About

Founded in January of 2011, Full Stop is committed to an earnest, expansive, and rigorous discussion of literature and literary culture. Despite the popular critical sentiment that the “death of the novel” is upon us, we submit that the opposite is true and refute the fatalism inherent in a narrative that threatens to ignore the diversity and quality of contemporary fiction. Additionally, because literature’s fallen state is tacitly assumed to be symptomatic of a failing on the part of our generation — not only a suspicion of our contemporary fiction, but also of our contemporaries — we find this criticism both condescending and rather silly.

Full Stop aims to focus on young writers, works in translation, and books we feel are being neglected by other outlets while engaging with the significant changes occurring in the publishing industry and the evolution of print media. We also want to provide a space where older works of fiction — whether they be forgotten, ignored, or simply deserving — can be reexamined and celebrated. While our focus will be on contemporary literature and literary culture, we feel that current discourse is enriched and enlivened by engagement with its literary past.

To quote George Orwell, we represent “no party or clique,” no ideological faction, scene, or any particular criminal element. We aim to highlight the work of those who aim to provide insight, engage, and contribute to the phenomenon of writing.

“A site after our own heart.” — McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

“One of my favorite literary websites.” — Bookslut

“Impressive.” — The Millions

“A site run by passionate young people who clearly are not bitter or on the make.” — Ed Champion

One of Ten “Cool New Websites Every Bookworm Should Bookmark” — Flavorpill

“A site I can get behind!” — Colin Marshall

Founding Editors: Alex Shephard, Jesse Montgomery, Max Rivlin-Nadler, Amanda Shubert, Eric Jett
Editor-in-Chief: Alex Shephard
Managing Editor: Jesse Montgomery
Web Editor: Eric Jett
Reviews Editors: Jesse Miller, Anna-Claire Stinebring
Features Editor: Amanda Shubert
Interviews Editor: Nika Knight
Blog Editor: Max Rivlin-Nadler
Contributing Editors: David Backer, Alli Carlisle, Helen Stuhr-Rommereim, Michael Schapira, Meagan Day, Scott Beauchamp

Contributors: Virginia Smith, Tim Platt, Azeen Ghorayshi, Eamon O’Connor, Michael Waldrep, Rachel Luban, Tammela Platt, Kehan Desousa, Martina McLennan, Sam Rowe, Anna-Claire Stinebring, Emilie Tarrant, Jesse Miller, Sam Krowchenko, Emma Schneider, Scott Beauchamp, Morgan Macgregor, Catie Disabatio, Matt Orenstein, Kelly Schmader

Design: Eric Jett
Special Thanks: David Walker, Micheline Heal, Lucas Brown, C. Max Magee, Edan Lepucki, Emma Straub, Joanna Smith Rakoff