Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.
A: Rich sound, mad skill
Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?
A: The American Poetry Review
The Journal
Southern Poetry Review
Diode
Rattle
Best New Poets
Verse Daily
Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?
A: Kimberly Johnson, Jason Bredle, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Sandra Beasley, Adrian Matejka, etc.
We also enjoy the caliber of poets included in the the Best New Poets series.
Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?
A: I invite your readers to read TNPR, and then answer this question in their cover letters if they decide to submit.
Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?
A: Read several issues first.
Study and practice contemporary poetry before attempting to publish.
Poetry is not psychotherapy.
Don't bore your reader.
Beauty = skill plus controlled daring. Fresh imagery makes a nice placemat.
Master the rules of prosody, then break them brilliantly.
Know your journal and editor.
Q: Describe the ideal submission.
A: The submitter follows ALL guidelines.
The work demonstrates familiarity with our aesthetic.
The work is sound-rich, ideally using some sense of internal rhyme (not the sing-songy june/spoon kind).
The work is distinctive, memorable, and surprising.
The work makes me want to take ALL of it, immediately and with excitement.
Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?
A: Obviously not having read the current guidelines or not having seriously studied contemporary poetry. Submitting one poem per file. Emailing excessively. Submitting more than once per reading period.
Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?
A: I don't need to know anything personal about the submitter. I do want to see a brief bio of previous publications.
Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?
A: Sometimes it is obvious at the start that the piece doesn't work. Other times the piece calls for a complete reading and, sometimes, re-readings.
Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?
A: First readers send out rejections for clear no-fits, then send those they like or see potential in to me. Occasionally, we make suggestions or requests for edits before acceptance but only if we really admire most of the piece already.
Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?
A: Reading dozens of poems looking for the one that makes me cry/sing/want to share it with others.
Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?
A: Electronic submissions allow us all, submitters and submittees, to get the grunt work that is submitting done more quickly and affordably so that we can live the rest of our lives. I rarely submit in paper anymore, and I imagine others appreciate that we offer them this same convenience.
Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?
A: Minor editing as necessary. The author sees the work upon publication.