Tyrant; Lorin Stein drinks espresso.

I just rediscovered this yesterday and it’s fucking hilarious and some of you have probably seen this before but if you haven’t yet, it’s seriously brilliant, and wth, sometimes we just really, really need to laugh at things: Hyperbole and a Half: How a Fish Almost Destroyed My Childhood & also this, because it’s funny and right on: Depression Ok, that is all. Return to whatever it was that you were doing.

Are you excited for Berl’s Poetry Book Shop’s new permanent location in DUMBO? I am. Poetry trivia and book art exhibitions: yes. Contrary* to all the chemical hazing and missile rattling, it feels like there is a nice breeze of new poetry-heavy bookstores opening all over (see: So & So Books in North Carolina). Plus I’ve heard about people starting their own Mellow Pages style small press libraries in Oakland and Austin, and Vouched has a new San Francisco wing, with an Austin wing coming soon, I think. Where else? Let’s make a Lonely Planet Cool New Book Places in the comments.

*(I know, I know)

Paul Dean plays the Spelunky daily challenge while discussing Kurt Vonnegut, chocolate cookies.

Essay on things poets do when they decide to “sell-out,” e.g., how ridiculous their fall-back plans are. “Better just suck it up and write a bestselling novel.” “Translate poetry.” “Design board games.” “Invent a drink.” — #9 of 11 essays Zach Savich isn’t writing about contemporary poetry (over at the Philadelphia Review of Books)

Pynchon, Pynchon, Pynchon this fall. (btw this is a solid NYMag read by Boris Kachka: waddup doc)

Pynchon expressed vivid criticism of The Crying of Lot 49, which brings to mind the following larger question:

ARE WRITERS TRUSTWORTHY JUDGES OF THEIR OWN WORK?

White Privilege by Seth Abramson

(a poem of 400 true statements)

text version of the poem available at Ink Node here

This Empire podcast about The World’s End is worth a listen—the analysis is good, and the interview with Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost is illuminating.

While we’re on the subject, what are some of your favorite podcasts?

interesting “In Defense of Brooklyn” post on Montevidayo that talks, among other things, about narrow-minded academics

(kind of an outgrowth of Donald Dunbar’s “But Let’s All Make Out” post that ran on here a while back.)

FC2 is currently accepting submissions to the Ronald Sukenick and Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prizes. Submissions may include a collection of short stories, one or more novellas, or a novel of any length. The winning manuscripts, to be selected by Matthew Roberson and Sam Lipsyte, will be awarded with cash prizes and publication by FC2. All submissions must be received electronically by 12:00 am (EST) on November 1, 2013. Please visit http://www.fc2.org/prizes.html for contest guidelines and submission instructions.