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03.01.04 05:51 PM
i've retired
yeah, i know i'm a little young for that. but what i've retired is my black thoughtware column on popmatters.com. turns out i didn't have enough in me to turn out those serious pieces on a timely basis, and that of course messed up the editor's schedule, which wasn't a good thing. i'll still be writing for the site though - features and other pieces instead.
they've put out a call to replace me, and i guess now that i think about it fully, i probably replaced mark anthony neal (his critical noire column there). on the home page of popmatters it reads, "PopMatters Seeks Columnist to Write on Black." personally, i think a word is missing, but here's the description: PopMatters Seeks Columnist to Write on Black
You may live in a steaming, chaotic, major metropolis, or a dry, dead-end, little town — anywhere in the world. It doesn't matter where you're standing, 'cause you're wired and watching, and your ear is tuned to the sounds around, and everywhere you look you see that color does matter.
You know how to write with smarts and style about what you and those around you are seeing and hearing and thinking and feeling. You've got a broad scope on how culture connects, conflicts, and creates — and all that noise coming in from the streets and beaming down from the satellites excites you. You are a high-caliber writer who knows how to make and back-up a statement, because you draw from it all. You tell your readers how it looks, from there — that place where you're standing, in the skin that you're wearing. You write on Black.
And if you're a Columnist for PopMatters, you've got over 600,000 unique readers monthly, who want to check out what you have to say.
Sound like your kind of gig? Then you're dedicated to deadlines and you're into give 'n take with your editor, 'cause you like to communicate. So here's how you get started: send me three magazine-style writing samples, preferably published work. In a Word doc (or .txt for Macs) — not within the body of a lengthy e-mail — write me up a column proposal; give me a defined concept that will guide you through limitless topics, because you know, the world truly is your oyster; then throw in a few column titles that you think succinctly capture that concept. Also, send me five column topics that you are eager to bring on. And finally, tell me about yourself. I'd like to get to know you.
Deadline for submissions is Saturday, March 20th. Send your application to Karen Zarker, PopMatters Columns Editor, at Zarker@PopMatters.com with the subject line, "PopMatters: Write on Black" (lest I mistake your e-mail for spam and delete it). You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your application. All writers will be notified of the status of their application by Saturday, April 3rd.
oh, my bad, it looks like they do really want someone to write on black. i swear, i really don't know what that means. anyway, i'm sure there's loads of you out there, reading this right now, who'd love to jump on the opportunity. if you mention my name, i don't know where it'll get you. remember birds of a feather flock together, and um, i had a problem being able to work within a scheduled enviornment. so i don't think you want to be affiliated with that crap. but a mention of my name, might turn out to be a good thing.
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Comments
Oh, dang I didn't see this post.
You retired the black thoughtware column?
Oh well, it was a good column. Those three write-ups were very enlightening.
Enjoy your retirement.
Mark Anthony Neal stop writing for pop matters? No way.
Dang. Where have our black intellectuals gone to?
Keep doing your thing. Keep on pushin'.
posted by Trent | March 2, 2004 11:14 PM #
Write on Black?
What the hell does that mean?
Do they mean urban?
Urban Cool?
I love it when editors try to get hip with the wordplays.
**shaking my head**
posted by "Write On Paper" Trent | March 2, 2004 11:23 PM #
no MAN didn't retire from popmatters - he used to have his critical noire column there, now it appears on africana.com. he still writes features for popmatters.com.
the 50 cent piece i wrote was a feature. the black thoughtware column was retired, but i will continue to write for them. just couldn't seem to keep up with a columns publishing schedule.
posted by lynne | March 2, 2004 11:28 PM #