Editor Interview: Futurist Letters Go to the listing List all editor interviews Edit answers (editors only) Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.New Wave and neomodern.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?The Metropolitan Review, Apocalypse Confidential.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sylvia Plath, Homer, David Herod, Susanna Clarke.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?We do close developmental editing with our authors and give them the final choice on all editorial decisions. We buy reprints and do not ask for exclusivity. We respond within two weeks if accepting work. We offer completely transparent impression counts and traffic sourcing data to writers.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?Trust the opinions of others to tell you when you are nearing something universal and captivating in your artistic process. Follow the stated guidelines. Do not bother with a long or sycophantic cover letter. Do not try to read into it too deeply if we do not buy your piece.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025Describe the ideal submission.One or two sentences of brief cover letter introducing the author. A story that falls within our length guidelines and offers an extremely clean read. A plot that answers the question, "Why should we care?" Character motivations that are intellectually and emotionally honest. A general sense of intelligence undergirding the work.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?The most common reason we pass is awkward prose, often overwrought. Spare prose is much easier to get right. The second most common reason is that it hits a message we feel has already been covered well enough, such as parasocial relationships with AI or the personification of climate change.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?We pride ourselves on reading the work solely on its own merits and are not fans of standpoint epistemology in literary journals. You are welcome even to submit anonymously or by pseudonym. That said, a bio will not work against you.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?We read until we know beyond a doubt it's a pass, and then we read a little more. This usually results in us reading the whole piece.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?We make sure the author will be okay with us making some light revision suggestions, and then we start the process.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?I take an afternoon at least once a week to sit down and read new submissions with a sharp and focused mind, normally with some coffee.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?Some we edit quite heavily and some we barely touch. This is not a reflection of author skill but rather how much we think we can contribute. The author gets to accept or reject every edit with final say.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?We do not, presently, but we may start.Cairo Smith, Editor-in-chief on 01 July 2025 Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only