W hen discussing the planned Quad City Arts literary magazine Buffalo Carp, the person in charge talks about the area's rich literary culture, but this fish is also looking for a bigger pond.
"It seems that someplace this literary should have something like this," said Leslie Thompson, Quad City Arts administrator for advancement & literary arts.
But those words won't translate into a literary magazine focusing on Quad Cities writers. Thompson said the cover will feature the work of a local artist, but the annual magazine's literary content will be culled from submissions nationwide, without a preference for local scribes. "We wanted it to be high-quality," she said. "We wanted it to be national from the start. ... We want to do it right the first time."
Quad City Arts seems to be shooting for something that will raise the organization's profile nationally - not unlike its Visiting Artist series. While it will have some benefit for the local literary-arts community, the primary beneficiary will probably be Quad City Arts' reputation.
The Midwest Writing Center will be involved in the project (although its role isn't yet clear) and Buffalo Carp will have local assistant and senior editors deciding what goes in the magazine. But with ads in national literary magazines appearing in December and January, it seems possible that Quad Cities literary talent won't be well-represented.
Thompson disagreed, saying that local writers are talented enough to compete with authors from around the country. "We have such tremendous talent here," she said. "There's a 100-percent chance that each magazine will feature local writers."
Submissions will be accepted through March 30, and the first issue is scheduled for publication in September 2002. Buffalo Carp - the name is meant to evoke the meeting of prairie and water - will have a glossy, card-stock cover and is expected to be between 120 and 150 pages.
But those words won't translate into a literary magazine focusing on Quad Cities writers. Thompson said the cover will feature the work of a local artist, but the annual magazine's literary content will be culled from submissions nationwide, without a preference for local scribes. "We wanted it to be high-quality," she said. "We wanted it to be national from the start. ... We want to do it right the first time."
Quad City Arts seems to be shooting for something that will raise the organization's profile nationally - not unlike its Visiting Artist series. While it will have some benefit for the local literary-arts community, the primary beneficiary will probably be Quad City Arts' reputation.
The Midwest Writing Center will be involved in the project (although its role isn't yet clear) and Buffalo Carp will have local assistant and senior editors deciding what goes in the magazine. But with ads in national literary magazines appearing in December and January, it seems possible that Quad Cities literary talent won't be well-represented.
Thompson disagreed, saying that local writers are talented enough to compete with authors from around the country. "We have such tremendous talent here," she said. "There's a 100-percent chance that each magazine will feature local writers."
Submissions will be accepted through March 30, and the first issue is scheduled for publication in September 2002. Buffalo Carp - the name is meant to evoke the meeting of prairie and water - will have a glossy, card-stock cover and is expected to be between 120 and 150 pages.
