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Editor Interview: Navigating the Maze: International Teen Poetry Anthology

This interview is provided for archival purposes. The listing is not currently active.

Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

A: Teen poetry book w/ art.

Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?

A: There are so many poets I like. A few that come to mind, not in any particular order, are: E.E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Bishop, Erica Jong, Mark Strand, T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath, Pablo Nerudo, Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, Wallace Stevens, Emerson, and myself, Anita Stienstra.

Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?

A: NTM looks like a fine-arts literary review. There is no advertising, and contributors get two free copies. It is produced by the non-profit literary organization, Springfield Poets and Writers, and the small independent press, Adonis Designs Press, for the love of poetry, not profit. We hope to inspire and support youth in poetry and art.

Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?

A: Read as many classic and contemporary poems as you can. Craft your poems so phrases and images are not trite or cliche. Show us or say something in an interesting way or show or say something interesting.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: Guidelines are followed to a tee, and the submission moves or intrigues us.

Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?

A: Everyone does a fairly good job. Remember to include NTM in the subject line in electronic submissions.

Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?

A: We read every word of every poem sent to us.

Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?

A: As an annual book, we compare and evaluate poems based on all entries received in a given year to determine what is accepted.

Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?

A: Publishers are like individuals. To be the best you can be, you must always keep using one's brain cells and body parts while interacting in positive ways with the world around you.