Capital Prose

Mark Feffer and partner Ellen Cannon have been kicking around the idea of an on-line publication for some time. Their magazine, Trenton Writes, showcases authors in and around the Trenton area.

By: Susan Van Dongen
   If Mark Feffer and Ellen Cannon succeed with their plans, the Trenton area may soon become a lively literary scene. With a brand-new on-line literary magazine, hundreds of Trenton area writers will have a chance to showcase their talents. The pair might just find the first chapters of the next great American novel among the submissions.
   Mr. Feffer and Ms. Cannon, two veteran writers and editors, officially launched their publication, Trenton Writes, on a recent Friday evening with a party at Cafe Olé on Warren Street. Mr. Feffer says about 40 people came out to share ideas and hear writers read original works.

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Mark Feffer and partner Ellen Cannon have been kicking around the idea of an on-line publication for some time.

Staff photo by Frank Wojciechowski

   "We were pleased to see so many people come to the reading," says Mr. Feffer, 41. "Folks may not realize it, but there are a lot of writers in Trenton. There’s a vibrant art scene and we think there’s an equally vital writing scene, it’s just that nobody knows about it."
   With less than two weeks on the Web, Mr. Feffer has seen plenty of hits on the site, www.trentonwrites.com, and has personally answered numerous e-mails.
   "I’ve had some interesting conversations with writers and poets wanting to submit," he says. "We were really heartened by the interest and there’s been some quality work submitted."
   Mr. Feffer, president and publisher of Tramp Steamer Media, and Ms. Cannon, editor of Bloomberg Custom Publishing, have been kicking around the idea of an on-line publication for quite some time. They hope to have enough success with the on-line magazine to follow up with an annual print anthology.
   "We’re going to start with the Web site," Mr. Feffer says. "Then, in about a year, we’ll go through and select what we think are the best pieces."
   Ms. Cannon, a distinguished editor with 20 years of experience in the magazine industry, will oversee the anthology. Specializing in start-up titles, she’s helped launch Entertainment Weekly, Manhattan, Inc. and People Magazine’s Australian edition. She has also been managing editor for Savvy and House & Garden.
   "We hope the anthology will explore the variety of cultures, the long history and the changes in the capital region," she says. "It will be a celebration of Trenton, hopefully chronicling the renaissance taking place here."
   Originally from Boston, Mr. Feffer now works and lives in the Trenton area. He earned degrees in journalism from Boston University and Northwestern University and has worked in the interactive division of Dow Jones & Co., publishers of the Wall Street Journal. He says Trenton Writes is not a business endeavor, but a labor of love.
   "We’re doing this because we like it," he says. "We both write and we both love the written word, and we’re hoping the magazine could be something valuable, something that could evolve over time. We also want to do more readings."
   Mr. Feffer and Ms. Cannon chose the name Trenton Writes as a take-off on the city’s venerable slogan, "Trenton Makes." The magazine is accepting short fiction, journalism, essays and poetry by writers working in or writing about the Trenton area.
   "We’re interested in giving exposure to a good mix of writing, to different forms of prose," he says. "We hope to have a body of work that reflects the character and quality of writing in this part of New Jersey."
   One of the obstacles for area writers, Mr. Feffer says, are the rigid parameters put into literary and "little" magazines — for example, only poetry and fiction are accepted, no essays or non-fiction. Some of the publications based on college campuses are limited to students. Others have length limitations.
   "We wanted to give writers the flexibility to submit longer pieces," Mr. Feffer says. He is pleased to accept reviews by local writers, especially about authors, visual artists and performers from the Trenton area.
   "I’d like to see reviews of performances at The Passage Theater, or music at Conduit or the Urban Word," he says. "We’re hoping to network and get the word out. Maybe some of the more established writers in the area will help add to the mix."
   Trenton Writes has a small editorial board in place, including Mr. Feffer, Ms. Cannon and a couple of volunteers. They’ll read and evaluate everything submitted and contact the individual writer should they want to publish that person’s work.
   "We’ll talk to the writer to see if they want to work with us," he says. "We anticipate many pieces will need some editorial guidance."
   Mr. Feffer stresses that submissions won’t automatically be published.
   "We’re looking for quality," he says. "Then you’ll know that if you get published, it’s really going to mean something. It will mean you’ve approached the story very professionally."
Trenton Writes is accepting submissions. Writers should check the guidelines
at www.trentonwrites.com.
Manuscripts can be mailed to Trenton Writes, c/o Tramp Steamer Media,
P.O. Box 1864, Trenton, NJ 08607. Mailed submissions should contain a self-addressed,
stamped envelope.