Editor Interview: SmokeLong Quarterly

Flash Narrative

Wigleaf, FRiGG, matchbook, Barrelhouse, Split Lip Magazine, Longleaf Review.

Without naming names, writers who put something honest and emotionally affecting on the page.

We try to integrate the literary community as much as we can into our editorial process by inviting interviewers to help shape each issue. Annually, we offer a six-month fellowship to four emerging writers and also run The SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction, The SmokeLong Grand Micro Contest, and The SmokeLong Workshop Prize for previous and present participants of SmokeLong workshops.

Does this story move you? Is it a story only you can tell?

The ideal submission is a compelling story from the first word to the last.

They put their names on their submissions. The submitter's name should be in the cover letter but nowhere else.

We prefer a simple cover letter with a third-person bio. There is no need to explain the story or list previous publications. Often we don't read the cover letter/bio until we have already declined the story. Our submissions editors read anonymously, so they never see the cover letter. If we are considering a piece for publication, there are two editors who research the writer before we accept the work.

Every submission is read in its entirety by two submissions editors. If at least one submissions editor believes the story deserves to be read by the senior editors, six or seven editors may read the submission before it's rejected.

If our submissions editors decide the story should be read by the senior editors, we begin a discussion, which often still results in a rejection. Even if we decide to accept, we sometimes contact the writer about edits beforehand. We also research the writer before acceptance.

We have around 20 submissions editors who read in pairs and a senior submissions editor who coordinates the reading. I personally deal with rejections and the occasional acceptance early in the morning, reading submissions that are not clear rejections, and communicating with authors.

This varies. We always proofread of course. If the edits are minor (spelling, hyphenation, obvious punctuation mistakes, capitalization), we inform the writer only when we think the irregularity was intentional. We make deeper incisions only with the approval of the writer. If we have more substantive issues with the story, we ask for a revision before we accept.

We nominate for every suitable award we can find.

We have various income streams: competitions, workshops, paid-submissions windows, and the tip-jar feature on Submittable.

We feature an author each week on social media. We also publish a monthly celebration post for previous and current participants of SmokeLong workshops.