Happy Birthday, Zyzzyva!

Founded in 1985, Zyzzyva takes its name from the dictionary-concluding word for an American weevil, and established itself by publishing new works by writers like Raymond Carver and Amy Tan, notes Mike Huguenor at SF Weekly. The publication's first issue included poetry by Alice Walker. More:

For the last decade, Zyzzyva has been run by Laura Cogan and Oscar Villalon, who, along with editorial assistant Zack Ravas, manage nearly every aspect of the magazine. In addition to editing its three annual issues, the two read roughly 2,000 manuscript submissions a year, write grant proposals, maintain the website, and send out mail orders. Under their editorial custody, the journal has introduced readers to new works by authors like Pulitzer Prize nominee Tommy Orange, Hugo-winner Charlie Jane Anders, and Rebecca Solnit, who, among many other achievements, coined the word mansplain.

Cogan, a San Francisco native, says what defines her city in the literary world is its diversity. 

“What I really love about the literary culture here is the diversity of voices and perspectives. It’s just so dynamic,” she says. “The reason we do what we do with the journal is to help readers find out what’s happening in contemporary literature here.”

Before his role as the magazine’s managing editor, Villalon edited for McSweeney’s, and the Chronicle before that. He says writing from the Bay Area is distinct from the writing published in New York, because the latter is “closer to Rome.”

“Part of what characterizes San Francisco literature is that it’s not already codified by big publishing in New York,” he says. “So you don’t know that you’re not supposed to do certain things. You’re free to pursue whatever it is that interests you — or whatever it is that’s haunting you — and try to pin it down.”

Learn more at SF Weekly.