Do Not Look at the Sun is an offbeat literary magazine based in Paris. It is published twice a year in print (spring & autumn), as well as weekly online.
The idea behind Do Not Look at the
Sun is 'Found Poetry/ Free Prose'. Set up in 2009 by two friends with
time on their hands and an old printer they'd plundered from work, the first
issue was made and left sitting on stools and seat cushions in
cafés and bars around Paris for anyone to pick up. Since then,
copies have been left indiscriminately throughout the city- from
seats on the metro to park benches and mail boxes. It has been published on postcards and broadsides, as well as street walls, trees, and toilet stalls. Printed issues can be found in certain obliging bookshops and online. It has since spread to towns and cities throughout Europe and the US.
Each issue is a collection of short stories and poems, as well as notes, thoughts, diary entries and other words that have no place elsewhere. Words that may have no business in other literary journals or arts reviews, but words that nevertheless deserve to be heard: One-line poems, streams of thoughts and lucid dreams that have no outlet anywhere other than the pages of people’s personal notebooks. It is ‘misfit lit’.
If you would like to get involved in distributing this in your local area (wherever it may be) then don't hesitate to get in contact- donotlookatthesun @ gmail.com- and we'll send you further details.
We are currently looking for submissions from anyone, anywhere. The focus is on writing, though photography and artwork is also welcome. If you can combine the forms then all the better! See the submissions page for more information.
Donations
We welcome any donations, no matter how small. We are completely independent- not financed by any institution or corporate advertisements. We need your support to keep going. All donations go towards printing and other costs, not to people. Thank you!
Pig in a poke magazine - A mixed bag of poetry and fiction
3:AM magazine - A loose, eclectic forum for literary upstarts, degenerates and loose cannons
Blackheath Books - In the great tradition of the independent small press 'blackheath books' provides a home for literary outsiders, mavericks who swim against the flow of incessant mainstream specialness.Underground Poetry - Poems written by and handed out to commuters on the London Underground for free.
Paris Spoken Word - English open mic spoken word night in Paris. Started by David Barnes & co-hosted with Alberto Rigetinni every monday night.
Scarecrowllective - Bilingual French/ English Paris poetry zine.
Previous Contributors:
Emily DeHority
Clinton Van Inman
Brett Spencer
Lance Nizami
Ambre Dziczek
Carrie Gilstrap-Nettle
Mather Schneider
John G. Fagan
Faye Blyth
Peter Taylor
James Hyson
Dominic Gabrielli
Phillip Loyd
Rachel Walker
John J. Trause
Lucille Gang Shulklapper
Keith Moul
Helen Scampion
Luke Appleton
Charlotte Mahiet
Joe Wood
Mike Berger
Sam Nash
Sarah Martin
Nick Alward
Volunteers:
Tracey Wallace
Editorial Staff:
Anthony Cuthbertson
Adam Evans