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Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Top Ten Page Views for August 2008
August's top ten is a great example of why I'm such a huge fan of publishing online versus print publishing. Alexandra Fox's story was the most viewed piece of the month, with over 1000 page views last month. And it was published three years ago. And how did this come to pass? Apparently, somewhere along the way, it got tagged on StumbleUpon, and so users of that service wound up being directed to this work quite often. Lots of new readers for a story from 2005. When's the last time you saw print do that?1. (NR) A Deep Desire for Blue by Alexandra Fox (6/15/05)
2. (3) The Folk Singer Dreams of Time Machines by Matt Bell (6/15/08)
3. (1) We Decided to Make Porn by Brian Allen Carr (6/15/08)
4. (2) Paper Mouse by Bob Arter (6/15/08)
5. (NR) This Is What You Left Behind by Tod Goldberg (3/15/07)
6. (8) The Cougar by Dave Clapper (6/15/08)
7. (6) Disease Relics by Blake Butler (6/15/08)
8. (4) Ten Very Short Stories by John Leary (3/15/07)
9. (7) Pornography by Steve Almond (6/15/05)
10. (5) The Bone Orchard by Randall Brown (6/15/08)
One other quick note: for the month, we had 96,892 page views, shattering our previous monthly record. Holy cow.
Labels: Alexandra Fox, Blake Butler, Bob Arter, Brian Allen Carr, Dave Clapper, John Leary, Matt Bell, Randall Brown, SmokeLong Quarterly, Steve Almond, Tod Goldberg, Top Ten
posted by Dave Clapper at 5:41 PM 0 commentsWednesday, August 13, 2008
Top Ten Page Views for July 2008
Last month was a huge month for the latest issue: nine of the top ten were from Issue 21. And total page views for the month was a big number again: 87,560. Looks like this year we aren't have the usual summer slump in visitors to the site. Woo!1. (7) We Decided to Make Porn by Brian Allen Carr (6/15/08)
2. (5) Paper Mouse by Bob Arter (6/15/08)
3. (3) The Folk Singer Dreams of Time Machines by Matt Bell (6/15/08)
4. (2) Ten Very Short Stories by John Leary (3/15/07)
5. (6) The Bone Orchard by Randall Brown (6/15/08)
6. (4) Disease Relics by Blake Butler (6/15/08)
7. (1) Pornography by Steve Almond (6/15/05)
8. (NR) The Cougar by Dave Clapper (6/15/08)
9. (NR) Real Estate by Bonnie ZoBell (6/15/08)
10. (NR) Pen and Notebook by Natalie Goldberg (6/15/08)
Labels: Blake Butler, Bob Arter, Bonnie ZoBell, Brian Allen Carr, Dave Clapper, John Leary, Matt Bell, Natalie Goldberg, Randall Brown, Steve Almond, Top Ten
posted by Dave Clapper at 2:55 PM 0 commentsMonday, April 21, 2008
examiner.com
I've just started covering the Seattle literary scene for examiner.com. Check it out. And if you have Seattle lit news you'd like shared, let me know!
Labels: Dave Clapper, examiner.com
posted by Dave Clapper at 12:15 PM 1 commentsSaturday, March 29, 2008
Fremd High School Writer's Week Wrapup
I've been meaning to post about Writer's Week for some time. I've had difficulty finding the words to summarize what a great experience it was. Yesterday, however, I found a thick packet of letters from students in my mailbox. Rather than use my own words, I'm going to borrow some of theirs, which moved me more than my own ever could:
"Thank you so much for speaking at Writer's Week. You just happened to be the first author I saw, and I was glad I did. Being a freshman, I had originally thought that getting to see authors was another way for teachers to assign more homework. But I remember how you started out saying you were Fremd's mascot, and you wrote about sex. This made me laugh, and made me realize this week was going to be fun."
"I like writing, but I don't really write that often. But now after your presentation I feel more motivated to write. I don't mean write for English class, but write to show my creativity and express myself."
"I've always been told to write what I know. However, what I know is not what is generally considered as socially acceptable: drugs, sexual and physical abuse, teen pregnancy. However, hearing your writing and some of the topics they cover hast taught me that I can break the social norms and still be accepted by my peers."
"I liked the fact that you went to Fremd, so you could tell stories about your years here. It was entertaining to hear that you were THE Fremd Viking and that you were able to show us a picture of you all dressed up."
"For the past 9 years of my life I've been learning all the rules of writing. You told me to break them. I'm pretty sure all my previous English teachers would not be happy with you. I tried writing without paying attention to the rules and I was happy with the outcome. Thank you for that tip. I think writing is a way to express yourself, and if everyone wrote by the rules, all writing would be the same. I think breaking the rules makes you stand out from everyone else. It captures people's attention."
"I also enjoyed how you told it like it is, like when you said you couldn't swear even though we're saying worse things in the halls and our parents just want to pretend we aren't."
"SmokeLong Quarterly also seemed interesting because of what happens when a piece gets published. Having an artist read your piece and designing a specific piece of artwork for that work seemed appealing to my ears. I hope that one day I might get published in your online literary magazine."
"I think it is a nice thing to publish students' writing. There are so many opportunities that are not given to teenagers. Thank you for helping us get our dreams in reach. I cannot wait to see you next year if you are coming."
"I really liked your quote when you said, 'If there is something you want, just go for it and don't let anyone get in the way.' That was very inspiring and familiar because that is exactly what my father tells me. So when I heard those words, it made me sit up in my chair."
"I loved how you talked about failing, however never giving up because writing is your passion. I also liked how you shared with us that everything didn't always go smoothly, and that sometimes you are going to face disappointments. I believe this is not only true in writing, but in life altogether. These things truly inspried me to follow my dreams, too."
"Some of your pieces were really funny, especially Stupid's Rising Up. I found that piece funny because of the way you described how people don't really think about what they are going to say before they speak. This is very true for most people because they just blurt out what they think or how they feel and that isn't always the best choice."
"It's nice to know that there's someone somewhere out there that actually understands that highschoolers aren't the innocent little angels our parents want us to be. You understand that we can take it We can be mature (when we want to be) and that we know more about the world than we are expected to know or even should."
"I liked some of the short stories you read to us, especially the one about the boy and the girl who experimented together and got pregnant. The story was pretty deep in that it covered a very serious situation that might arise in the world of today. Much of the details were left to the imagination of the reader, which adds to the experience and allows everybody to think thwat they would see as best in a story. The way which they interpret the story could also say a lot about them."
"Also, I want to let you know that I have visited your website and found some very good stories. Another question that I have is how do your parents feel about you writing? Do they support you and your writing or do they disapprove?"
"Though I had haven't had a chance to read any of your books yet, I am looking forward to reading them. The fact that you couldn't read them on stage has a strange purpose for me because now I HAVE to read it."
"I want to be a nurse practitioner and I needed a little push to get motivated because it's a lot of schoolwork and I wasn't sure if I could have done it. But when you kept on saying things like never giving up throughout your performance, it made me feel better about myself. I feel that I can become a nurse practitioner and that I can do it."
"I also thought it was cool that you were the Fremd Viking and went to school in these very halls. When you said, 'the cat-walk is the best make-out spot,' I found it hilarious and could not stop laughing."
"I hope that in the future you are able to come back and present again to those who are younger than I am, and influence them the way you influenced me."
"I wanted to take a minute and thank you for coming to speak at Fremd. And although you may not have realized it, you really inspired me and helped me realize that writing could still bea part of my life. So thank you for the impact you had on even one student here at Fremd."
"I also liked when you said, 'Follow whatever it is that you really like, and follow it passionately.' I really liked it because it got me thinking about my future and what I wand to do with my life. I learned from you that I need to give one hundred and ten percent in everything I do so that I can have the opportunity to do what I want with my life."
"I can relate to you in ways because I used to do theatre and I still play in band but I play sports, too. So I don't think you have to be a dork to be in the theatre productions or anything. I thought it was cool how you were just willing to say, 'Why yes, I was a very big dork in high school.'"
"i have to say your stores were so deep that they made me want to know more and more. The stories had such real poeple and such feeling that you would feel sucked into it. I still wonder what those people are doing now if they are real or unreal."
"I always wondered what the process of getting published was like and it's very interesting how difficult it was. It's good to know though, that I can just go on your website if I wanted to find out more about it. Is it hard to decide which people to publish?"
"I also love how you said don't be afraid to break the rules. I came form a strict Catholic school before Fremd and I feel like I can get away with anything when it comes to writing now."
"Not to mention that you are reading poems about teenagers losing their viriginity, On the Berm This is not a topic most adults are comfortable talking about with this type of audience. I am really glad that you did read this poem; it isn't ever day that you get to see the vulnerability boys feel in high school or the other side of sex. The side that isn't about passion or lust but about connecting with someone you trust and care about. How you got my peers to act so mature while you openly spoke about a topic that is so touchy I don't think I will ever fully understand."
"It is always exciting to see past Fremd graduates that have done something very cool after high school and visit the school again. This helps me know that I can also become successful at the things I love to do, just as you do with writing."
"I love the fact that you said how you like when people break the rules of writing on purpose and I just thought that was so cool."
That's one snippet from each of the letters I received. Some of the things in the letters that I haven't shared here particularly moved me, in how much of their personal lives they allowed me to see. In particular, the letter with the quote about "write what I know" blew me away. I am deeply humbled and grateful for the trust that was in all of these letters, but particularly that one.
The entire experience was amazing. I may yet write more about it from my own recollections, but for now, the students have done an excellent job of summarizing much of it for me. Thank you, all of you, so much for your letters. And thanks, too, to Gary Anderson and Tony Romano and all the staff at Fremd for putting together this amazing event and allowing me to present at it.
Labels: Dave Clapper, Fremd High School, Gary Anderson, Tony Romano, Writer's Week
posted by Dave Clapper at 12:25 PM 1 commentsWednesday, February 13, 2008
Pecha Kucha recap
I'd hoped to have a picture or two to go with this post, but haven't received any yet. If and when I get some, I'll add them in. So... I couldn't stay for the entire event last night, so I missed about half the presenters. To be fair to all the presenters, then, I won't be giving an account of the other presentations. Rather, I'll be focusing more on what I presented. The them of the night was "Love," and while I kept that in mind while selecting stories to read, our authors aren't typically writing the kind of stuff you'd see in Valentine's Day cards. So my first criterion in selecting pieces was how strongly they opened. Since the format provides for only 20 seconds of reading of each piece, I wanted to ensure that every piece I read had some sort of hook to pull the reader (or in this case, the listener) in pretty quickly. I selected one piece from each of our first 18 issues. I also made the list without repeating any authors. Because we haven't done artwork to wallpaper size (or even for every single piece in the early issues), I enlisted Ellen Parker's help in creating artwork for each of these. For writers interested in studying strong openers or for attendees of last night's event who'd like to read the pieces in their entirety, here's the list (in the order they were read, from issue 1 through 18):1: Neighborhood Watch, Nance Knauer
2: Must Sign for Delivery, Jade Walker
3: Metallic, Ellen Parker
4: Remembering Elizabeth, Bob Arter
5: Gilda, Patricia Parkinson
6: 201 Feet, Andrew Tibbetts
7: All Over Again, Tom Jackson
8: He Wrote Sixteen Pencils Empty, Daphne Buter
9: Irvin Hammers a Cat House, Mike Young
10: Five Fat Men in a Hot Tub, Jeff Landon
11: A Blind Dog Named Killer and a Colony of Bees, Mary Miller
12: Ally's First Step, Paul Silverman
13: Daffodil, Kathy Fish
14: Vandals, Jennifer A. Howard
15: Copenhagen, Fred Spears
16: Heaven by the Highwayside, Mike Amato
17: My First Two-Headed Boy, Veronica Thorn
18: Display, Davin Malasarn
I had a great time once again, this time presenting first, rather than last. This meant that the audience was much larger, but also considerably more sober. For more information on Pecha Kucha, check out the official website. Special thanks to Ellen especially for her artwork, Ana Pinto da Silva for organizing the whole shebang, and Jamie Drzayich for picking up the flying pages. Can't wait to do it all again some time.
Labels: Dave Clapper, Pecha Kucha, Seattle, SmokeLong Quarterly
posted by Dave Clapper at 3:30 PM 1 commentsWednesday, February 06, 2008
Pecha Kucha Seattle v.05
I need to get caught up on posting about a LOT of publications that have new issues out, and will try to do that in the next few days. Right now, though, my focus is on getting ready for the next Pecha Kucha, coming up on February 12. I'll be reading 20 seconds each of one story per issue from our first 18 issues (since last time, I did all of issue 19). Because of the format, I've looked much harder at how quickly a story catches my eye. The amount of text that can be read aloud in 20 seconds isn't much, so it really requires that the author grab attention as quickly as possible. It's making me appreciate that much more those authors who have great strength in openings. Once I've decided which stories I'll be reading from, I'll post links to them all here, both because I think it's valuable for writers to look at strong openers, and so that folks who hear the pieces read at Pecha Kucha can quickly find links to read the rest of the stories that may have piqued their interest.There will be ten presenters this time, and it looks like an incredible lineup. If you happen to be in Seattle next week, it's a great event to add to your calendar. The image here is a link to the poster (which is gorgeous—kudos to Ana Pinto da Silva).
Here're the details:
Tuesday, February 12th
6:00 PM
See Sound Lounge
115 Blanchard St, Seattle, WA
Theme: LOVE
Presenters:
Linda Carlin, Senior Design Analyst, Frog Design
David Harrell, Fellow, Royal Institute of Public Health
John Grade, Artist, Seeps of Winter/Suyama Space
Allan Packer, Artist, Davidson Contemporary
Jon Taylor, Architect/Artist, Callison
Alex Maxim, Knowledge Manager, NBBJ
Dave Clapper, Editor, Smokelong Quarterly
David Ho, Architect, Gensler
Ryan Matthew Smith, Photographer
Shannon Wells & Jed Dunkerley, Slideluck Potshow
Labels: Dave Clapper, Pecha Kucha, Seattle, SmokeLong Quarterly
posted by Dave Clapper at 10:17 AM 1 commentsWednesday, December 12, 2007
Pecha Kucha Seattle recap
So I did the Pecha Kucha thing last night. I didn't know entirely what to expect, having never been to one before. I have to give huge props to Ana Pinto da Silva, who heads up the organization team for Pecha Kucha Seattle. My impression from visiting the official international site is that most volumes of Pecha Kucha in the world (currently in 80 cities, and growing) focus a whole lot on architecture and design. Ana and her team managed to put together a wildly diverse roster:Matthew Landkammer - Painter
Lulu Smith - Jewelry Designer
Myra Ganong-Varadi - Animal Rights Activist
Sage K. Saskill - Architect with S.A.G.E. Designs NW on sustainability (the bus depicted here once served as his home)
Aaron Briggs - Architectural Designer, on his trip to India
Gummi Brynjarsson - Photographer from Iceland
Sheila Siden - Fundraiser for Artist Trust
Ingrid Harten - Pathologist, researcher of Progeria Syndrome
Dave Clapper - that'd be me
For those unfamiliar with the format of Pecha Kucha (as I was), each presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds each and may verbalize in any way they wish during that time. Most of the presenters last night (but for a very few) spoke extemporaneously about the images in their slides and how they related to their larger theme. In my case, the first two slides were off-the-cuff discussions about SmokeLong in general, and about the upcoming issue specifically. And then I let folks know that my nose would be buried in text and that they should holler when the slides changed. For the next 18 slides, I read as much as I could of each of the 15 stories in our upcoming issue, as well as the first 20 seconds each of Nadine Darling's Aquarium, Melanie Rae Thon's Translation, and my own Spike. Resonance. (which, of course, has never been in SmokeLong, but I had the microphone, right?).
It was a blast. I went last and a lot of the crowd had cleared out by then, so the audience was fairly small, but they were really enthusiastic, for which I'm very thankful. They hollered as requested, and each time they whooped, I tossed aside the page I'd been reading from (often mid-sentence) and moved on to the next. The effect was often humorous, as the tone from piece to piece varied wildly, and where many of the presentations had a certain calm to them, my presentation was more frenetic. At the end of the twenty seconds of the twentieth slide, someone yelled out, "Keep reading!" Thank you, kind person, whoever you are. You were far too kind. But it would've been unbalanced to have given Benjamin Weissman more time than the other authors, so I thanked everyone and urged them to read the full issue when it comes out on Saturday.
Lots and lots and lots of fun. Ana has invited me to present again at the next edition, which will take place in February. The theme of that night will be love (it's happening a few days before Valentine's Day). For last night's, since we have an issue coming out so soon, the timing seemed perfect to do a sneak preview. For the next, we'll still be about a month away from our publication date, so our lineup won't be completely set. So...
What SmokeLong stories make you think of the theme love? I have some ideas, but I want to hear yours.
Labels: Aaron Briggs, Dave Clapper, Gummi Brynjarsson, Ingrid Harten, Lulu Smith, Matthew Landkammer, Myra Ganong-Varadi, Pecha Kucha, Sage K. Saskill, Seattle, Sheila Siden, SmokeLong Quarterly
posted by Dave Clapper at 3:28 PM 1 commentsTuesday, December 04, 2007
Seattle Pecha Kucha Vol.04
As one of the presenters at Pecha Kucha, I'll be offering a sneak preview of our December 15 issue. If you're in Seattle, come by for drinks and fun and say hello, won't ya?
Labels: Dave Clapper, Pecha Kucha, Seattle, SmokeLong Quarterly
posted by Dave Clapper at 10:52 AM 2 commentsTuesday, November 27, 2007
Pecha Kucha Seattle
I'm going to be presenting a sneak preview of the next issue on December 11 at an event in Seattle called Pecha Kucha. The organizer of the event just told me that two presenters had to bow out and she's looking for folks to jump in. Pecha Kucha started as a format in which architects could present their designs quickly to an inebriated audience. It's expanded substantially from its original discipline, and the Seattle Pecha Kucha is especially focused on a broad range of arts.
Each presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds each, during which (s)he can offer whatever commentary, performance, music, etc. (s)he deems appropriate. For more about Pecha Kucha, check out pecha-kucha.org.
If anyone might be interested in appearing at a very presentational (and fun--with drinks!) event, or if anyone knows of someone who might be interested in this, shoot me an email at dclapper@smokelong.com and I'll email back with more details on how it all works.
Thanks!
(I'll post a full line-up, location, time, and other details as more info is finalized.)
Labels: Dave Clapper, Pecha Kucha, Seattle, SmokeLong Quarterly
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