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Editor Interview: Primary Treasure

Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

True Christian stories

What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?

Our sister publications are Our Little Friend and Guide magazine. Similar publications include My Bible First and Young Disciples.

If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?

Some favorite authors include CS Lewis, Bodie Thoene, Charles Mills, Jerry D. Thomas, Kay D. Rizzo, and Janette Oke.
Some favorite artists include Kim and Lars Justinen and Nathan Greene.

What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?

The stories must be true and contain a spiritual lesson that reflects Adventist beliefs.

What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?

Use dialogue to tell your story, make it age-appropriate, and include a spiritual lesson.

Describe the ideal submission.

The ideal submission would be four typed, double-spaced pages of a true story with lots of dialogue that is appropriate for ages 6-9.

What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?

We do not accept articles or stories written for adults. We typically do not accept poetry or queries. We expect the story to be completed before it comes to us.

How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?

If you're a new author, I would like to know a little bit about who you are and what inspired you to write this story for us. I do not need lists of previous publication credits. I do not need a long cover letter; a short email works just fine.

If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?

I always read the whole story.

What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?

I look for themes that can match the topical focus of the issues we are working on or the season when these issues are distributed. We plan six months or more in advance.

What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?

When I receive a story, I usually read it through twice. I check to see how well it works with Adventist spiritual principles and practices for health. I evaluate how involved the editing process will be for content and for conventions of English. Then I check the themes I identified in the story against our list of themes for future issues.
I spend my day evaluating submissions, managing our team of artists and designers, and editing issues. I love getting out of the office to spend time with children.

How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?

I line edit. The story is also copy edited and proofed. How much line editing I do depends on the quality of the author's writing. I try to notify the author if I do substantial editing. The author typically does not see the story again until it is published and we send comps.

Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?

I do not typically nominate our published works for awards. Occasionally, I may inform authors of awards or competitions they may be suited for.

How is your project funded?

We are funded by subscriptions.

How do you promote your project and published authors/artists?

These magazines are a long-standing ministry; we do not focus on promotion. We may occasionally attend conventions.

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