Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.
A: Poems talking with art.
Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?
A: Tinderbox, Rust + Moth, YesYes, Diode, Glass, the museum of americana, THRUSH, the minnesota review, Nimrod, The Adroit Journal, Alice James, Porkbelly
Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?
A: We publish writing and art. We like anyone who surprises us. We want to be shocked, inspired, angered, brought to tears.
Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?
A: We only publish two issues a year. Each issue includes ten poets and ten artists. We place poems in conversation with visual art. We want poems and art that have something to say to our readers and to the rest of the work in the issue.
Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?
A: Please read an issue. Follow our guidelines. Our summer issue always has a theme. It will help if work relates to the theme in some way.
Q: Describe the ideal submission.
A: The ideal submission will follow our submission guidelines and excite all of the editors. We don't know what we are looking for until we see it. The ideal submission is so exciting we swear out loud.
Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?
A: Submitters often send poems they have written in response to a piece of art and want us to publish the poem with that particular piece of art. This isn't how the process works. We are the curators of the conversation. However, we will publish ekphrastic poems. Artists often send art that isn't the right resolution.
Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?
A: We don't care much about cover letters or previous publication credits. We do care about your short bio. We want to know who you are.
Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?
A: We read every piece all the way through before making the decision to reject. If we like a poem, it will be read by multiple editors.
Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?
A: Poems that are accepted are read by several editors, the Managing Editor, and the Editor-in-Chief. Poems are also read by our Art Editor. All art that is accepted is evaluated by the Art Editor, the Managing Editor, and the Editor-in-Chief. All accepted pieces are discussed in depth by the entire team.
Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?
A: I read and sort a lot of email. I also send a lot of email. All of the editors participate in regular discussions online. When we get close to publication, much of my day is spent proofing, doing layout, and communicating with contributors.
Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?
A: We think technology is important. We are an online magazine. We want to make work accessible to modern consumers.
Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?
A: We provide basic proofing and authors are allowed to proof the issue before it publishes. We don't accept work that requires substantive editing.
Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?
A: We nominate for the Best of the Net and the Pushcart prize.