Editor Interview: Monterey Poetry Review

Well-crafted poetry

Some of our editorial team's favorite publishers include FutureCycle Press, Blue Light Press.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Diane Frank, Loretta Diane Walker, Mary Rummel, George Lober, May Sarton, Annie Dillard, and more. Having an opportunity to review submissions helps me discover powerful work from a variety of excellent writers.

We alternate among themed and unthemed issues, look for tight, powerful writing rather than publishing credits or big names.

Read lots and lots of poetry! Read our back issues to get a flavor of the types of work we prefer. And remember we have a team of three editors who read all submissions. To be accepted, a poem must receive at least two yes votes.

The ideal submission pays attention to submission guidelines, is tight and resonates with our editors, adheres to the theme, if there is one for that particular submission period. We are not fans of rhyming poetry, poetry with odd formatting that serves no discernible purpose, work that suffers from a lack of polishing.

Failing to send work related to our theme (if there is one for that submission period), work not formatted per our guidelines, work submitted outside of our clearly listed submission periods.

A very brief bio is appreciated, although this does not influence our selection of accepted work.

All three editors read the work submitted before making a decision, unless it is obvious the author failed to adhere to a particular theme. For a piece to be accepted, two out of the three editors have to give it a thumbs up.,

When we receive work, it is logged into our database. All three editors read each poem, then confer about whether or not to accept or reject.

It is a juggling act! All three editors are poets in their own right plus have fairly complicated lives at the moment. Each day involves checking the MPR email account, downloading and logging submissions, reading and evaluating work, then sending out acceptances or rejection notices. In addition, once work has been selected, I am the person tasked with posting work online and promoting the newest issue of MPR on social media.

We don't. Work submitted should have already been thoroughly edited by the poet prior to submission.

Not at this time, although we may do so in the future.