Talking Writing is an online literary magazine that supports writers and those interested in literature by encouraging creative discussion of the writing process.
Talking Writing features the work of poets, fiction and creative nonfiction writers, visual artists, and photographers. TW includes long reviews and personal essays, pieces that are often hard to place in print. We are committed to a new kind of magazine, one that’s dynamic, talky, inspiring, and not too dusty.
Quarterly Issues, Weekly Updates
Talking Writing publishes four issues a year. Each issue focuses on a specific theme of interest to writers, such as memoir writing or self-publishing.
One of the benefits of publishing online is that we’re able to update the TW site on a regular basis, so there’s always something new for you to read. We launch each issue with six to eight pieces. Every subsequent week during an issue cycle, we publish at least one new article, interview, poem, or short story—until the entire issue is complete. As new articles publish, their links become live on the Table of Contents.
Subscribing to TW
No, you won’t ever receive a glossy magazine in the mail. But when you sign up for a free email or RSS subscription, you’ll get a message whenever a new piece appears in TW.
Because we publish new pieces every week, a subscription means you’ll never miss new work. It’s like “following” a blog, except the content is similar to that of a traditional magazine, including feature articles by a wide variety of writers.
Why TW Is Not a Blog
By running an online magazine, we get to break lots of print rules. But the one magazine rule we don’t break is the need for editing standards and a cohesive mix of material.
While blogs are usually the product of an individual writer, Talking Writing is a magazine with a professional editorial staff. Our writers have individual points of view, but every piece that appears in TW has been shepherded by a TW editor to ensure that it fits our house style and issue theme.
Why TW Is Not a Print Magazine
We aren’t bound by a set number of pages; we don’t need to create an issue months before it publishes. We can update the TW site every week to keep our readers engaged—and reader engagement and social networking are a big part of what makes Talking Writing a new kind of magazine venue.
In order to build a thriving online community, Talking Writing invites writers and readers to participate on this site. We are stronger together—as writers, as journalists, as artists, as editors, as agents, as publishers, as devotees of quality writing—and the “talking” part of our name means we actively encourage discussion of writing issues.
Featured Comments, Talking E-News
We regularly feature comments from readers about the work published in Talking Writing. We’ve had spirited conversations on the site about everything from the fate of print to the ethics of memoir writing. Because we run images by many visual artists and photographers, we also encourage talk about all forms of creative work.
Write a thoughtful, personal response to any piece, and it may be highlighted by TW editors in “Featured Comments” updates. Comments often inspire ideas for new pieces; several Featured Commenters have gone on to write articles for Talking Writing.
We also publish a newsletter, Talking E-News, four times a year, usually during the week before a new issue launches. Talking E-News includes announcements about future issues of TW, submissions updates, and writing events.
Why TW Subscriptions Are Free
Talking Writing is an independent, nonprofit organization that relies on donations and grants. While we don’t charge for subscriptions—our core mission is to build literary community and to share quality writing—we do encourage readers to donate whatever they can to help us grow.
The TW Store provides an array of Talking Writing items for sale, from coffee mugs to notebooks, many of which include issue-related slogans. In the near future, we’ll also begin publishing e-book collections and other works to fund TW.
Because Writing Matters More than Ever
The conversation at Talking Writing gets livelier as our community grows. We’re thrilled by the wide-ranging, intelligent comments we’ve seen on the site—a form of discussion that shows just how much writing and literature still matter.
- When you sign up for a free email subscription to TW, you won’t miss any issues or updates—and you also help build TW’s audience.
- When you “like” TW’s Facebook page or retweet something from @talkingwriting, you’re sparking more literary conversation.
- When you donate to TW, you show your support for online commentary about the arts that has depth and soul.
- And when you purchase items in the TW Store, you not only financially support this magazine; you let the world know that you care about good writing.
Together we are stronger.
Talking Writing is an independent nonprofit publication. No interest group has paid us to mention the reviewed items in this magazine. The opinions expressed by TW writers are their own.
Please note that while we value freedom of speech, we do not allow comments on our site that are personal attacks on our writers or other authors, particularly anything that could be construed as libel.
We do not guarantee the accuracy of outside links, especially after a TW issue has been archived.
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"Girl Reading Newspaper" by Russell Lee, 1937, Courtesy Library of Congress
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