Editor Interview: Raw Lit

Healing through Art

SmokeLong Quarterly
Fractured Lit
Ghost Parachute
Cowboy Jamboree
BULL
Epistemic Lit

Writers: Jean-Paul Sartre, Aldous Huxley, John Irving, Maeve Binchy, Celeste Ng, Gail Honeyman, Philippe Delerm, Cecelia Ahern.
Poets: Charles Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine
Artists: Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Alphonse Maria Mucha, Banksy

We care deeply about the pieces we publish and the artists themselves. We offer a caring and respectful environment by always communicating with the creators and listening to them.
Each issue creates its own story by linking the written pieces with artwork.

Submit, you won't know unless you try.
We read blind and publish the work that touches us the most.
We do our best to send a personalised answer to every submitter and also pick one story and one poem to offer full feedback during our submission call.

Emotion so raw, it shines through the words, leaving its mark on the reader.

Submitters rarely follow the guidelines, and although we read everything we receive, if we hesitate between two pieces, the one following the guidelines is more likely to get published.
The writing might be beautiful, but if the story, the emotions don't come through, get lost in the stunning descriptions, we won't publish it.
Many stories feel unfinished. It could be plot holes, not going deep/raw enough, a lack of voice, or an ending that doesn't offer closure... if something is lacking that would require too much editing for the story to shine, we usually pass.

We always look at the work first and then take a peek at the answers on the form. However, we never check previous publications - they have zero relevance regarding our decision to publish or not.
When it comes to artwork, we like a sentence or two about the inspiration behind the art. It helps us place the work within the magazine, to link it to the written pieces.

We can usually guess early on if a piece is a good fit or not, but we read everything sent to us from beginning to end before making a decision.

Every piece is read at least twice: by a reader and an editor. The stories and poems that make the shortlist are read by the whole team.

I'm lucky to have free time in the morning before going to work, but nothing gets done until I've had a double espresso.
I read through the pieces after the readers have left their comments and scores, and add mine before moving the work to one of the folders (YES-NO-MAYBE)
Once I've read the latest submissions, I spend time emailing replies, trying to personalise using the comments left by the readers and editors. I take a little longer to reply for the artwork because of the need for the visual pieces to link the written ones- to create a flow.
After work, in the evening, I get back to reading the submissions.

We suggest editing for some pieces and print others without changing a comma. Our aim is always to make the story shine.
If we believe that some editing would be beneficial, we suggest it to the author, who then decides. Nothing is published without the artists' approval - we send proofs and keep in touch with all our contributors throughout the process.

We nominate for:
Best of the Net
The Pushcart Prize
Best Microfiction
Best Small Fictions
And have been listed in the Wigleaf top 50

We advertise every piece/artist on social media: Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky