Ravi Mangla’s Best of 2009

I am constantly amazed by the dedication and innovative spirit of the online publishing community. There has been a glut of great web writing this year and I wanted to spotlight a few of my favorite issues of online journals.

SmokeLong Quarterly, Issue 26:
This is one of the strongest and most diverse SLQ issues I’ve ever read. First-rate very short fiction from start to finish.

FRiGG, Issue 24:
The all microfiction issue. It probably needs to be read several times through to absorb all the content. An excellent study in craft.

The Collagist, Issue One:
Killer inaugural issue (and the recent issues haven’t been too shabby either). Textured, inventive writing that still manages to be incredibly entertaining. I’m excited to see how this journal will change and evolve over the coming years.

Also:
Everyday Genius and Necessary Fiction: two new-in-09 journals with rolling content – turned out a mighty impressive spread of work that deserves attention.

Ravi Mangla collects lists at his blog, Recommended Reading.

John Madera is the author of Nervosities (Anti-Oedipus Press, 2024). His other fiction is published in Conjunctions, Salt Hill, The &Now Awards 2: The Best Innovative Writing, and many other journals. His nonfiction is published in American Book Review, Bookforum, The Review of Contemporary Fiction, Rain Taxi: Review of Books, The Believer, The Brooklyn Rail, and many other venues. Recipient of an M.F.A. in Literary Arts from Brown University, two-time New York State Council on the Arts awardee John Madera lives in New York City, Rhizomatic and manages and edits Big Other.

View all posts