good nature writing publishing and reading
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I'm just wondering where you all publish your nature writing?  And maybe more importantly, what nature writing are you reading?

We can each search out all the venues, books, magazines, blogs, and online sites on our own, but I thought it might be helpful and interesting to compile a list here. Maybe say what you like about the venue too and a link if there is one. 

Also I'd love to know where to read more nature blogs, or other associations that cater to folks who write about the natural world.  I think it would be beneficial for us all to help each other out with publishers to submit to, information, and sources for the next good read!

 

I'll start with a great organization- ASLE- Association for the Study of Literature and Environment.  It's not a publishing venue, but it has loads of information and ways to find out more... Such a good reference.

 

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Replies
  • Thanks for the great list, Cheryl. I don't have any to add but I am enjoying The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks.

  • thanks Amanda, for the reference and the prompt! (and somehow I'm not getting the notices of posts either- hmmm. Will try to fix that)

    I've published nature essays in Trachodon (though that's not their focus), Adventum Magazine (definitely their focus) and Cirque Magazine (no particular focus except Pacific Rim writers.)

    Thanks to all for suggestions of Ecotone and Pilgrimage which both look wonderful.

    Would love to hear more ideas- as well as blogs!

    Reading: currently the oldie but goodie, "Eiger Dreams" by Krakauer, working on ideas to work into an essay about mountaineering (and other things.)

  • Hi Adrienne.  I've got a couple of blogs in the general area of nature writing that you might want to check out.  One is one my website www.cherylmerril.com and the other can be accessed from that website.  It's called "My Other Bolg" on the Posts page of the website.  Hope they can give you some ideas - and thanks for yours!  - Cheryl 

  • So sorry for the late reply to this discussion! Wish I had known it was happening last fall.  (Does SheWrites contact you when discussions happen in the group?  All my privacy options are set to "contact me!", but clearly, that wasn't happening in late 2011.)

    Like Cheryl, my nature writing is of a literary bent, and also like her, I've published in Adventum and Pilgrimage, although I've tried Fourth Genre, Brevity and Alaska Quarterly Review without success (so far).  Ecotone is a good place for nature / place oriented essays, and their guidelines are quite clear. Also, they have samples from past issues on their site. 

    I've had pieces appear in EarthSpeak which publishes some truly excellent work. (Not that I'm touting my own horn. I was simply deeply impressed by the work I've seen there.) Unfortunately, they don't seem to have very much visibility, yet they do have a track record.  I've also had work published in the magazines You Are Here, Raven Chronicles,and the Platte Valley Review (forthcoming in 2012).  As far as I know, the last three are only print based, although I think that PVR is starting to put some issues online.

    I'd suggest not getting too stuck on the search for "nature oriented" magazines. I've had nature writing accepted at Tiny Lights, Cezanne's Carrot, LabLit and a few other places. If you have a strong personal essay that deals with place / nature issues, many magazines that aren't "nature oriented" will take it or at least consider it.

    I'd love to find some good blogs, but I don't have the time to search them out or read them. I do a lot of filter feeding via the ASLE listserv, and I also belong to several H-Net listservs dealing with nature or environmental issues, such as Nature in Legend and Story.  I learn a lot, but most of it I'm filing away for later use.

    Anyway, I do hope that I won't miss any future discussions! I think this group has a wealth of expertise and ideas to share. 

    Adrienne Ross Scanlan

  • I love this discussion.  My pieces too have a literary bent so I've published with a few smaller online mags like, Mixed Fruit, A Golden Place, Vapid Kitten.  I use Duotrope to find publishing sites.  Look at their upcoming themed deadlines, follow the link to the publishers website, then determine if they accept nonfiction.  This is a list of "others" I have been checking out one at a time--The Boiler, The Examined Life Journal, Barrelhouse, Missive, The Feildstone Review, Helix Magazine, You Are Here, Gumbo Press, Ploughshares, A Public Space, Colorado Review, Conjunctions, Creative Nonfiction.  Hope this helps.

  • Good discussion!  Although I usually write fiction and poetry, I often look for lit journals that are interested in the natural world.  Doyou ever use Duotrope to search?  Although it doesn't inclue nonfiction, I find most journals now are looking for nonfiction and the personal essay, too.  A couple off the top of my head--Flyway, Ecotone, terrain.  

     

    Thanks for the link to ASLE--looks good!