Former Paris Review Editor to Launch Literary Magazine

Posted on June 1, 2005

Brigid Hughes will be the editor and founder of a new literary magazine called A Public Space. The magazine will debut later this year. Hughes was George Plimpton's successor at the Paris Review but her contract was not renewed this year. Hughes wants A Public Space to focus more on poetry and fiction. She will base the magazine in New York and publish quarterly. The Associated Press has more about Hughes' plans for the new magazine including her goal to top the circulation of The Paris Review:

Hughes says she is receiving financial support from the publishing, business and film communities and that her magazine will be funded through "private donors, grants, subscription revenue and advertising." She declines to offer a specific goal for her subscriber base, but aims for a higher number than at The Paris Review. An annual subscription will cost $30 US, for four issues, while individual copies will likely cost $10-12, compared to $40 a year for a subscription at The Paris Review and $12 for a single issue.

"I think there's a healthy rivalry among literary magazines," says Hughes, who adds that she does not see herself in competition with her former employer. "It keeps us on our toes, and creates an energy and momentum that's valuable to everyone."