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COUNCIL OF LITERARY MAGAZINES AND PRESSES INVITES ONLINE PUBLISHERS TO APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP

New York City NY -- The Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, (CLMP) a service organization for independent literary book and magazine publishers, has announced plans to extend membership to online publishers of literature. Previously, CLMP membership was available only to those literary magazines and presses publishing in traditional print media.

Recognizing the wealth of fine literature being produced on the web, and that print and online publishing technologies are converging, CLMP's Board of Directors has voted to admit online publishers as members.

The first three online publishers to be accepted for membership into CLMP are:

THE CAMDEN ONLINE POETRY PROJECT -- http://www.pbq.rutgers.edu
which includes PAINTED BRIDE QUARTERLY, (PBQ) a former print journal gone wired

POETRY DAILY -- http://www.poems.com
an anthology of contemporary poetry which each day offers subscribers a new poem from books, magazines, and journals currently in print.

and FRIGATE: THE TRANSVERSE REVIEW OF BOOKS -- http://www.frigatezine.com
which publishes book reviews and essays, and currently features a poetry anthology under the theme "Work."

According to Painted Bride senior editor Daniel Nestor, the transition from print to electronic format is "like Dylan going electric. Some people love it and some people hate it." But, CLMP notes, nearly all literary publishers see new technologies as opportunities for growth.

"Many magazines and presses are turning to web publishing to alleviate and sometimes altogether eliminate the main cost of publishing: the printer's bill," CLMP observes. "Additionally, the web provides new distribution channels, which is especially beneficial as small press and literary magazine distributors have limited distribution opportunities. Still, many online publishers are not abandoning their print roots completely, and some have plans to publish an annual print edition featuring the best-of writings from the web."

CLMP, which was founded in 1967 as the Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines, adding presses to its constituency in 1989, has recently developed new resources and services that are useful to web and print publishers alike -- including its website, online discussion boards, a hyperlinked membership directory, a newswire service, and an annual membership meeting.

"With CLMP as a nexus of communication, new online members will add to the dialogue, promoting shared learning across the field of literary publishing," they note.

Membership requirements for online membership in CLMP will remain largely the same as those for print publishers -- open to U.S.-based noncommercial publishers who are primarily literary in nature; have published at least one issue to date; publish at least once a year on an ongoing basis; do not charge authors a fee; are not self-publishers or genre publishers; state a copyright policy; have demonstrated efforts to reach their audiences; and who meet considerations of editorial and production quality.

For more information, visit the CLMP website at http://www.clmp.org

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