LAist published a list of the best literary journals in Los Angeles–speculating that LA literary journals might even be more hip than their New York City counterparts.

Here’s more from the post: “So maybe our city isn’t host to regal literary journals like Harper’s, Granta, or The Paris Review. And, yes, elite literary parlors with Merlot and Camembert on doilies seem somewhat amiss in a city where flames seize shrubs more often than fireplaces. But that doesn’t mean LA’s literary publications fall short. It just means we’re not stuck up. In truth, several esteemed lit journals prevail in our unassuming city. And with good reason: like many things considered pompous elsewhere (tattoos, indie music, modern art, the color black), literary magazines are cooler in Los Angeles.”

Follow this link to check out all the literary journals. Are there any publications they should add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments.

The storytelling site Broadcastr won the “Most Attractive for Investment” audience award at the inaugural Next Big Thing event at The Paley Center for Media last week.

Electric Literature c0-founders Andy Hunter and Scott Lindenbaum introduced Broadcastr at the eBook Summit last year,  a storytelling app that will let people record audio versions of location-specific stories around the globe–like Foursquare for storytellers. Above, we’ve embedded a video of the presentation.

Here’s more from Lindenbaum from the release (embedded below): “We were excited to discuss ideas with other start-ups and leaders in the field … The start-up space is competitive, like snowboarding, and you want to be successful. But it’s also about seeing what’s possible, and advancing the community as a whole.”

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Former Harper’s editor Theodore Ross has written an essay at Dad Wagon about being laid off at the literary magazine–calling the current state of publishing “a depression.”

Here’s an excerpt: “I will say that Harper’s problems are hardly original among its publishing peers: the challenges it faces are structural, others stem from poor luck and an inability to plan; most, however, are clearly self-inflicted … I’m 37 years old and out of work in the middle of what, for publishing at least, is a depression. I may never again hold a job of similar prestige and seriousness of purpose. Hopefully, the book I’m working on (tentatively titled Am I a Jew, it is expected in 2012 from Hudson Street Press) will be a success by whatever lights my publisher needs to allow me to write another.”

What do you think? Last week, hundreds of Facebook users joined the new Save Harper’s Magazine cause on Facebook. (Via The Awl)

Supporters of Harper’s Magazine pledged $50,000 in a few short days through a Facebook Causes page. Last night, the group revealed that the publisher would not accept the donations.

Here’s more from the Save Harper’s Magazine site: “This afternoon, your generous pledges of more than $50,000 were rejected by lawyers representing our publisher, John R. ‘Rick’ MacArthur. Sadly, he will give no ground on the layoffs, which he intends to see happen before contract negotiations can proceed. Having offered—last week, and again today—numerous other ways to reduce costs and avoid cutting experienced staff, we are deeply disappointed in this outcome, but we are truly touched that so many of you (more than 800!) pledged so much in just a few short days.”

Last week, we wrote about this independent Facebook movement that aimed to raise funds for the magazine. 84 Harper’s Magazine writers and friends signed an open letter to the publisher supporting the unionization of the magazine’s staff and urging the publisher not to cut two editors. The publisher has since  defended his actions in another letter. (Via Sarah Weinman)

Granta editor John Freeman unveiled a Kindle edition of the literary journal in a blog post today.

Here’s an excerpt: “In thirty-one years of publishing, Granta has never come out in a different format. Ever since Bill Buford and Jonathan Levi took over Cambridge’s student literary journal and gave it new life as a paperback magazine it has been just that: a paperback quarterly full of new writing … But there is, now, a different way to get Granta. If you want to read the magazine on a Kindle, your copy can arrive in under a minute.”

The editor also confessed his own reluctance about the new format: “a world where everyone must have a $140 device to read is certainly not quite as democratic as the one we live in now.” What do you think? Full disclosure: This GalleyCat editor has written for Granta‘s website in the past.

More than 80 Harper’s Magazine writers and friends signed an open letter to publisher John “Rick” MacArthur supporting the unionization of the magazine’s staff and urging the publisher not to cut two editors. The publisher has since  defended his actions in another letter.

The 84 signatures on the original letter included: Tom Bissell, Heidi Julavits, Naomi Klein, Jonathan Lethem, and Zadie Smith. The letter asked MacArthur to seek alternative ways to reshape the magazine’s financial budget, suggesting the publisher study the models of other not-for-profit magazines.

Here’s a quote from the original letter: “Editorial costs can only be cut so far without damaging the quality of the publication … At a time when there is much chatter about the death of print, publishing a magazine as brave and creative as Harper’s Magazine verges on a sacred trust.” (Via New York Magazine & Sarah Weinman)

Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art Writing Contest is calling for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions for an annual writing contest. Three winners will receive $500 in prize money as well as a feature in the journal’s 49th issue.

Here’s more from the rules: “Contest submissions in fiction and nonfiction must be no longer than twenty double-spaced pages. Poets may send up to five individual poems for consideration, but they must be combined into a single document.”

Judges include Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Robert Olen Butler, nonfiction writer Jo Ann Beard, and poet Joanna Klink. Entries must be sent with a $12 fee and the deadline is set for January 18th.

Electric Literature has started off the year by shooting books, literally blasting titles by Jonathan Lethem, Rick Moody, and other writers.

In the video embedded above, Tom Shillue went to the Westside Pistol & Rifle Range in New York City to see how many books from 2010 could actually stop a bullet. The video was directed by Alex Markman.

Turns out 21st Century readers have little hope of protecting themselves with a book in a duel. Any suggestions for books that really could stop a bullet?

In a new web video promoting the winter issue of The Paris Review, the literary journal gets an explosive makeover–complete with an announcer that should be narrating monster truck shows.

What do you think of the web video makeover for the celebrated journal? If you liked it, you should also check out the magazine’s Jonathan Franzen mash-up video.

Here’s more about the video, from the site: “A trailer for The Paris Review’s winter issue by Paul Opperman and Aaron Mirman of the Duotone Audio Group; and Chad Sipkin and Todd Stewart of Consulate Films.”

Today  Electric Literature editor Scott Lindenbaum (pictured) introduced the literary journal’s newest venture, Electric Publisher–a licensed iPad and iPhone app platform for indie publishers and authors.

Here’s more about the project: “Electric Publisher is an affordable way for publishers and authors to create iPad/iPhone apps for a single book or their entire catalog. We’re a publisher. We built this system because we couldn’t find any app building service that met our needs … An app is a platform, and the larger a publisher can make that platform, the more powerful it can be for them. We’ve had about 20,000 downloads of our app over the past year.”

At our December 15th eBook Summit, Lindenbaum will give practical iPad app design advice during the “Digital Storytelling” portion of the conference.

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