Wendy Xu, left, and Joe Pan (all images courtesy the author)
Some exciting news on the literary front at Hyperallergic! Starting this July, the extraordinary Wendy Xu will be replacing me as poetry editor, while I take over the newly minted post of fiction editor here at the publication.
A tremendously talented poet, teacher, activist, & friend, Wendy Xu is the real deal. When I thought about who in the poetry world was really tuned-in to what’s happening now and could really push the boundaries — artistically, socially, politically — Wendy was an obvious choice for the position. I’m so happy she accepted and am positive the new work she chooses for publication will blow our minds!
Personally, I’m making the switch so that I might help bring focus to yet another art form of the many covered daily by this wonderful magazine that I love. Hrag and Veken were kind enough to ask me to join them by creating the poetry post 3.5 years ago, and in that span I’ve had the honor of publishing talents of lasting renown, such as John Ashbery and Eileen Myles, alongside some incredible works by new and emerging poets. The position changed my life in certain unexpected ways: in my search for new work, I began attending more readings, broadened my aesthetic and poetic research, familiarized myself with groups and communities I had yet to really investigate, pushed beyond my comfort zones, and was repaid by finding an incredible wealth of writing happening around me. Some poems I solicited, some came my way via email, and as Hyperallergic grew, so did the submissions. I think now is the right time, as our readership continues to expand, to help establish a place for fiction at Hyperallergic, and continue to bring great new work by well-known and emerging authors to the screens of our readers.
Thanks to all the readers for their support over the years, and the years to come. It’s also my birthday today, so cheers, here’s to celebrating everything all at once, and to beginnings.
