Editor Interview: THEMA Go to the listing List all editor interviews Edit answers (editors only) Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.quirky theme lit and artVirginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 25 January 2014What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?Lapham's QuarterlyNational GeographicThe SmithsonianVirginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?John Steinbeck, Dorothy Sayers, Ruta Sepetys, Gary SchmidtVirginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?The theme for each issue is somewhat odd, creating a wide variety of writing in responseVirginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?Let the theme swirl around in your head. Don't go for the obvious. Be creative.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019Describe the ideal submission.An 8- to 12-page story that has a unique interpretation of the theme.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?Some don't understand that interpreting the theme is up to the them. Some people ask what we mean by a given theme, and we must say that we don't know! Others submit stories that a far too long--20 to 30+ pages.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?We like a brief cover letter. No need to list previous credits. It's the submitted story that counts.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?All of it!Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?Just editorial review.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?Besides my THEMA duties, I also edit the alumni magazine for LSU Medical Alumni Association along with design and drawing tiger artwork for special occasions. And I write/illustrate children's books. About the submission reading process for THEMA, after reading each submission, it is put into one of three categories--R (reject), C (consider), and A (accept). Some stories (R) are obviously not meant for THEMA. A few stories (A) are so outstanding that we accept it outright. Most stories fall into the "consider" category and are reread several times.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?Very little. It's usually just correcting a typo or a spelling error. Rarely, if something more needs to be done, we contact the author and work together to solve the problem.Virginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?SometimesVirginia Howard, Editor-in-chief on 26 July 2019 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