Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Rhetorical analysis of "Memoir Journal"


1.       analysis of the editors' description of essays accepted by the journal/magazine

Memoir Journal advances the art of memoir by publishing established and emerging authors and artists and by providing community outreach and education.
2.       characterization of the "niche" your publication fits in terms of audience and purpose
Memoir Journal is a slick, commercial venture that charges an annual subscription fee. The fee is reduced for writers who submit works.

3.       description of representative essays published in the targeted venue; this description should take into consideration:
  • subject matter - include authors' perspectives (politics) as well as assessment of the material at hand
  • voice/tone – note the publications ethos/identity preferences, as well as preferences for humor, political commentary, “political correctness,” serious reflection, etc
  • form - the journal's preferences in terms of modes of writing, segmented forms, experimental writing and/or other features
  • artistry – report how literary, journalistic, narrative, etc. essays in the journal tend to be
  • length

Handout:  Each group member should create a handout for their chosen publication.  The handout should provide sections detailing features 1-3 listed above.  It should also include information about:

Memoir publishes two issues per year, with two reading periods
·         reading dates
The current reading period, November 1 to February 1, is open. The full submission information is set forth on the website

·         manuscript requirements,



·         number of essays accepted per publication,
·         pay,
·         and anything else a potential author might want to know.
No reading fee is charged, although there is a contest with a fee. What I found interesting is that you may submit a piece for critique for a nominal fee.

No comments:

Post a Comment