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Editor Interview: Origami Poems Project

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

A: micro-chapbooks of poetry

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

A: Rattle, Tahoma Review, Tieferet, Valley Press, Naugatuck River Review, Spirit First

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

A: Billy Collins, Martin Willitts Jr., Howie Good, Lynnie Gobeille, Corey Mesler, Peg Quinn, Robert Okaji, Nancy Jasper, James Penha, Peg Quinn. Along with Emily Dickinson, John Keats, Milton.

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

A: Our goal is to reach both poetry enthusiasts and so-called non-readers alike. We offer free, palm-sized micro-chapbooks which are available for as a downloadable single-page PDF. We charge no fee for submissions.

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

A: First print and read a few of our micro-chapbooks. The most recent are on the Home page. All of our 'micros' are available to download and print - for free. Donations are appreciated. On the poet's bio page we highlight a poem from each collection.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: An ideal submission comes in Word. We will read 1 to 8 poems either in Word, included in the body of the email, or as a PDF (the least desirable!). We are proud of our 'micro' covers which often feature original drawings, photos.

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

A: We are a small Project and will publish perhaps 4 micro-chapbooks a month - at most. Be patient! Send us poems that work in our micro-chapbook setting. We gravitate to writing that opens light into the darkness.

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

A: No, cover letters are not important. Tell us immediately if your submission has been accepted elsewhere. Yes, list credits and suggest cover images if you'd like.

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

A: Up to 10 pages. We can often tell within reading the first few poems whether the work is a good fit for us. Please allow 3-5 weeks between submissions.

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

A: We give preference to work that is original and unpublished. Our review process turn-around is fairly quick.

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

A: We first read the submission to get a feel for the work. Then we record our initial impressions. We try to respond within 3 weeks. The poems will be read at least twice. We are swayed by a talk given by Billy Collins where he said that he'll know within the first few lines of a poem whether it interests him.

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

A: We use Submittable for submissions.

Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?

A: We edit pieces to accommodate our printable page space. This line length, number of lines, are described clearly on the Home page and reiterated on our Submission page. The poet approves the final edit. If we make an error (typo), we can make the change and update the posted microchap.

Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?

A: We annually nominate for the Pushcard Prize.