Rhetorical Analysis - Blackbird

Rhetorical Analysis of Publication Venues

Analysis of Editor’s Description of Essays

Blackbird is published twice a year.

“Frequently questions arise about the Blackbird aesthetic: what do we look for in work, what do we decry—do we adhere to a defined manifesto, or allow ourselves to drift with prevailing winds of taste? Most often, we answer those questions with questions ourselves: what do you garner from reading us, what have you noticed? Occasionally, as we read through what we’ve chosen, we run across some of our own preoccupations and predilections with a sense of surprise.”

“While it is true that excellence can be differently defined and construed, our primary definition will be this: Beyond simple obvious criteria such as “well written in a variety of technical senses,” and “original in terms of subject and style,” excellent writing challenges traditions in profound ways, and is radical insofar as it is aware of its own origins in tradition and seeks to expand the boundaries of the realm of discourse of which it is a part. The editors are committed to seeking out such writing and to encouraging and challenging writers to produce it.”

These are the requirements to submit a piece of writing:

Poetry: send up to six poems at a time. Single-space, please; set your poem as you want it to appear on the printed page.
Fiction: Double-space, please. We primarily look for short stories, but novel excerpts are acceptable if self-contained.
Nonfiction: Double-space, please. We primarily look for personal essays, but memoir excerpts are acceptable if self-contained. Unsolicited book reviews and criticism are not considered.
Gallery: Plays are accepted. We do not accept unsolicited visual artwork at this time.
General Guidelines
• Send one prose piece or two to six poems at a time, and please mail genres separately.
• Blackbird does not accept previously published work.
• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable as long as they are indicated as such and we are immediately notified upon acceptance elsewhere.
• Translations are welcome as long as permissions have been obtained from the author.
• Email submissions are strongly preferred, though Blackbird will accept submissions by regular mail.




Description of Representative Essays (nonfiction)

“Season of Miracles” by Constance Adler
The length of this essay is very long. There were some parts that could be cut out to shorten the essay and keep the reader interested rather than phasing in and out. The writer uses several details and expands on each element in depth. The writer discusses several examples which can be a little confusing to the reader. Nonetheless, the writer does try to provide many instances and elaborate on them as well as provide description.



“Larry Levis – The Poet & His Prose” by Christopher Buckley
The length of this essay is shorter than the last. It is a tribute to Larry Levis and provides reasoning why this poet is so great. The writer wants the reader to understand why Larry is a man of intelligence and genius. The reader understands from the writer’s details of bragging about Larry and his creativity. The writer is trying to persuade the reader of the greatness of Larry Levis. Since the writer is not talking about himself, it is a little hard to follow since the essay is about someone else, however the writer does a great job providing elaborated examples of the creativity of Larry.

Characterization of the “Niche”

“While online media are still experimental tools for literary publication and no one can be certain exactly what kinds of differences they will make in linking writers and audiences, it is our assumption that one fundamental editorial principle applies in this realm as it does in the print realm. That sole principle is excellence. Writing published by this journal will be the very best available, and it is the first responsibility of the editors—by selective solicitation, and by intelligent winnowing—to make certain that this is always the case. Each issue of Blackbird will be permanently archived online. We are also committed to the principle that writers should be paid for their work.”