When I first began writing the “Literary Spotlight” column almost two decades ago, most literary journals were print publications showcasing traditional poetry and prose along with visual art. Flash forward to 2022, where the sky’s the limit for digital magazines accessible to readers around the world.
Editors actively seek out cine poems and video prose. They publish full-cast audio versions of short stories. They devote entire webpages to a single story and a single writer so that readers can peruse the creative piece along with visual art and video and original music compositions, and then watch interviews with the writer for insights into the storytelling process.
This is a thrilling time to be a writer. The word “experimental” in a journal’s submission guidelines means so much more than it once did, thanks to technological innovations available online. I’ve watched in awe as writers format their short memoir as Google Maps, publish travelogues accompanied by video documentaries, and narrate personal essays over video footage of intimate moments with their families.
Below, I’ll highlight some of the most interesting innovations I’ve discovered, with the hope that you’ll feel free to play with form and content in your literary magazine
