Editor Interview: Sword & Saga Press

A Museum of Words

Since we're interested in hopeful, solution-orientated work, we would see American Athenaeum being neighbors with similar projects, like Yes! Magazine of Solutions Magazine. It's not enough to report, or point a finger to something, but the writer should be willing to show the reader a road out of the dark, the chaos, the hard time. Gail Jeidy, in the "Things They Carry," summertime issue is a great example of the balance. In her essay, "Close to my Heart," she portrays all the terror of illness, without hardly ever mentioning it; she also takes the reader to the side of hope, rather than letting us linger with the weight of it.

The common, average, everyday person willing to open a window for the reader, and show their view of the world. If you read American Athenaeum, you'll see New York Times bestselling authors right next to janitors, firefighters, the disabled, veterans or active military, indigenous peoples, bus riders, cashiers, artists, teachers, and more. We're also believers everyone has some gem of wisdom to share. So we started "Wisdomgrams." Whether you're a writer or not, you can submit your small gem of wisdom. (See website for details.)

Quite a few things distinguish American Athenaeum.
*1. Voices from the Past. Writers are the voices and teachers of the past, present and future. If not for those who wrote in the past, what would we know of our history? Thucydides warned that under the same circumstances events could reoccur, and so, the past has as much to teach us as the present does. That is why we’ve included the department, “Views from the Past.” In this area we visit historic orators, to remind ourselves of what has gone before, but also to demonstrate that the past really isn’t much different than today. A great example of this can be found in the “Front Porch” issue with Nandini Pandya’s essay, “Soul Foods,” which explores her change in eating habits (especially meat) living in India and America. Her ancient counterpart, Plutarch, tells a similar story, in the essay, “On the Eating of Flesh.” It’s not always that obvious a connection. Many times subtle connections can be made. Ultimately, it’s up to the reader to make the connections, to consider the pieces, and take something away.
*2. “America Talks.” This is your place to share your view. We ask writers: What does the view from your window look like? Show us something in your world that is important. In the “Understanders” issue, “Devil’s Slide, Utah, and the Three Forks Portland Cement Company,” by William Lychack, is a fine example.
*3.“Author” book reviews. Tired of reading biased book reviews, we offer a slot for authors to personalize their own reviews. We ask them to tell a story about why they wrote the book, why it’s important. A really brilliant example of this is in the “Front Porch” issue by Mark Edwards, who explains the history of dinosaurs, pirates, and the writing of his book, “Pirates on Dinosaur Island.”
*4. Voice of Endangered Species. We ask writers to adopt an endangered animal, plant, insect, etc., from around the world and write about it in essay, poem, or story. In the “Colossus” issue, Judith Skillman’s poem, “Steller’s Sea Cow,” is a fine example. “River Sun Warblers,” by Richie Swanson in the “Front Porch” issue, is a remarkable fiction example.
*5.. 1 Bookshelf is the place to explore life’s little experiences one bookshelf at a time. Take a look at your bookcase. As you scan the spines and titles, something magical happens. A personal narrative forms from the memories of when the books were purchased, where they were read, who loaned the book to you, or where you “borrowed” it from. There is a life-story hidden inside a single bookcase. (I encourage each and every one of you to take a moment to submit your own memories for other readers to experience.)
*6. Other departments that you won’t find elsewhere: Serialization, Wisdomgram, Compassion City. We also dedicate two issues to featuring speculative fiction.

Each submission period we post a list of "usual suspects" as to why a piece may or may not have been accepted. If writers took the time to read this, they would get a picture of where their own work falls in. We aren't always looking for the "best" written, but rather the story that is honest. (Entertaining works too). We do work with new writers, and when we can, will offer revision suggestions. *Also, submit through the submission manager--you are guaranteed a response. If you have something that you're not sure will fit, send a query. We're open to "outside of the box" ideas, as well as traditional work.

1. In fiction: engages the setting in equal proportions to characterization and plot in the opening paragraph. Meaning, that by the end of paragraph one, the reader can not only hold a picture of the setting and character, they have an idea where the story is going. We rarely take on a piece that starts with a suspended line of dialogue.
2. *Work that takes us into an area of life that is not often seen or shows us a view of life that often goes unnoticed or is unrepresented (this is the key). In the "Understanders"issue, "Cheesus, A Very Good God, by Adriana Páramo, or from the "Front Porch" issue, Another Man's Treasure," by Mallory Brintnall, or even Robert D. Kirvel, "Organic," (which takes you right into the world of chicken farming) are great examples.
3. Pieces that are historical (and properly researched). In poetry, Robert Truscott's "Roast Corn Man," in the "Things They Carry" issue is an example. Or "If Plato Tweeted: A Techno-Defese of Socrates," by Ed Tasca, in the "Understanders" issue. (Hysterical and well-researched!)
4. Anything fitting for Voices of Endangered Species. "Aunt Elsie Spoke to Trees," by Nora L. Jamieson," in the "Understanders" issue is a provocative non-fiction example.
5. Adventure stories in the vein of Verne, Burroughs, Howard, Scott, Doyle.
6. We're open to teen fiction.
7. In poetry we're always looking for creative imagery. "Wild Monkeys to Measure Radiation Levels in Fukushima," by Roy Bentley is a great example, (Front Porch issue).

Most of the people connecting with American Athenaeum "get" that we're a community, and take the time to learn what we're about.

We're real people engaging with real people, so tell us what you feel is important for us to know. We generally ask that you share a little about why you write, or why the piece is important, or why you think we're the right place for it.

We read each piece thoroughly. We generally make decisions within the three months we cull for a particular issue. If we've held it longer, it may've come at the end of one period, and we're still considering it for the next. Sometimes, we'll see a piece "fits" an issue, but it needs work, so it may be a little longer for us to respond than the average.

Every piece goes through a detailed, line-by-line edit. Generally more than one editor is involved in the process. If writers resubmit new work (revision or a new piece altogether) we try to make sure that they are paired with a different editor, in order to ensure a fair reading.

One aspect of my editorial work, that you won't find anywhere else, includes seed-saving. A single seed has the power to heal hunger, to feed a village, really. One of things we do, to not only share community, but to "grow" our world, is to "pay" contributors in garden seeds. We're currently saving and packaging organic red, orange, and yellow peppers, and have received a great response from writers who have already planted them. We all make a difference, even in small ways--so seed-sharing allows us to be part of the bigger world in a solution-focused way.