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Editor Interview: Streetlight Magazine Flash Fiction Contest

Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

Revealing, edgy stories.

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

Story, The Sun, Narrative, Glimmer Train (RIP), Missouri Review, McSweeneys and many others...

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

Lorrie Moore, Denise Mina, Attica Locke, Richard Price
Per Elizabeth Howard, Art Editor, she is a fan of:
Sargent and Matisse and photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Annie Leibovitz

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

Streetlight has professional actors who record select pieces of fiction. These podcasts, like all Streetlight issues, stay live on the site. The staff also brings out an annual print anthology that is available for purchase.

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

Make sure the characters are full people. Show them through dialogue and clothing choices and hints of back-story.

Describe the ideal submission.

The accepted submission paints the whole picture--without extraneous words. Killer first sentences are a big plus.

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

Just a brief bio and a listing of publications -- which isn't to say we don't love emerging artists, too. Every published writer has a first!
We link to our featured authors' social media sites, so those addresses should be included in the bios of accepted submissions.

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

I read the whole submission. Sometimes, really good stories get caught up on introductory throat clearing -- and just need a different starting point.

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

The following link is to my first post as Streetlight's fiction editor. It explains my take on the submission process.
https://streetlightmag.com/2015/06/16/the-decider/

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

I will work with an author if I think a story is 'almost there,' helping to bring it over the finish line. The writer has final say on changes. Streetlight has a a copy editor.

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

Yes--the Pushcart Prize.

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