For you authors out there really wanting your works read, stop complaining about the rent in your Brooklyn broom closet and head for the plains of Oklahoma, namely Tulsa. Because you’re writing for the art–right?–and you don’t care about publishing contracts and the book industry is screwed anyway, right? At least that’s what you said last weekend when your lamestream Wall Street college alumni friend asked what you were really doing with your life.
Now you have an answer, because Tulsa holds the bounty of your literary success. In a recent survey of America’s most literate cities, Tulsa clocked in at 24 and NYC, a lowly 26. People there appreciate good works of literature and aspiring writers, unlike this barren land called New York.
But if the great American plains don’t inspire you, try Ohio — Cincy is #11, Cleveland is #14 and Columbus is #16. I heard the Rust Belt is awesome not just this time of year, but all the time. Rent is surely cheaper and the citizens will appreciate your ‘art’ and probably give you a subsidy of some sort. A real life literary writer! In their town!
You can no longer blame Electric Literature or the KGB Bar for not ‘getting you,’ because who are they? Just illiterate NYC fools. The good people of interior America will truly appreciate what you have to say.
Yes, you poor new Brooklynite, you have been caught in a wash of untruths in a grand marketing scheme orchestrated by your landlord and the bodega owner down the street who marks everything up. You’ve been sold a bill of goods and your parents were right–you should’ve stayed home in the Midwest and written your novel there (Pittsburgh #5 and St. Louis tied at #9).
So go west, young ambitious writer! Go west and claim your literary manifest destiny!
And on your way, check out Flavorwire’s 10 great books for each of the top 10 most literary cities.
