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Editor Interview: River Heron Review

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

A: When we gasp, "Yes!"

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

A: We publish work that is accessible to a wide audience and stems from a diverse range of poets in terms of their experiences, cultures, ages, and geographic locations.

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

A: Read our previous issue and follow our submission guidelines carefully. Submit work that is crafted and reads well aloud and on the page. Know that we feel honored to receive and consider your work, but expect that you are sending us the best you have to offer.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: Clear images, lyricism, well crafted, clever, multi-layered, memorable, includes particular lines or moments that stay with the reader

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

A: It is our practice to read all submissions without seeing the name of the contributor on the subject file or on any pages of the poetry. We ask that the poetry remain anonymous so that we may make our selections based on the quality of writing, not on background or previous publications. Also, we reserve the option of placing a submission in the next or future issue.

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

A: Initially, we are not interested in knowing anything about the poets who submit to us. We feel that knowing someone’s background or credentials may color the way we view their poem. We are proud of the fact that our debut issue published well-established poets as well as those who were being published for the first time. We are all about the quality of the poem we are reading at the moment. But...after our final decisions are made, we love reading the cover letters!

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

A: We read every submission in its entirety multiple times. We read individually, and together. We read each piece silently and aloud.

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

A: We look for authorial risks, unique perspectives, a manner of using language in a fresh way, an original take on the topic as well as a willingness to stay away from cliches’.

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

A: We will edit for clarity, as needed, but always include the writer in our discussion. We’ve made editorial suggestions to add or delete a comma or to change or add a word or phrase for clarity.

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

A: We intend to nominate for the Pushcart Prize, among others.