I pride myself on being a man of many ideas. I get so many I can't act on them all. @dobartim is hosting contest for best #Steemit ideas, so I thought I'd proffer one that I've been contemplating for some time.

My idea is very simple, but it would be a lot of work. The project I have in mind is a literary journal on the Steemit #blockchain. As far as I know, it would be the first literary journal on the Steemit blockchain, but, in actuality, it would be offchain with some onchain publishing activity. The details follow.

Screenshot of Granta online literary magazine.

Necessary Tools

The Internet has no shortage of #literary #magazines. New ones crop up every day and longstanding print journals have made their way online to compete with them. However, there aren't many blockchain-based literary journals, if any, and certainly none of any note. I'd like to change that.

In order to accomplish this feat, the journal itself would need a few practical tools. These include:

• WordPress - The Steemit-based literary journal would exist as a standalone website built on the #WordPress content management system.
• SteemPress - The #SteemPress plugin for WordPress would be instrumental in allowing content to be published on the website and pushed to Steemit for simultaneous publication.
• Social Media Accounts - Since, technically, the Steemit-based literary journal would publish offchain, social media accounts on the top social media websites would allow for broader publishing and promotion.
• Submittable - Submittable is an online submissions tracker that allows online publications to receive submissions, approve or reject them, and keep tabs on them. With its REST API, Submittable can be integrated into WordPress.
• Steemit Account - The Steemit-based literary journal would have its own Steemit account.

What Would the Steemit Literary Journal Publish?

There are two ways I could see the Steemit literary journal going:

1. New Journal - I'd establish a brand new literary journal and publish all kinds of literature from poetry and fiction to nonfiction and political commentary.
2. Conversion of Existing Website - I currently own Garden Gnome Publications, which is on momentary hiatus. Under this business plan, I'd continue publishing speculative fiction specializing in that with a weird bent. This would limit the audience and writer base of the publication, but allow the journal to have a narrow focus. It could publish speculative poetry and fiction, sponsor #farmpunk contests, and continue to push its current slate of weird lit imprints.

With either of these scenarios, the submissions process would be open to both Steemians and non-Steemians. Steemians could submit their poems, stories, and other writings in one of two ways: Either as a Steemit blog post, in which case each issue of the literary journal would take a snippet and link back to the original, or through the online submissions process. If the latter, the publication would publish the work on its website and, through SteemPress, push it back out to the submitter's Steemit blog.

Using SteemPress for this process would allow the publication and the author of each work more potential rewards.

Non-Steemians could submit their work through the journal's online submission process and the journal would publish accepted material on its website then push it to the Steemit blockchain through its own account.

Literary Journal Financials

Literary journals are generally not in business to make money. They are often seen as a way for new writers to be discovered and veteran writers to expand their reach. However, there are ways to reward creators.

• First and foremost - Since the literary journal pushes content to its own Steemit account as well as to the accounts of its submitters, the #journal and those it publishes will continue to earn rewards on posts published on Steemit.
• Rewards sharing - Steemians with enough followers and resource credits could publish their works on their own blogs as submissions to the Steemit literary journal, but what about new Steemians or those with low follower counts and resource credits? They could submit their works through the online submissions process and receive a percentage of rewards the Steemit literary journal post that contains their work earns during the seven-day payout period.
• Delegations - Generous benefactors could delegate Steem Power to increase the upvote power of the Steemit literary journal account and thereby increase rewards of those who submit works for publication.
• Contests and Grants - The Steemit literary journal could sponsor contests and give away prizes that could include Steem Basic Income shares, delegations, STEEM, Steem Dollars, and other rewards.
• SMT - It's unclear yet just how Smart Media Tokens will work, but as Steemit prepares to rollout the #SMT system early next year, now is the time to start thinking about how a literary journal could use SMTs to compensate #writers and other artists who submit work for publication. SMTs could be used to reward writers and allow non-Steemians a way to earn rewards and contribute to the literary ecosystem on the literary journal website, which, as a reminder, will exist offchain.
• Sponsorships - Literary journals are famous for sponsors. The journal could attract sponsors to both its website and its Steemit blog, providing display and textual advertising space in exchange for monetary rewards. This could include SMTs, SBD, STEEM, SP, delegations, other cryptocurrencies, and more.

One final note: While literary journals are not necessarily in business to make money, it is important to consider that fair and earnest compensation to artists, authors, and other creatives can only be possible if the literary journal itself earns enough rewards to justify the expense. The journal could also be used as a recruitment tool to bring other creative artists onto the Steemit blockchain, which could potentially increase the rewards for everyone.

Potential Future Direction and Expansion

When building any type of business or sustainable project, it's important to think ahead. The Steemit literary journal doesn't have to stop at being an offchain WordPress publication with onchain publishing capabilities. Future expansion could include:

• The publication of e-books with a literary bent, which could include poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and any type of literature that fits into the branded scope of the publication. These products could be sold onsite, onchain, and offsite at other locations such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Apple Store, etc.
• Print
• Video and audio content
• Membership website with exclusive content for Steemians and non-Steemians
• Other merchandise such as T-shirts, coffee mugs, calendars, and more, with a literary bent and creative brand messaging.
• Expansion of the team to include an editorial staff, proofreaders, and administrative personnel
• Publication and promotion on other blockchains

Why I Am The Right Person For This Project

The success of any #publication or #business enterprise requires a certain level of experience and skill. Here's what I bring to the table.

• I am a published poet, fiction writer, essayist, and nonfiction author. I've been writing fiction and poetry with serious publishing aspirations since the early 1990s.
• I've been working with WordPress and earning a full-time income from online content production since 2006. I've been #publishing online since the mid-1990s.
• I have served as editor of literary journals in the past and currently serve as editor of two niche news publications, both using WordPress. From 2000-2004, I served as a newspaper #editor. My editing experience is extensive.
• Not only have I owned my own businesses (the first in college and the current one running since 2013), but I have also managed and operated businesses owned by others including an online content production service (from 2006 to 2013), brick-and-mortar retail, and more.
• I have extensive experience in leadership outside of business including military service and nonprofits.
• I recently achieved Minnow status.

I hope I've explained this literary project model adequately, and I further hope that the contest judge sees the value in this project. I don't have a timeline for starting, but if I could get enough support out of the gate (or while still in the gate), I'd certainly get serious about kicking it off.

What do you think? Is this a good idea? Let me know in the comments.

Join us in the Speculative Fiction Writers of Steemit Discord group.

#speculativefiction

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While you're here, check out the backside 5:

• Let's Have a Minnow Celebration Party
• Farmpunk Fiction Writing Tip, Deadline Approaching
• Poetry Sunday: Schadenfreude
• Weird Fiction: PVC Boy
• Exquisite Corpse Revival