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Editor Interview: Gival Press Short Story Award

Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

Thoughtful Lit fiction

What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?

Ploughshares, Glimmer Train Stories, Fiction International, Pushcart anthology, BOA publications, Paris Review

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

Too many to list but Saramago, Ray Carver, Mark Brazaitis, Herman Hesse, etc.

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

The work needs to catch our attention, sustain it and move toward more than just characterization, toward a message without hitting us on the head.

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

Make sure the text is ready for us to read--avoid errors and make sure it is presented well. Then read for clarity and avoid excessive wording for the sake of adding words.

Describe the ideal submission.

One that makes me want to read it again.

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

The story must not be a chapter from one's novel. It must be a stand-alone story.

How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?

A simple bio is read after we have read the stories we have narrowed from the pool. We do not read these before reading the entries.

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

Into the first 6-10 pages; then if it catches me to the end.

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

First reader, second reader, then the judge decides the winner from a pool of 10 finalists.

What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?

Reading, reading, processing entries, catching up with emails, planning projects, planning ads, deciding award entries for published books, etc.

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