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Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.
A: Work with inward focus
Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?
A: We handle work as we’d want our own work to be handled — with great care in editing, presentation, and promotion. We create custom artwork for each piece, and assemble each issue with an eye for cohesion. We publish seasoned veterans and debut writers side-by-side.
Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?
A: As always, take a look at what we’ve published to get an understanding for what we prefer. We don’t favor any particular genre or subject matter, but we do hope to be surprised — if not by narrative, then by the language, or the form, or something we can’t even expect. What is the piece speaking toward? What are the stakes, or why does this matter? We like submissions where the writer has clearly thought about this already.
Q: Describe the ideal submission.
A: There’s no ideal plot, no ideal voice or linguistic palette — but there is an ideal experience in reading a submission. Our attention is seized early, and the piece continues giving us reasons to stay interested. We’re never bored, and never predicting what’s next. Some of the best submissions have us thinking of the corresponding artwork as we’re reading them for the very first time.
Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?
A: Some submitters think we’re looking for very surface-level COVID-inspired work, or only work that touches on COVID, which is very much not the case. In fact, we prefer if pieces don’t mention COVID by name, or at least, do not dwell on it. We are not a pandemic publication, but rather, a publication founded in quarantine — and thus, we like to see interior perspective, rendered with care.
Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?
A: Cover letters are optional, and are only considered after a submission has been reviewed. A cover letter will never push a submission toward acceptance or rejection. However, as writers and editors ourselves, we do like to get a sense of the writers we publish, when provided.
Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?
A: Submissions are first reviewed by one of our readers/editors, but all submissions are still read and considered by both Gauraa and Elliot (Co-Editors in Chief). Final decisions are made jointly and taking into account the input of our readers.
Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?
A: Well, we're an online-only publication (for now), so we depend on the writing world's embrace of some technology, at least. It's always important to see how you can improve or alter an art form with technology. We currently publish Instagram-DM interviews with artists in The Remote Viewer, our features space at No Contact. Any way that technology can enhance access is important to us.
Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?
A: Typically we will provide proofreading and copy editing to all pieces, and suggest minor line edits for some. For larger edits, we typically ask the writer for approval before acceptance. All contributors receive a proof copy for approval before publication.
Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?
A: Yes, absolutely. We nominate for all major awards that we're able to, including The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Small Fictions.