Electric Literature

Electric Literature
Name	Electric Literature
Founded	2009
Founders	John Oakes; Andy Hunter; Scott Lindenbaum
Country	United States
Headquarters	New York City
Language	English
Focus	Contemporary fiction; short stories; literary innovation

Electric Literature

Electric Literature is an independent literary nonprofit and publishing organization founded in 2009 in New York City. It produces magazines, book series, and digital projects that promote contemporary fiction and short-form literature while engaging with literary communities and readers across the United States. The organization collaborates with authors, literary magazines, independent bookstores, and festivals to expand access to fiction in innovative formats.

History

Electric Literature was established in 2009 by John Oakes, Andy Hunter, and Scott Lindenbaum following experiences at small presses and magazines in New York City and Los Angeles. Early activity aligned with trends visible in the 2000s literary landscape such as online magazines like The Believer, print journals like Granta, and nonprofit ventures like Poetry Foundation. Its founding coincided with initiatives by institutions including MacArthur Foundation-funded projects and cultural programs at National Endowment for the Arts that emphasized digital experimentation. Over subsequent years the organization intersected with events including the Brooklyn Book Festival, collaborations with independent bookstores such as McNally Jackson Books and The Strand, and participation in conferences hosted by entities like Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

Mission and Programs

Electric Literature's stated mission focuses on publishing fiction, amplifying underrepresented voices, and experimenting with formats to reach new readers. Programmatic activity has been comparable to efforts by nonprofit publishers such as Graywolf Press, literary nonprofits like The New York Review of Books' outreach programs, and digital projects from institutions including The New Yorker's online features. Core programs include editorial initiatives, reading series akin to those at Poets & Writers, partnerships with university creative writing departments such as Columbia University School of the Arts, and community outreach similar to projects backed by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Publications and Imprints

Electric Literature publishes a flagship magazine and a range of book series and imprints. Its editorial output exists alongside independent imprints like Farrar, Straus and Giroux, small-press catalogues such as Akashic Books, and short-fiction outlets comparable to Tin House. Notable series and curated collections feature contributions from authors associated with prizes and institutions including the PEN/Faulkner Award, Man Booker Prize, and the National Book Award. The organization has issued themed anthologies and single-author projects that appear in the same marketplace as works from Vintage Books, Ecco Press, and university presses including Harvard University Press.

Digital Initiatives and Online Presence

From inception, the organization emphasized web-native presentation, mobile reading features, and social-media engagement, paralleling digital strategies deployed by BuzzFeed's literary verticals and magazine websites such as Slate. Projects have included serialized fiction, curated reading lists, and email-driven book clubs akin to programs run by Book of the Month Club. Electric Literature has collaborated with platforms and services including literary podcasts typical of The Paris Review's audio series and digital archives similar to efforts at Project Gutenberg and cultural portals like Hyperallergic. It has participated in online fundraisers and crowdfunding models resembling campaigns supported by Kickstarter for literary initiatives.

Awards and Recognition

Writers featured by the organization have been shortlisted or awarded major honors and prizes such as the Pulitzer Prize, Costa Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award, and fellowships from institutions like the MacArthur Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts. The magazine and its contributors have been cited in year-end lists alongside titles from The New York Times Book Review, anthologies such as The Best American Short Stories, and prize longlists for awards administered by Oxford University Press-backed competitions and literary societies including the Royal Society of Literature.

Funding and Organizational Structure

The organization operates as a nonprofit with a governance and funding model comparable to peers such as CFP-style literary nonprofits and arts organizations supported by foundations including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ford Foundation. Its financial support has combined subscription revenue, grant funding, philanthropic donations, and partnerships with cultural institutions like New York Public Library and university presses. The board and staff have included editors and administrators connected to programs at Iowa Writers' Workshop, literary agencies such as William Morris Endeavor, and nonprofit management training offered by organizations like AmeriCorps.

Category:Literary magazines published in the United States Category:Nonprofit organizations based in New York City