February 26th, 2009 / 1:20 pm
 Contests

CANTEEN magazine announces poetry & fiction contests; new issue

Read the post, and all will be explained.

Read the post, and all will be explained.

I met the good people of Canteen Magazine during the last NYC LitCrawl, and they were swell. At the time, they had just put out issue #3, which featured words by Porochista Khakpour, Ben Kunkel, Dana Goodyear, Shellie Zacharia, and Lee Klein, just to name a few. You can see thumbnails of the covers on the Canteen website, but they don’t really convey the full story. Canteen is a 9 x 9 full-color magazine printed on heavy-stock paper. It’s filled with art and photography as well as literature. (My favorite thing in #3 was “Returning Thing,” a portfolio of photographs by Martin van de Griendt, from his book Smokin’ Boys Smokin’ Girls, which anyone who wants to should feel free to buy for me.)

Anyway, I just got an email from the Canteen folks, which mentioned among other things, the imminent release of issue #4 (which I have a story in- so full disclosure, or whatever), that they’re going to have a booth at the Armory Show (an NYC art gathering that runs from 3/4-3/7), and this thing about the contest, which is what I thought YOU PEOPLE might want to know about- 

CANTEEN’S INAUGURAL FICTION AND POETRY CONTESTS
Judged by award-winning novelist Porochista Khakpour 

Contest Rules

  • Deadline: May 31, 2009
  • Fiction: Submissions up to 4,000 words.
  • Poetry: Submissions of any length (though ideally shorter than Beowolf).
  • Fiction winners will be chosen by Porochista Khakpour, author of Sons and Other Flammable Objects, a New York Times–acclaimed novel and winner of the 2007 California Book Award.
  • Poetry winners will be chosen by Canteen‘s editors.
  • Neither contest is open to the staff, family, and close friends of Canteen.

    Prizes

  • Fiction first-prize winner receives $1,000 and publication in issue five of Canteen.
  • Poetry first-prize winner receives $500 and publication in issue five of Canteen.
  •  Fiction and poetry second-prize winners will also be published in issue five.

     

    • Now, I know that entry- & reading- fees have been a recent point of contention on this here blog, so I think it’s worth focusing a minute on the interesting approach that the Canteen folks have taken. Many literary magazines offer a “free subscription with your entry fee,” but Canteen seems to have reversed the formula. They set the “cost of entry” as “a four issue Canteen subscription, at our new reduced price of $30.” Basically, they seem to be saying, entry is free, but open to subscribers only. 

    It’s a novel approach, I think, or at least a nifty spin on an old idea. In any case, general submissions don’t require a fee or subscription (though, as always, it probably helps to have some idea of who you’re dealing with before you start pelting them with your work). So, uh, you know- go forth, or stay put. 

    More from Smokin' Boys Smokin' Girls.

     

    Also from.

    Also more.

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    38 Comments

    1. February 26th, 2009 / 5:55 pm Adam Humphreys—
    2. February 26th, 2009 / 1:55 pm Adam Humphreys—
    3. February 26th, 2009 / 2:38 pm ryan—

        “Basically, they seem to be saying, entry is free, but open to subscribers only.”

        not only that, but they seem to be saying new subscribers only, as current subscribers are asked to renew their subscription to enter. which, when you get right down to it their system just seems like a fancy way of making an entry fee that they’re hoping doesn’t seem like an entry fee.

        personally, i don’t have a problem with this. i don’t like entry fees ’cause i have no money, but there are cases where i wouldn’t be adverse to paying one. for instance i like when that entry fee entitles me to a subscription as in Canteen’s case. i just think, why not be upfront: “we have to charge a thirty dollar entry fee, but don’t worry we’ll give you a subscription”

    4. February 26th, 2009 / 6:38 pm ryan—

        “Basically, they seem to be saying, entry is free, but open to subscribers only.”

        not only that, but they seem to be saying new subscribers only, as current subscribers are asked to renew their subscription to enter. which, when you get right down to it their system just seems like a fancy way of making an entry fee that they’re hoping doesn’t seem like an entry fee.

        personally, i don’t have a problem with this. i don’t like entry fees ’cause i have no money, but there are cases where i wouldn’t be adverse to paying one. for instance i like when that entry fee entitles me to a subscription as in Canteen’s case. i just think, why not be upfront: “we have to charge a thirty dollar entry fee, but don’t worry we’ll give you a subscription”

    5. February 26th, 2009 / 2:57 pm pr—

        it’s a little like the chicken and egg conundrum. But unlike when Justin was hungover, when I am, I don’t think things through, I lay down in front of vampire movies.

    6. February 26th, 2009 / 7:35 pm james yeh—

        i’m a subscriber

        they should let me enter for free

        i should write them an email saying that

        i like their mag a lot but getting the email made me feel a little like i was being taken advantage of or something, in a very small and insignificant way

    7. February 26th, 2009 / 3:35 pm james yeh—

        i’m a subscriber

        they should let me enter for free

        i should write them an email saying that

        i like their mag a lot but getting the email made me feel a little like i was being taken advantage of or something, in a very small and insignificant way

    8. February 26th, 2009 / 8:14 pm Justin Taylor—

        Thanks for the link to Ed T.- I’d never seen his work before. Hmm, well as near as I can tell, Martijn isn’t ‘downtown’ so much as European– his bio on his website is in English and Dutch, and his books seem to be available from a European publisher.

    9. February 26th, 2009 / 4:14 pm Justin Taylor—

        Thanks for the link to Ed T.- I’d never seen his work before. Hmm, well as near as I can tell, Martijn isn’t ‘downtown’ so much as European– his bio on his website is in English and Dutch, and his books seem to be available from a European publisher.

    10. February 26th, 2009 / 8:15 pm Justin Taylor—

        hmm, that is a curious twist.

    11. February 26th, 2009 / 8:15 pm Justin Taylor—

        i lay down in front of vampire movies when i feel awesome– or anytime i can get anybody to lay down with me. vampires are an anytime treat.

    12. February 26th, 2009 / 4:15 pm Justin Taylor—

        hmm, that is a curious twist.

    13. February 26th, 2009 / 4:15 pm Justin Taylor—

        i lay down in front of vampire movies when i feel awesome– or anytime i can get anybody to lay down with me. vampires are an anytime treat.

    14. February 26th, 2009 / 8:45 pm ryan—

        i can understand feeling like they are taking advantage of you. for a current subscriber this must feel like a very sneaky move.

    15. February 26th, 2009 / 4:45 pm ryan—

        i can understand feeling like they are taking advantage of you. for a current subscriber this must feel like a very sneaky move.

    16. February 26th, 2009 / 9:04 pm Lincoln—

        Insignificant way? You just told me in gchat that in a fit of rage you had chugged a bottle of laxative just so you could diarrhea all over your copy of Canteen #3

    17. February 26th, 2009 / 5:04 pm Lincoln—

        Insignificant way? You just told me in gchat that in a fit of rage you had chugged a bottle of laxative just so you could diarrhea all over your copy of Canteen #3

    18. February 26th, 2009 / 10:09 pm Ryan Call—

        that is hilarious

    19. February 26th, 2009 / 6:09 pm Ryan Call—

        that is hilarious

    20. February 26th, 2009 / 11:06 pm james yeh—

        that was off the record

    21. February 26th, 2009 / 7:06 pm james yeh—

        that was off the record

    22. February 27th, 2009 / 5:26 am Max—

        Canteen is awesome. I already subscribe. Great art, beautiful presentation of the stories, and really cool and interesting work.

    23. February 27th, 2009 / 1:26 am Max—

        Canteen is awesome. I already subscribe. Great art, beautiful presentation of the stories, and really cool and interesting work.

    24. March 1st, 2009 / 2:48 am aaron—

        I love Ed Templeton. I used to love his Toy Machine stuff when I used to wish and pretend I was a skater. I think he is to blame for me not wearing deodorant.

    25. February 28th, 2009 / 10:48 pm aaron—

        I love Ed Templeton. I used to love his Toy Machine stuff when I used to wish and pretend I was a skater. I think he is to blame for me not wearing deodorant.

    26. March 16th, 2009 / 8:59 pm Dagan—

        I dont usually comment, but after reading through so much info I had to say thanks

    27. March 16th, 2009 / 4:59 pm Dagan—

        I dont usually comment, but after reading through so much info I had to say thanks

    28. March 16th, 2009 / 11:55 pm B Holiday—

        I appreciate the time you spent on this post. I know how hard it is to keep posting!

    29. March 16th, 2009 / 7:55 pm B Holiday—

        I appreciate the time you spent on this post. I know how hard it is to keep posting!

    30. March 19th, 2009 / 9:44 pm Martijn—

        Hey there! especially @ adam..

        ofcourse I heard about Ed T. Actually i just met him in Antwerp and gave him my book about smokin’ teens..
        Nothing is original, but the work of Ed is very special.. (no doubt about it!)
        And he was first with his smokers.. But hey, this is my interpretation.. and hell yeah I am taking pics of teens for 15 years now..

        check my gallery: http://www.luxphotogallery.com/

        ciao from Amsterdam:
        MARTIJN!

    31. March 19th, 2009 / 5:44 pm Martijn—

        Hey there! especially @ adam..

        ofcourse I heard about Ed T. Actually i just met him in Antwerp and gave him my book about smokin’ teens..
        Nothing is original, but the work of Ed is very special.. (no doubt about it!)
        And he was first with his smokers.. But hey, this is my interpretation.. and hell yeah I am taking pics of teens for 15 years now..

        check my gallery: http://www.luxphotogallery.com/

        ciao from Amsterdam:
        MARTIJN!

    32. March 19th, 2009 / 9:48 pm Me again—
    33. March 19th, 2009 / 5:48 pm Me again—
    34. March 19th, 2009 / 5:49 pm mmm me again—
    35. March 25th, 2009 / 8:25 am stephen—

        Sorry to be so late commenting here. And sorry if our contest rules offend. We’re merely trying to get more subscribers any way we can. Not an easy task in this economic and literary landscape.

        As the point of the contest is to generate more subscribers (and certainly not to make money–we’ll lose money on it, for sure), we’ll open it up so that it’s free to enter for current subscribers.

        We’re new to all of this. It’s healthier for everyone invloved to simply write us and gently complain, than to chug laxatives.

        Cheers-

        stephen (canteenmag.com)

    36. March 25th, 2009 / 4:25 am stephen—

        Sorry to be so late commenting here. And sorry if our contest rules offend. We’re merely trying to get more subscribers any way we can. Not an easy task in this economic and literary landscape.

        As the point of the contest is to generate more subscribers (and certainly not to make money–we’ll lose money on it, for sure), we’ll open it up so that it’s free to enter for current subscribers.

        We’re new to all of this. It’s healthier for everyone invloved to simply write us and gently complain, than to chug laxatives.

        Cheers-

        stephen (canteenmag.com)

    37. May 17th, 2009 / 1:23 pm james yeh—

        update: canteen has since, bc of this thread, amended their rules. current subscribers get to enter for only the price of a single issue ($10).

        also, stephen pierson, canteen’s publisher, is possibly the nicest person i’ve ever met. seriously, though: one awesome bro.

    38. May 17th, 2009 / 9:23 am james yeh—

        update: canteen has since, bc of this thread, amended their rules. current subscribers get to enter for only the price of a single issue ($10).

        also, stephen pierson, canteen’s publisher, is possibly the nicest person i’ve ever met. seriously, though: one awesome bro.