Editor Interview: Salt Hill Journal

Savory and salty.

Rattle, Gulf Coast, Broadsided, and Split Lip.

We love the work of Charles Simic, Terrance Hayes, Richard Siken, Leila Chatti, and Gabrielle Bates, among others. And we can't get enough of the writing of Syracuse alums like Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Wendy Chen, Mosab Abu Toha, and Chen Chen!

Each of our editors and readers is a writer in Syracuse University's MFA program, and beyond that, our differences are as numerous as our similarities. This means we each have our own deeply-held opinions, our own separately acquired tastes, so when we agree on a piece's beauty, it feels like we've struck gold.
We also care deeply about the journal as a physical object. We're committed to bringing visual art into each issue that lends visual harmony to the written work. When we send out each new issue, it excites us to imagine a reader holding it in their hands.

Don’t be racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or demeaning towards any marginalized groups. (And no, submissions using bigotry to be “edgy” don’t get a pass.) Don’t use trauma or violence for shock value. Don’t treat sexual assault as a joke. Keep in mind that Salt Hill’s editorial board—and readership—is comprised of individuals with a a multitude of experiences, backgrounds, and identities. Keep our humanity in mind when you send in your work.
Do proofread your writing and make sure you’re submitting to us in the right file format. Do ask yourself: am I proud of this piece? If you are, take the plunge! We take care in our reading, and we're delighted by any piece that seems whole and wholly fresh.

The most ideal would be a recently unearthed, never-before-published Frank O'Hara poem. The second-most ideal? Just something really, really good.

Sometimes it seems like submitters think a longer cover letter will do them favors. It probably won't. We'll read your cover letter to find out a bit about you, but we don't need to know every one of your successes and publications!

While knowing a bit about the writer helps us contextualize the writing, we appreciate writers that let the work mostly speak for itself. Accolades and previous publications are natural cover letter inclusions, but we don't pay them much attention. And we love, selfishly, being the first to publish a writer's work!

If the first page or two aren't doing it for us, we tend not to read on. Poetry can take a little while to sink in, and we read as generously as we possibly can—but usually, if a piece is going to make it into the issue, it excites us from the first line.

Our selection process is a two-part procedure: the initial readers pass work up to genre editors, who narrow the list down to their favorites. Readers and editors then vote on which pieces get accepted for publication. And we, the Editors-in-Chief, weigh in if and when necessary. Sometimes a piece will be accepted conditionally, depending on whether an author is willing to make the requested changes.

A lot of reading and responding to contributor questions! We spend time each week liaising between readers, genre editors, contributors, our designer, our printer, the Syracuse University staff. We shovel snow off our steps. We shovel snow off our cars. And we make sure poems are lineated correctly.

If a piece really excites us but isn't quite "there" yet, we sometimes work with an author to make the substantial changes we think are needed prior to publication. Usually, though, it's a matter of very small line edits and a few rounds of proofreading. We try not to accept pieces that aren’t fully there yet. If it needs work, but is really close, we typically lean toward an encouraging-reject. The author approves all edits we make, and they'll also approve the proof in its print-ready layout.

Yes! We nominate for the Pushcart, Best New Poems, Best American Poetry, Best American Fiction, and more!

We receive some funding through Syracuse University. However, like any non-profit organization we heavily rely on donations and subscriptions.

We have a growing presence on Instagram (mostly) and other social media platforms. Please give us a follow for upcoming information and fun vibes. Instagram: @salthilljournal