Constructing A New Literature

How many Brooklynites does it take to publish Construction, Brooklyn’s newest online literary magazine?

One from Park Slope, two from Fort Greene, and one via Skype from South Korea. The group met as creative writing graduate students at City College, where they first had the idea to start a magazine. A few months ago, David Plick, Masha Udensiva-Brenner, Nathan Schiller and
Domenick Acocella (via Skype) got to work at Masha’s kitchen table in Fort Greene.

And there it began, the latest in a flock of serious new Brooklyn-based literary endeavors, that before Construction included One Story, Tin House, A Public Space and Electric Literature.

According to Udensiva-Brenner, the group’s early editorial meetings entailed raucous brainstorming and creative friction.

“We had vicious fights about everything,” she told me.

The group climbed the steep learning curve of being first time publishers doing everything themselves (and collectively) from reading submissions, designing the site, selecting photography to go with the stories and getting the word out.

 “From musical tastes to sports to political beliefs, we collectively agree on almost nothing. The only thing we do agree upon is that we strive to establish a magazine that will become both intellectually and emotionally stimulating for our readers,” the group wrote in their introductory letter to readers.

Construction has no Editor-in-Chief, no official consultants or advisors. But it’s got plenty of ambition, a palpable sense of intellectual adventure and chutzpah.

“Construction is about building things—stories, paintings, ideas—and it’s only just begun. As you read this we will be planning our launch party, working on our upcoming blog, our next issue, dreaming of a print edition, and one day, maybe, a Construction Press.”

Now that they’ve got the first issue under their belt, the group’s working style has become even more, er constructive.

“Our meetings have gotten very structured and we sit with a list of minutes of what we want to discuss,” Udensiva-Brenner told me.

Construction’s premiere issue features an impressive array of fiction and journalism. There’s a fascinating interview with Park Slope’s Steve Hindy, founder of the Brooklyn Brewery, in which he talks about his stint as a war correspondent and the creation of Brooklyn’s very own namesake brew. Also in the issue is a new translation of Sunstroke, a short story by Ivan Bunin, the Russian author who won the Nobel Prize in 1933.

Media analyst Michael Nahum writes from the University of Damascus as “an Orwellian atmosphere unfolds in Syria” in an article called “Syria’s Day of Dread: Glimpses of a City Under Seige,” and Stephanie Train, a recent graduate of Colorado State University’s MFA program, contributed her short story, “How to Be Friends with an Iranian Girl.”

The Construction group looked far and wide for quality fiction, non-fiction and poetry. They are particularly interested in international writers and international themes. 

“We want to connect with other writers, to build something. It started out as a small seed and finding stuff and getting excited. We want to make sure to publish a piece of translation in every issue,” says Udensiva-Brenner.

The group has plans to roll out another issue in August, and will soon start a daily blog as a way to stay connected to their readership. They’re also planning to actually print two issues a year. But that, admits Udensiva-Brenner, may have to wait until there are investors and a fundraising effort.

 “We're four broke students,” she said.

So far, this Brooklyn literary endeavor is self-supported. But that doesn’t stop them from attempting to build a cultural, international community where writers and artists, journalists, and activists interact with each other.

 “We're trying to educate as many people we can about as many issues and provide content that is a pleasure to read. You can not only learn something but feel like you’re in the writer’s shoes.”

I asked Udensiva-Brenner, who was born Russia but moved to New York in 1991 when she was 8-years-old, whether she felt that Construction was part of a Brooklyn literary scene.

She seemed hesitant to answer at first, nervous about being too locally identified.

“New York City is the best place to start something like this. If I read something in a local paper I might think to think to contact the writer. I go to an art opening and meet a digital strategist, who teaches me how best to use Twitter and Facebook to market our magazine. Everywhere you go someone is going to help you.”

That said, the group hopes to reach an international audience.

“We see ourselves as part of movement, we want Construction to be part of a forum where writers, journalist, and artists can interact.”