Editor Interview: The Frogmore Papers

Language that works hard.

I admire Ambit for doing what it does, though I don't enjoy much of the content. Bloodaxe publish consistently interesting poetry. Of recent arrivals I'm a big fan of 14, which publishes only poems of 14 lines. I also like Acumen and Magma.

Jonathan Coe, Billy Collins, Ian McEwan, Peter Reading.

We aim to make every issue significantly different from the last.

The usual: look at some back issues to get a sense of what we've published. Don't expect to be successful first time. We're able to accommodate less than 2% of work submitted. A response may take some time.

If prose, a maximum of three not very long (maximum 2,000 words) short stories; if poetry, up to six poems, each on its own sheet of paper. In either case accompanied by a brief cover letter and a return envelope which is big enough to accommodate the manuscript if its return is required. Submissions sent with inadequate postage are unlikely to result in publication.

Some writers suggest what my reaction to their work might be.. Some include an envelope for return but omit the stamps.

Brief details are welcome and can be helpful, but I'm not interested in numbers ('I've had 295 poems published in publications including the Little Gidding Parish Magazine').

It depends on the volume of submissions, but I generally feel morally bound when I reject something to be clear in my own mind that I've read enough to know it's not for us.

Generally none, though on occasion a poem or short story will be passed to a member of the editorial board where it has manifest strengths and equally manifest weaknesses.

Because I have a full-time job, many children and writing projects of my own, the editing tends to be done when time can be found, but I generally try to have a clear two or three-hour period to get stuck into the pile of manuscripts. There's always a backlog because submissions arrive with every post. With the assistance of large quantities of coffee I make my way through the pile in strict date of submission order, and when the session's over walk up the hill to the post box with a bag of rejections (sadly the bulk) and a few acceptances.