Aspiring Pens

Journal

Essays, craft notes, and dispatches on writing, publishing, and the literary life.

Write for the journal

Agents Craft Culture Fiction Form Narrative Poetry Process Publishing Querying Reading Writing

Filtered by ReadingClear

Idris Mbekiin Culture · 28 Apr 2026

The Literary Novel in the Age of Short Attention Spans

Are long-form literary works flourishing or retreating? The data, and the case for optimism.

Culture9 min read