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Editor Interview: trampset

Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

A: We welcome all tramps.

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

A: Here's a compilation from the editors (in no particular order): Perhappened, Stone of Madness Press, Okay Donkey, Barren, Split Lip Mag, MoonPark Review, XRAY Literary Magazine, Jellyfish Review, Fractured Lit, Tiny Molecules, Truffle, Milk Candy, Pithead Chapel, The Forge

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

A: A compilation of writers from the editors (in no particular order): Carmen Maria Machado, Ada Limon, Alina Stefanescu, Tara Isabel Zambrano, Cathy Ulrich, Taylor Byas, Isabelle Correa, L Mari Harris, Tommy Dean, Christopher M. Drew, L. Scully, Mariah Rigg, David Centorbi, Lindsey Heatherly, Elizabeth Bates, Abigail Swire, Hannah Grieco, Monica Wang, to name just a few of the many, many we adore.

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

A: We are a paying market, currently $25 per story/poem for our contributors, and we also pay our editors. While most of our submissions are unsolicited, trampset editors also have the freedom to solicit material from writers we individually admire. We welcome and seek diversity. We accept submissions on a rolling basis and have a quick turn-around and publish once a month. We also invite guest editors to read for an issue, about 3 times a year.
Big hint: shorter pieces tend to get more love.

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

A: Just go for it! We are an eclectic and diverse group of editors and our tastes vary. Have something to say and say it well. Proofread. Please don't send us a draft. We can usually tell when you've just typed "The End" and then immediately hit the send button. We can also tell when you haven't read our submission guidelines.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: Something that resonates, that hasn't been put forth in the same way dozens of times before. Something that makes us laugh, cry, laugh and cry, think, forget, remember....well, you get the picture. There should be something below the surface; there should be THERE there.

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

A: Most people get it right. But do be sure to read our submission guidelines, as they have recently changed. Because of our format, we're not a good fit for shape poetry (read: don't send us shape poetry, much as we might love it), and long stories have to be EXCEPTIONALLY exceptional to make our pages (read: shorter gets more love). Please wait a month to submit again after a rejection (unless otherwise asked) and 6 months after having a piece accepted. Three flash, 3 poems and 1 story at a time, max words 3,000.

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

A: It's always nice to be greeted, but it's not a prerequisite. Having an idea of who is submitting to us is great, too, but not a deal-breaker. A listing of a few previous publications, if applicable, is welcomed, but please don't send us your entire resume -- a cover letter/bio that is longer than the submission is a real turn off. Feel free to include a short, third-person bio. But if you don't, we'll ask for one upon acceptance.

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

A: trampset editors are in-and-out of the queue as time permits, and each editor likely has their own process, so one can't make a blanketed statement. I can say that each editor takes each submission seriously and really wants that submission to be a good fit. Whether they are able to determine that for themselves from the first page or not until reading all the way through likely depends on the editor, and the particular piece being reviewed.

Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?

A: We are an entirely online publication, so I'd say it's pretty essential.

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

A: We trust that writers will send us only their best, completed work, so other than proofreading and formatting, very little editing is done. If a work is in need of significant re-tooling, it's unlikely to be accepted.

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

A: We have nominated for Best of the Net and Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart.