Editor Interview: FreeFall Magazine Go to the listing List all editor interviews Edit answers (editors only) Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.Scintillating SyntaxMicheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?We love Vehicule Press, Biblioasis Press, Frog Hollow Press, Geist, The Fiddlehead, (this is like an Oscar speech where you have too many names and not enough time) ARC poetry, there are others. We are looking for work that has interesting ideas, authors who are interested in the 'how' of what is said, and good old fashioned crafts-person-ship (is that a word?) on a sentence level.Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?Our favourite fictionistas include:Douglas GloverMark Anthony Jarman Lisa Moore Betty Jane Hegerat Rebecca Rosenblum Alexander MacLeod Our favourite poets include:Patricia Young Don Coles Carmine Starnino Asa Boxer Richard Harrison Rosemary Griebel Stephanie BolsterMicheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?We have a strongly Alberta focus and we introduce first time authors to major names. We are the talent scouts of Canadian literature. Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?Read the submission guidelines. Be sure you have practiced your craft. Read widely. If I ask who your favourite poet is, don't answer Garth Brooks.Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011Describe the ideal submission.Seamus Heaney'sMicheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?They send emotional drivel. That isn't to say that a piece with emotion or feeling is a bad thing. Just be sure that emotion is filtered through a deep understanding and respect for language, stucture, and craft. Consider the Freefall method: to write without concern for editing. That is not the best submission. Let's be clear. Susan would say spelling errors in your cover letter or sending in too many poems. Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?I want to know the person's name because I want to send them a check for their work. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how much we know. It is the work that has to stand up for itself among a sea of other works. We have to be able to identify the voice within the piece - that is far more imoprtant to us than a biography or list of accolades.Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?I'm taking the 5th.Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?After a piece is moved to a short list, the editors meet and have intensive discussions about merits and issues with the piece. These discussions require several pots of coffee and the pieces are thoughtfully considered and ordered. Again, merit is what drives us to publish a piece: Is it linguistically interesting? Does it say something new about the human condition? Does it have charisma on the page?Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?Busy. Busy. And busy. Sometimes I wish I could clone myself, until I think of Michael Keaton in Multiplicity.Micheline Maylor, Editor-in-Chief on 28 April 2011 Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only