Muse /A is a deconstructed museum (musee), a clever diversion (amuse), and a source of inspiration (the Alpha, the genesis ‘A’, the kid A). Like Tom Sawyer, its editors thinks a lit mag is nothing without STYLE. Visual art is therefore a central concern, which is not always the case with lit mags. Even the backslash is a typographic hint, a trace of what matters to use, our slant.

Our tag line is: ALWAYS /CURRENT. I don’t know, I just made that up. It means we’re interesting in poetry that works now, that is styled to speak to now. If we feel that writing isn’t unique in some way, we’re not sure it’s staying ‘on time’. It’s probably not for us.

To bring beauty to the world. To make people smile. To divert attention from our shitty world and back onto our infinitely beautiful world.

I’d like to see Muse /A attract devoted artists who want to do something different and relevant.

I just wanted to make unique spaces for poetry and visual art. The vision included a community component. I was driven in some ways by the linoleum-rich spaces in which poetry was often exhibited. Shitty bars with boring readings going on. Events at Barnes & Noble with seven people where the author doesn’t sell any books and reads something from her phone and hasn’t even practiced.

I think the books of PubGen are beautiful, have been crafted attentively. It’s like hanging pictures in a classy, intentional, respected space—if we’re talking museums. But it’s also the community building that Adam’s been spearheading for years and years.

• Elevated design.
• Lyrical beauty.
• Inventiveness.
• Connection.
• Representation

Put together, cooky, clever, good hair, crooked gait.

The urbane socialites of the New York literati AND the drowsy headed hipster AND the the MFA with the horned-rims AND the Reebox with the straps.

Money. Time to complete tasks. Field hands who can commit to they craft.

We’re smart and experienced with letters. We are open-minded and can be patient–”stick around”.

A lot of lit mags and small presses don’t have talent through the whole process. Brands like YesYes are run by lots of people with talent, but not just talent with the poetry or with the visual art or with book-making. They do everything well. I think

I think our competitors have been in the game longer and have developed a consistent product. Many have an extensive style guide. Many have attracted good talent to fill their pages. Some have independent funding or are, at the very least, way ahead. Like a new restaurant that’s still trying to fill up, it doesn’t matter how good the food is yet. But the food isn’t as good as I’d like it to be. Not yet.

Ninth Letter.

Elephant Journal (the art mag).

Almost all of them are done by design creatives.

Outside of monkey-shit brown and hot pink, I’m pretty open.

I like the content of the Times Book Review. It’s consistent and readable and I can count on something interesting being there EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It doesn’t waste time calling attention to itself. In some ways, that’s a luxury of being a frontrunner with an established thing. I know when I read the Times website it’s going to eminently readable and well designed. Boston Review is going to be solid. Unlike those outlets, there isn’t likely to be much experimentation, no surprising poetry. I don’t expect the Book Review to suddenly review a bunch of chapbooks, though I think that would be cool.  

All of it and then some. I don’t think Muse /A is done becoming what it wants to be. I’d love to have a better CNF presence. I like what RP does too.