2025.09.DisappearingMoment
In September, I started learning about literary journals. These are publications that feature fiction, poetry, essays, or visual art. Most are online, a few publish in print, some do both.
For writers, deciding where to submit a short story can feel overwhelming. There are several thousand journals.
Each has its own schedule for accepting submissions. Some won’t consider your work unless you pay them a small fee.
They want you to read other stories they’ve published to make sure your style fits their taste. That saves them from spending time on stories they won’t like. It’s also good for writers. We want our work grouped with stories that are likely to appeal to the same readers.
The journals don’t want you to submit work that’s appeared anywhere else. This is tricky.
The journals with more readers and recognition are more selective.
If you want readers and recognition, you want these journals to publish your work.
Getting into these journals increases the likelihood of your other stories getting published. Journals pay attention to a writer’s publications.
You don’t tell a journal that accepts your story that you want to see if a more selective journal will publish it. As a writer, you get one publication per story. At best.
The most selective journals get hundreds of submissions each year, sometimes thousands. Many of their reviewers and editors are undergraduate or graduate students or volunteers.
Neither writers nor editors nor publishers make a living publishing short stories. They do it because they believe that well crafted narrative art is good and useful. It helps us understand each other. It helps us see ourselves.
In honor of their work, I’ve added a new section to this newsletter. Each month I’ll write a few words about a literary journal.
Welcome to September 2025’s Disappearing Moment, an inventory of my experiences. I hope you enjoy it.
Podcasts
Once again, I don’t have any podcasts to review. Some of the podcasts that I may review soon include, Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meetings (since 1994), A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, The Ladies Speak, Note to Self’s Bored and Brilliant series, and This Message Is for You. If there are others that you recommend, please let me know.
Nerdy Software
I like lists for communicating or interpreting information. Most narrative lists should be alphabetical. I use WordCounter’s Alphabetize Tool to save time during editing.
Free Font
Old Timey Mono has gravitas and kitsch. As will I someday.
Bougie Products
I have two brothers-in-law: each one gave me a wok last holiday season. I also got two Grace Young books. It’s all too beautiful.
Personal Finance and Investing
Make lists of what you want to buy. "Shopping" is free, and militates against regret. As Jonathan Clement (RIP) advised, use anticipation to increase gratification.
Reading
Rivka Galchen, “The Mystery of the Cat Mystery” (I Liked It): I tend to avoid anything about AI, parenting, pets, violence, and several other topics. I’m glad I didn’t skip this one.
Charles Antony Richard Hoare, “The Emperor's Old Clothes” (I Liked It): Make things 1) so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, or 2) so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. Committees always choose wrong.
Siliva Maggi, “Labour of Love” (I Liked It): Gonna wash Substack right outta my website.
Bruce Schneier, “Digital Threat Modeling Under Authoritarianism” (I Liked It): Maybe we just stopped trying.
Becky Tuch, “And You Turn Yourself Around” (I Loved It): I’ve read a lot of short stories this month. This is the one that stayed with me.
Literary Journal
Halfway Down the Stairs experiments with process to improve relationships. It's all rooted in joy, empathy, and courage. Their collections reflect their approach.
There were 8 responses to last month’s question, which was, “How many text-based newsletter or blog subscriptions do you have?”:
0 (0)
1–5 (5)
6–10 (2)
11–25 (1)
26–50 (0)
More than 50 (0)
I’m an outlier on this one: I subscribe to 85 feeds in NetNewsWire, and another 15 or 20 email newsletters for work. To the extent that I’m informed, this is how I do it.
I never use social media. I learn how my friends and family are by asking them. I don’t watch live television or listen to the radio. I read a couple of stories on news sites every week or two. I don’t read physical or digital newspapers or magazines, except The Retrospect. None of the several dozen podcasts that I subscribe to release episodes more than weekly.
I’m not suggesting that any of this is right for you. I am pointing out that it’s possible. I read at least a few hours each day. I cast informed votes in every election. I donate my time, and Beth and I donate as much money as we can. My employer pays me to support social services and advocate for a more just world. I spend a lot of time interacting with friends and family in person, via text and email, and using real-time voice or video. Your interactions with the people who care about you can be intentional and individual. Humans organized events, traded goods, celebrated birthdays, and supported each other before Zuckerberg swallowed our souls.
You don’t have to be cool or know anything about famous people. You don’t have to invite constant bombardment. You don’t have to surrender your money or privacy to shitheads. You don’t have to be perfect to do better. You can work toward reducing harm and behaving like an ally. You can resist. You can opt-out.
X-Clacks-Overhead
When I read about X-Clacks-Overhead, I knew it would be a good way to honor some of the librarians that I most admire. Pick anyone from this list and learn about them. You will be glad that you did.
Regina Andrews
Augusta Braxton Baker
Arna Bontemps
Jorge Luis Borges
Doris Hargrett Clack
Mayme Agnew Clayton
Charles Cutter
A. Brian Deer
Sara “Sadie” Marie Peterson Delaney
Margaret Egan
Virginia Proctor Powell Florence
Eliza Atkins Gleason
Vivian G. Harsh
Agnes Inglis
Clara Stanton Jones
Virginia Lacy Jones
E. J. Josey
Judith Krug
Catherine Latimer
Nella Larsen
Mollie Huston Lee
Virginia Lee
Audre Lorde
Clifford Lynch
Miriam Matthews
Annie Lou McPheeters
Effie Lee Morris
Margaret Cross Norton
Christopher Okigbo
Paul Otlet
Annette Lewis Phinazee
Dorothy B. Porter
Barbara Rose Johns Powell
S. R. Ranganathan
Charlemae Hill Rollins
Ernestine Rose
Jesse Hauk Shera
Henrietta Mays Smith
Anne Bethel Spencer
Lucille Cole Thomas
Arnulfo Duenes Trejo
Alice S. Tyler
Adelaide Underhill
Wallace Van Jackson
Sarah K. Vann
Althea Warren
Edward C. Williams
Charles Williamson
Ella Gaines Yates
Shen Zurong
Thank you for spending a few moments with me. I appreciate you and look forward to corresponding again next month.
Brett
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No large language models were used in the production of the Disappearing Moment newsletter or website (inspired by RFC 9518 Appendix A ¶ 4 and Tantek Çelik).