Editor Interviews

The most ideal would be a recently unearthed, never-before-published Frank O'Hara poem. The second-most ideal? Just something really, really good.

Care at the sentence level;
Know your characters;
Story should subsume plot.

An extremely fine piece of writing accompanied by an extremely short cover letter!

Our ideal submission would be about 3,500 words, would be well written, and would have some focus in philosophy, economics, political theory, tech, theory of mind, or ethics while built around the framework of a strong character and story. The genre and age range is irrelevant. In fact, we love publishing in areas that aren't traditionally seen as areas ripe for ethics discussions. However, we are also happy to publish AI, sci-fi, and "near-future" as well, but we get a ton of those kinds of submissions already.
Here is a link from our editor talking a bit more about what we like to publish. https://youtu.be/f02mUCJua1w

For anthologies, we're looking for your best work that most deeply resonates with you, and that fits the theme of the piece. Dark fiction explores interiority and unsettling situations and doesn't need to be (and we don't prefer) gory or violent. A bio that references your social media and website or any other publication credits is helpful, but not required. We seek creators who are articulating and giving voice to the global Pinoy experience as well as those who speak with authenticity, clarity, and lived experience to help us understand more of ourselves. Finally, if your work is inspired by dreams, please let us know. Many stunning ideas have come to contributors in the form of dreams.
There's no need to italicize Tagalog or other languagues.

Haven't seen it yet.

Work that moves and amazes us (and follows the submission guidelines).

Intentional work, strange work, work that is urgent and vivid, impactful and tonally strong.
Work that surprises us.

Polished work that grabs our attention right away, offering surprises. Uses fresh language, unique points of view, characters and situations we'll remember.

Fiction: A mold-breaking piece that surprises us in terms of form and substance and that doesn't feel like other stuff that's out there. Humor goes a long with us as opposed to darkness. We frown on blood and guts and gratuitous profanity.
Poetry: Work that explores the language in ways that sneak up on the reader, with bold experimentation in form, structure, and sound.
Essays: A short piece that plays with the personal essay with exaggeration and absurdity, aiming to get the reader to a new level of understanding without adhering to the usual rules.
Faux Forms & Genres: Parodies, facsimiles, mock documents, and pieces with strong visual elements are welcome.

It should make me stop everything else and finish reading it. And then come back to it, and back again.

Good story, great opening, a new perspective,

The ideal submission should surprise us, in the best way possible. It should feel rooted in the writer/artist's own obsessions while remaining in conversation with the tarot card. Rather than illustrating an archetype or relying on established symbolism, the work should reveal something unexpected. We're drawn to work that takes creative risks, resists cliché & feels alive with curiosity. Whether it's a poem, essay, story, or artwork, we love submissions that are sensually embodied.

A submission which shows no sign of AI generated content, with minute imperfections that make it human. A piece where we can see that the writer has taken an effort. A piece where there are not too many typos or grammar errors. A piece which we would want to read again.

The first indicator of an ideal submission is when I open a manuscript and it hooks me right away. To read further and discover an author who’s passionate about genre fiction as well as language itself will guarantee a deeper look.

We are drawn to work that surprises us—not necessarily through shock or novelty for its own sake, but through a fresh perception, an unexpected connection, or an original way of rendering experience. While we welcome submissions that explore diasporic experiences, such themes are not a prerequisite.

A short, but intriguing cover letter, with the work submitted as an attachment. Doc or docx works better than pdf in most cases. Thumbnail art already considered, if not provided by the artist.

Writers often focus on the creative side of their work and forget that literary and other online magazines have concrete expectations for how a piece should look when it lands in the editor’s inbox. Here's my quick submission checklist for writers:
(1) Read all guidelines thoroughly – keep them open while you format.
(2) Provide contact information exactly as requested.
(3) Set font, size, spacing, and margins exactly as requested.
(4) Double-check word/line/page count (exclude title page and bio).
(5) Save as .doc., .docx, or .pdf, and name the file Lastname_Title.doc/.docx/.pdf
(6) Preserve poetry line breaks (PDF is safest).
(7) Add an author bio (up to 100 words).
(8) Note whether simultaneous submissions are permitted.
(9) Attach any permissions for quoted material.
(10) Complete every field in the submission portal (if used).
(11) Respect the response timeline before following up.
Writers who show such care in submitting are being respectful, enhancing their chances of success.

1. The submitted file name is the title of the story.
2. A quick start which tells me immediately what the conflict is.
3. Relatable (not necessarily likeable) characters who drive the plot.
4. Interesting action scenes.
5. Satisfying (not necessarily happy) ending.
6. Writing that has some flair.

It makes me smile or laugh out loud, not necessarily because it's funny or nice, though it may be, but because it's dazzling. There's just a joy in reading it. Even if it just broke my heart, it broke my heart delightfully because it's dazzling. Even if it punctured me with a 2x4 embedded with 90 sharp nails, I'm glad to have read it. If your submission dumps me at the side of the road wondering how I got here and no idea how I'm getting back but laughing because it's just so...great... well, that's an amazing submission.
But don't take that as standard. There are many steps on the way to ideal, and many of them will be fantastic too.

The ideal submission is within the word limit! Okay, jokes aside, the ideal submission is going to take from my answer about submission advice. Trust your own experiences. The ideal submission will speak to an aspect of our shared struggle, using a personal lens. The ideal submission should be your own voice undiluted. Don't try to guess what our politics are, or try to preach to the choir. Our readers are mostly on the political left. Your work should inspire, or be reflective, or tragic, but it should stir that audience, regardless. Sorry if that sounded vague. But my favorite submissions are all over the place. Some are about the environment, some are about your hometown, some are pointing at a current frustration in my own life, and I get to go, "Aha!" I think the easiest way to achieve that is to create work that is specific to your own perspective.

Something that is both about a contemporary issue, but won't be stale or tired after a week.

The ideal submission is written by someone who has read this interview and thinks, "yeah, my work is definitely at home here."

If a poem, one that uses unexpected imagery to explore an idea (or a confluence of ideas) and arrive in a place that keeps the reader thinking; one that has warmth and energy.
If a creative non-fiction piece, one that has found an interesting way to look at a situation and tell a story that helps the reader arrive at a place of greater knowledge and perhaps empathy.
If a short story, one that uses its understanding of the characters beyond the simple plot; one where the narrator's voice not only fits but enhances the situation.

It's really hard to describe our ideal submission, because we love to be surprised! We rarely know exactly what we want until it lands in our queue. But the quickest way to our hearts is simple: read the guidelines carefully, don't use AI/LLMs to write your submission or your cover letter, and send us something you love. We receive a lot of submissions, so we're looking for stories and poems that will stick with us long after the first read.

The ideal submission creates a sense of encounter: with a voice, image, question, landscape, body, pressure, or way of seeing that feels particular to the writer or artist. We are drawn to work that trusts its own materials — image, scene, plot, setting, voice, structure, and silence — to carry meaning rather than explaining itself. We want the resonance to arise from the work itself. In writing, we look for something unfolding on the page: an atmosphere, tension, image, or human complication that continues to deepen after we finish reading. In visual art and photography, we look for work that creates a sustained act of attention. The strongest images do more than document a subject; they reveal a way of seeing through composition, texture, light, color, gesture, atmosphere, or visual tension. An ideal visual submission should invite us to return to it and continue noticing.

A piece of Art that explores the Human Condition in some new way. All real art is about the artist. Don't be fancy or cute, be real. "They" are trying to destroy us and WE are gonna make sure that doesn't happen.

One that presents full developed characters dealing with the human condition for fiction, and poetry that offers the reader something to remember long after they have read the poem.

We love to be surprised. We love language that sings or breaks in unusual places. We like topics that teach us something new. We like the strange that is brought to our attention and we like the mundane when given a new lens with which to see it by. We like emotional truth.

The ideal submission closely follows our submission guidelines. Put another way, make your submission as easy as possible for us to approve.

Keeps to the word count. Follows the rules. Is original work with NO use of AI. …And knocks us emotionally out of the ballpark, fully transports us, or makes us laugh out loud.

A manuscript that feels as though the writer was writing an essential story, a story they HAD to tell.

My ideal submission would be a well-polished piece, with intentional language and structure. I want to be able to tell the writer has spent time exploring a piece, and from that I want to feel an emotional connection to that world and character(s). The writer’s voice should be at the forefront of the piece, making it irreplicable and unique. -Jaden Rudd, Head Editor

Horror! Scare me, make me feel a real sense of fear, get me sucked into the story and worry for the characters. If your story can give me a sense of true mania, that would be my ideal submission. -AJ Lugo Cortes, Managing Editor

Poems that sing with originality. Rich imagery. Gorgeous metaphor. Masterful craft. Intelligence. Risk. Emotional resonance. Authentic oddity and descriptive detail. Nuance, but with a level of accessibility. Send us revised, polished poems that you’re proud of—send us your best. -Lauren Tivey, Faculty Supervisor

The ideal submission would firstly follow our submission guidelines, including sharing it as a Word Document or Google Doc, attaching all the essential supplemental information, and containing high quality work. This helps our editors review your submission smoothly -- we're a small team, so ensure your submission email is correct before submitting! Although we also publish work from within the United States, we are always open to work submitted from all over the world. We are always looking for writers from countries that have not yet been represented by IHRAM Press.
Work that is evocative, speaks to the author's personal experience with a human rights issue, and embraces their unique writing style is what we wish to publish.

A book that has a big idea, that is executed well. Solid sci-fi or fantasy that knows its lane but is wildly inventive within it.
A cover letter with a good hook, and a bio that is relevant (with a bit of personality.)

A piece that's packed with intent, that grabs attention, and has a unique spin to it.

The ideal submission is a beautiful email we receive during our open reading period, with a PDF or Word doc attached containing no more than 5,000 words. It would be clear that the writer of the ideal submission understand, appreciates, and likes the specific aesthetic we're creating.

For prose, the ideal submission would generate immediate intrigue. The story would go on to present something unique in terms of voice, setting, or premise (perhaps all three!). I am never mad about encountering speculative elements! The ending doesn't need to be happy, but it needs to be satisfying.
For poetry, I am always looking for language that sings and that harnesses images and feelings that are new and surprising.

It would have to be neat, well revised copy in Times Roman (12 point), imaginative or humorous, layered, leaving the readers mulling the content. Anyone submitting must understand the writing is to woo readers with their words.

The ideal submission is a compelling story from the first word to the last.

My ideal submission is a piece that utilizes a creative form to actually propel the narrative or message rather than to just “look cool” and has a strong balance between concrete and abstract imagery. I also love to see an emotional voice coming through.

A single, finished piece with a clear narrative shape, a confident voice, and language that has been properly edited line by line. We want work that feels grounded in a real world through place, culture, character, language, or social context without leaning on explanation, messaging, or cliché to do the lifting.
To make the editorial process straightforward, please include the basic submission details clearly in your cover note: title, genre, word count, whether the piece has been published before, whether it is a simultaneous submission, and a short third-person bio. That’s enough. Keep it brief, factual, and easy to scan.

We’re very open about what makes our winning stories rise to the top. We provide articles on our website along with detailed insights on our podcast. Personally, I’m most impressed by a story that impacts me emotionally - and I don’t care which emotion it triggers! A story that takes a universal human experience and makes it feel very uniquely real will always catch my eye.
I’d encourage those interested to check out the podcast to hear much more about what all the Not Quite Write Prize judges are looking for.

The ideal submission follows our submission guidelines. Send in work that is tied to our theme for any particular month. Tell us something about yourself.

Edgy but literary. Cerebral but cool. Iconoclastic with craft.

Poetry that appeals to people who don't really love poetry. Prose that bites back.

My ideal submission starts with the email. Putting the submission call and title in the subject line is not an arbitrary request from us. It's how we organize our busy inbox, and makes sure we don't accidentally miss your submission.
Outside of that, my ideal submission grabs me from the first line. With flash fiction, there's not room for a slow build, and I want to see an immediate hook that gives me the pull to keep reading.

The strongest works leave you with a message or moral or emotion that you didn’t have before you read that piece. The takeaway should be unique and nuanced and insightful.

An ideal submission should have a strong plot and voice. It should do something new. It should open with a great hook and surprise us along the way.

This is a hard question to answer because we don't have a house style and try to temper personal taste. The categories we evaluate are prose, plot, grammar, concept, structure, character, dialogue, and setting. However, we've structured our rubric to be flexible. If a story excels in all categories but fails in setting and plot, it would still be publishable because, overall, it is an excellent piece.
I guess my answer would be just do your very best. A brief summary of submission process is on our website. It would be best to review it.

Good writing wins us over. We like well-crafted, imagistic, thoughtful, imaginative, playful pieces.

The ideal submission is a short story with fully-realized characters, a setting, and a plot that fits within the short story format. It is edited with spelling, grammar, and type checks. It is human-authored. That AI slop is not for us. We ask all authors to complete a submission form that asks questions about your protagonists motivation, their goal in the story, if there is sensitive content. If you're struggling to answer the form, go back into your story and see what isn't working.

For creative nonfiction, a well written, thoughtful piece that explores a personal experience with empathy and interest to the reader.

Short Stories: Edited, about 1k words, and with a coherent storyline.
Poems: Can be short or long, but need to have been spell-checked and not be confusing to read.
Art: Clear resolution. If you're submitting photography or a picture of a physical piece (a painting, sculpture, etc.), make sure no editing is needed for us to display your work. Everything should be in frame.
Essays/Articles: Edited, about 1k words with sources cited at the end.
*Bonus points if you make us cry!

Oh, something with an interesting name. First lines that grasp our throat and pull out our vocal chords. Something that makes the wall less static.

It follows our guidelines and once we start reading, we are drawn in and forget we are reading for the magazine. It's just good writing and we want to share it.

First and foremost, a piece of great writing. Writing that is sharp, intelligent and crafted with care, style, and purpose. The ideal submission would be imaginative, thought-provoking, and timeless. If non-fiction, I suspect it would take a fresh, unexpected angle, and be offbeat, strange, and slightly eccentric, detailing a historical oddity or a peculiar botanical obsession

Submitted in PDF or Word format. I prefer submissions that include a title page with all relevant information, and work that is easy to read.

On topic (related to the American Jewish experience), beautifully written, fully copy-edited, with an opening that instantly grabs the attention of a reader.

It follows all our submission guidelines and comes with a short bio. We want to be surprised, delighted, made to think. We love short stories that really understand the audio format, so use language and voice in imaginative ways. Submissions containing hate speech, harassment, or discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability will not be accepted. Use of generative AI is not accepted. We love submissions that come with an MP3 of the author reading it in a very quiet room - but that’s not essential!

One that makes us both go “YES!” We like innovative, unique pieces. One of us loves surreal, odd work, while the other is a sucker for lyric embedded in original plots. Show us something in a fresh way.

Fresh take on a crime story
A strong voice
An opening chapter that pulls you right into the action and doesn't let go. (Action doesn't mean violence, it's a catch-all for whatever the conflict is that's driving the novel)
A clean, proofread manuscript
Not a single cliche. We don't want to be up the river without a paddle on our way to a three-ring circus where the sky is falling and everything is heading to hell in a handbasket. Also spare us the private eye in the crappy office with the bottle of booze in his drawer who gets hired by a beautiful woman. We get that submission every day. Also spare us the tortured homicide cop battling drug/alcohol addiction, struggling with a divorce or a dead spouse/child, and mired in political battles with his department. We get that one twice a day :-) And unless you have a brilliant new take on a serial killer story, one that hasn't already been done in the 300 episodes of CRIMINAL MINDS, similar shows, and countless novels, please don't submit it to us. To say we are burned out on serial killer stories is an understatement.

Hook us with language. Show us what's true--and then make us doubt if we got it all on the first read. Please read our guidelines, and read recent issues on our website to see the conversation you'd be joining.

There are a few of us reading work and we all say the same thing - I can tell 10-15 sentences in if it has the feel of something we'd include. So, what is that feel? Well, we are about culture and, with any luck, looking at it differently or documenting it. I love poems that have fun with the language, stories that deal with us as humans and the ironic surreal nature of just getting by the the world. It can't be too obvious. It has to be there but slyly hidden.

An ideal submission has a plot—we love genre—but it also has a human anchor we can feel. Whether it’s meant to make us laugh, cry, or stay awake at night, we come to know the character through a clear sense of emotional interiority. The story trusts the reader and allows the character’s choices to matter.

The ideal submission is from someone who has read our guidelines – and perhaps even read a few stories from the journal. Ideal submissions are also carefully proofread and finely tuned – because our time is limited, we can only take stories that don’t require huge edits or substantial re-writes.

It’s like nowhere you’ve been before and yet it is absolutely familiar.

I love a story where dread builds as the character's world becomes increasingly surreal and everything spins out of control until the character is lost to their bitter fate. A story that will leave readers reeling.

The ideal submission hooks us immediately and ends on a gut punch. It demonstrates a strong command of language and a character-led narrative that engages from the first to the final line.
We love a wide variety of genres and we're not picky about subject matter; just give us something well-written and with feeling.

We're excited about books that are beautifully written and have something interesting and important to say.

My ideal submission is error free -- meaning no grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes. For poetry, I want to see line breaks that make sense and do not appear random. Line breaks should be very intentional and purposeful. I rarely publish rhyming poetry, but if the rhymes do not seemed forced or contrived, I love rhyming poetry! I also love haibun, tanka, and haiku. Overall, I just want to see honest, heartfelt writing that seeks to find connections to the reader. For short stories, I want to see the whole arc of a story--clear beginning, middle, and end with plot resolution, strong, believable characters, and a good setting. Make the story mean something. Ask yourself -- what will the reader take away from this story. As an avid photographer myself, I love art that showcases color, lighting, contrasts, and cool angles. I'd love to see more paintings, drawings, and photos.

Within word count, with confident use of language and imagery that isn't didactic in tone and leaves room for the reader to think. That isn't scared to impress but isn't brash either.

One that follows guidelines?

Something fresh and unexpected. Something that draws the reader in. Something too short, too long, too weird. Something you can't quite put your finger on. Something you want to read again, or share with a friend or colleague.

The idea submission has
-within the first 10 pages, a strong sense of voice, literary style, character, and place
-we are open to all genres except young adult but lean hard into the literary.

A full sample of unpublished work (up to 5 for poetry/art, or up to 3 for flash fiction) in a variety of themes and style. A cover letter is nice, but not necessary (though I do read and enjoy them).

Something with emotional connection that inspires conversation. For fiction, I prefer the dark takes but often am captured by a strong moment of hope. I want to see a full narrative in that short space, even if it's a unique take in narrative form. I love a risk taker. Our poetry editor and fellow EIC prefers non-rhyming unless it's impeccable. If it blurs the line too much toward story you're better off submitting to fiction or CNF and we can shoot it over to poetry if we think it in works. She wants something that makes her feel or think, consider life/the theme from someone else’s perspective.

The ideal submission lists its genre in the subject line, has a brief cover letter that does not have to be funny, and has an attachment. It should have a unique, personal voice. And it should demonstrate good command of craft.

These questions are not feeling worthwhile.

One that follows the guidelines, is on-theme, and shows me a story I never would have dreamed up myself, with emotional resonance.

Work that only you could write.

The perfect piece is clever, thoughtful, and unexpected in a pleasing way. It offers a unique outlook on the mundane or fantastical, with a clear point, accessible narrative, and a successful resolution. It’s well-written, playful yet grounded, and makes us laugh, smile, or at least blow air through our noses. Brevity is appreciated, and every line should feel purposeful - no fluff, cheap comedy, or overdone tropes.

First off, follow the guidelines! It's hard to be open to the work when it's in an 8 point cursive font. I think "the ideal submission" is one where the work speaks for itself. There is really no magic formula, because we've published everything: from "standard" books of poetry to a microchap with a CD, from a love story with a the angel Gabriel told in texts to a sci-fi story in verse.

It follows the guidelines, connects to a prompt, and is both thought-provoking and fun.

There are so many different ways to write a good 50-word story. You can go for humour, deep emotion, wonder, or whimsy. The ideal story should have a purpose or intention, and should clearly convey that to the reader.

An ideal submission is one that feels fresh and alive, where the form itself is essential to telling the story. For example, our first single title, She Was Wild Grass by Katie Bennett, is a hybrid memoir that intertwines Bennett’s artistic coming-of-age with the story of Joan Vollmer, the remarkable yet overlooked Beat Generation figure whose life was tragically cut short when her husband, William S. Burroughs, shot her in 1951. We were immediately struck by how the book reframes Vollmer’s story, uncovering a hidden side of the Beat Generation while weaving it with a moving, contemporary artistic coming-of-age in prose that's both spare and evocative. The hybrid form enhances the narrative in a way that is simultaneously innovative and engrossing.

The ideal submission is emotionally resonant and crafted with intention. It demonstrates precision at the sentence level, but it is not showy or clever for its own sake. Structure is purposeful and inseparable from meaning. The piece risks something emotionally, intellectually, or formally, and it engages complexity rather than arriving at an easy conclusion. It reveals rather than explains. Most of all, the ideal submission carries a sense of inevitability, as if no other form, voice, or shape could hold it.

It allows the writing to speak for itself and doesn't exceed the maximum word count.

We look for voice-driven writing that has something to say about our region. The submission length requirements must be met.

A story by a relatively unknown author that absolute surprises us, either by tackling an old trope in a new way, or by bringing completely original sensibilities into their writing. We are particularly drawn to the odd and weird.

A work that is lyrical and formally astonishing.

A story that makes me wish I could write something like that.

We like to laugh and we like to cry, but we are hard nuts to crack. Any submission that makes us laugh out loud or choke up, just a little, is what we are looking for. It'll make our day.

Our aim is to highlight disability literature and the creative arts, and to do so in accessible ways. Therefore, we seek out work pertaining to disability experiences and cultures. Importantly, we privilege publishing work by writers and other creative artists with disabilities and present this work in accessible formats.
While we are deeply committed to poetry, Wordgathering also accepts short essays and short works of creative nonfiction (CNF), flash memoir, fiction, excerpts, and drama, as well as art, photography, comics, short videos, music, and suggested books for potential review. Further information can be found in our submission guidelines. https://wordgathering.com/submission-guidelines/
We also publish manifestos, interviews, and responses, and are open to considering other genres. Responses provide writers and artists with the opportunity to address one another, reflecting on prior Wordgathering publications. Further details regarding submitting manifestos, interviews, and responses can be found in our submission guidelines. https://wordgathering.com/submission-guidelines/
In June 2020, Wordgathering began publishing work under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license, which allows readers to view/access, download, and share the work (with proper attribution), but nothing else, without permission of the creator; all other rights remain with the creator. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions about Open Access, our Creative Commons license, and Fair Use for more information. https://wordgathering.com/about/faq/
If you have questions or concerns about this license, or anything else, please contact us at [email protected].

Something well written, with a unique writing style and dark atmosphere that ends with death.

Something that resonates, that hasn't been put forth in the same way dozens of times before. Something that makes us laugh, cry, laugh and cry, think, forget, remember....well, you get the picture. There should be something below the surface; there should be THERE there.

The ideal submission considers our current scientific theme in a carefully thought-out way—which might also be something unexpected! We take a lot of pride in the quality of work we publish, so make sure the piece is as polished as possible.

Strong sense of place; fresh, confident voice; interesting material; clear point of view.

A story or poem that has been widely submitted, rejected multiple times, and revised each time until it is the strongest piece it can be.

A quick cover letter and a remarkable submission packet from an artist or writer in Maryland.

For fiction: concise, voice-driven, linguistically challenging and exciting, tight and well paced.
For poetry: new and interesting uses of language and form

One that has been written and rewritten so many times that all we have to do is read and format. Those are very few and far between, but when a piece is submitted that has been crafted so carefully that our only task as editors is to enjoy it, this is apparent right away, and we feel so honoured to have been considered as a home for it. That said, we are never looking for perfection. Submit, even if you know there is more you can do, and especially if you don't know what that more is. We are an editing magazine, and we pride ourselves on holding our writers’ hands to the publication line.

The ideal submission is a creative journey in words or art that either identifies a problem in society or personal experience and positively solves that problem or that focuses on the beauty of a moment, experience, or inspirational place. It is a submission from the heart that uplifts and inspires through your personal words and experiences.

A comforting, disturbing, hilarious, heartbreaking, traditional, experimental poem or story or essay or comic, either originally in English or translated from another language. Work that both recognizes and transcends boundaries, that speaks in a distinctive voice, that enlivens the senses of the reader.

Kick our heart around. Surprise us. Force us to weigh what you are saying in the way that you are stating it.

So far they have all been ideal. The document opens and everything! No viruses to eat my SSD! You have your name, your blurb, your submission, and you either link to a google doc or attach a file that doesn't kill my computer. But for the story itself, the sky is the limit. We don't like constrains here, for this is The great Work. Show me what you made.

The first word that comes to mind for the ideal submission would be --- colorful. Whether it's a piece of artwork, a poem, or a story, we want something that feels alive, vibrant, and full of emotion. Something that draws us in because it is so interesting to look at or read.

As close as you can get to your version of Hemingway’s “Indian Camp.”

I love pieces that push against the barriers a little, that force one to not just think outside the box but to paint a narrative that doesn't need boxes or confinement. I love reading pieces that blow my mind and make me realise I didn't even think of this. It doesn't have to be good in the sense of perfect, grammatical writing, or even an original story, but one's true voice comes out when they let go of the societal restrictions imposed on them. And it is beautiful and powerful.

I love pieces that push against the barriers a little, that force one to not just think outside the box but to paint a narrative that doesn't need boxes or confinement. I love reading pieces that blow my mind and make me realise I didn't even think of this. It doesn't have to be good in the sense of perfect, grammatical writing, or even an original story, but one's true voice comes out when they let go of the societal restrictions imposed on them. And it is beautiful and powerful.

The ideal submission hooks me in the first few lines. There is a music or strangeness to the line-work that intrigues me. It is a book where the author has obsessed over language (shape and sound), meticulously edited the work, and whose experiment is expertly rendered. (Aren't we all experimenting on the page no matter how grand or slight?) It is work that requires active reading, that does not give easy answers, does not respond to marketplace trends, to solve itself for the comfort of the reader, but seeks to find new territories of experience. Simply put, it has magic in the line, is playful, loses me in wonder, or burns at the edges.

One that follows the submission guidelines. We receive many submissions from people who have clearly not read the submission guidelines. Submissions by one writer. I kindly refer to the submission guidelines.
Submissions that are creative, that cause readers to take pause and ponder. Submissions that are written jointly by two authors.

I'm not going to describe the submission's content, because publishable work comes in many shapes and sizes. The ideally-formatted submission, though, is addressed to "Cavar and Joyce," has a brief cover letter indicating whether the piece has been published before / whether or not it has been simultaneously submitted elsewhere, and a third-person bio for the author. The piece would be in a word doc (or PDF if formatting-sensitive) and within our page/wordcount limit. Content warnings (and, if a visual submission, alt text) will be indicated in the cover letter.

Original, surprising, high-quality writing, that only that particular author could write. Originality in theme, form, viewpoint, and what you are trying to say are most welcome.

Characters that struggle with their faith, science that challenges (but isn't at odds with) religious precepts, and an action-driven plot with dynamic prose

One that is submitted in a professional manner (following the guidelines, a document that is well organized, has been proofread). One that captures our interest from the first line.

The ideal submission comes from a writer who is familiar enough with our magazine to know that their piece is ... an ideal submission. We also appreciate a well-proofread manuscript, but we're forgiving about small errors. We have copyeditors and proofreaders on staff who go over every piece before publication and we will bring questions back to the writer if we find something that needs clarification. We also offer our contributors a chance to scour a preview link of their piece before publication so we can make any necessary changes (but not a signicant revision!) and update their bio.

One or two sentences of brief cover letter introducing the author. A story that falls within our length guidelines and offers an extremely clean read. A plot that answers the question, "Why should we care?" Character motivations that are intellectually and emotionally honest. A general sense of intelligence undergirding the work.

A strong and unique voice that makes us stop in our tracks and then eagerly devour the rest of the piece. Details that matter and ideas that complement each other. A killer first line that has more meaning on second read. A piece that makes us feel like the author knew exactly what they were doing with every word choice.

The first three chapters of the book and one-page synopsis (with no typos) in Word, formatted simply, along with a covering email that addresses us by our names, introduces the essential facts about the author, explains why they are submitting to us, introduces their book in as few words as possible and explains why they think we'd work well together.

The ideal submission would be one that is dynamic -- that grabs us from the first line and compels us to keep reading. We are looking for complete stories with crisp prose, well-developed characters, compelling plots, and satisfying resolutions. We want stories that engage our minds and emotions.

The ideal submission follows the call for submissions and submission guidelines. The published pieces reveal the writers’ human experiences as souls on their earthly walks. What is “holy” to them? We wish to explore what brings joy and what heals grief, sorrow, anger, and shame. Writers have shared experiences related to family, illness, loss, love, and other topics. Readers can search different labels following each publication to see the scope of human experiences writers have explored. FEED THE HOLY isn’t a forum for religious dogma. It’s very easy to quote verses, but how do we live those principles?

We don't have an ideal, really. It all sounds trite, but it's true: read the past issues, then submit a clean submission with no spelling or grammatical errors. Remove all the bookmarks, tags, editor's marks and double check to make sure.
We look for:
1. Quality of writing. We like writers who dive head first into the art of *story* itself. We don't want to be grabbed by the scruff and shaken with graphic violence sex or clever first lines. But: if your prose stands up and does a little dance, we will probably be your fans for life. We have a penchant for intelligent, lyrical prose that tackles difficult themes.
2. Engaging characters, interesting plot, a satisfying ending, unique storytelling that avoids the obvious plot twists. We don't want "clever", or high concept pieces without a plot, engage us with solid storytelling. Be it on a space ship or faery, the afterwards of an apocalypse, or the heart of a modern city.
3. Is it mythopoeia? (Check our guidelines for an explanation)
4. Does it speak to the theme of the issue?
5. We do much the same for poetry.

The one that has followed the submission guidelines and evokes so much emotion that it makes us accept all the pieces they send.

The ideal submission follows submission guidelines! I am looking for boundary-pushing fiction that questions the dominant cultural narrative. Horror, horrifying fiction, and science fiction that bends tropes will always get my attention. (If it has kids on bikes, "could be a movie/series/comic book," or flinches away from gore, I'm not interested.) Moonstruck Books takes outsider fiction seriously. We prefer to work with unpublished authors or unknowns; authors belonging to a historically marginalized group and/or identifying as lesbian or gay, queer, transgender or nonbinary; Black, Indigenous, Latinx, people of color (BIPOC); blue collar writers, self-supporting writers, anti-commercial writers, and people from non-affluent backgrounds; people who live with chronic illness and other disabilities; and other individual experiences which are not traditionally centered in mainstream publishing; authors originating from a rural, agricultural, or otherwise overlooked or unglamorous region within the United States; self-taught authors who have no formal education, such as university courses or MFAs, or access to residencies, grants, fellowships, and other privileges; authors originating from a country, nation, or homeland outside the United States.

An ideal submission follows the guidelines for submission, and the work is devoid of errors, and also fits the scope and mission of the 'zine.

The ideal submission has followed the guidelines. Note, they are different depending on whether you are submitting fiction or nonfiction. In the synopsis you really convince us about the woman you are featuring
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The ideal submission has a strong voice and a balanced story. It may be a little open-ended. It will be between 1,000 and 5,000 words. The text will be double-spaced, paragraphs will be indented using a proper formatting tool. Pages will be numbered. There will be very few, if any, typos.

The ideal submission is double-spaced in a custom font such as Times New Roman or Arial. The author has spent a long time editing the work so the copy is pretty clean. They have included a bio of between 250 and 500 words. They have included everything asked for in the submission guidelines.

The ideal submission is anonymised, of course. Beyond that, it has an innate sense of wonder that sparks adrenaline and emotional connection in the reader. It is well paced for audio production, does not hit any of our do-not-wants, and is appropriate for a YA audience.

A first line that grabs our attention immediately. A story that is free of grammatical errors, and ends with a bang.

Work that makes me and my designer (Priya) talk about for ages.

Strange, surreal, shocking, beautiful, and on theme (for flash).

When selecting the winners, we look for the following:
o 100 words or less (including the title).
o A complete and compelling story.
o A story that is nonviolent and focuses on growth rather than suffering.
o A story that includes a clever twist or unexpectedly delights us with a surprise.
o Writing that uses clever, unique, or unexpected language.
o Writing that inspires us.
o Writing that recognizes the power of creativity to impact the world.
o Writing that creates an equitable, just, and empowered world.
o A piece that adheres to the theme (some contests have a theme, while others are open ended).

A 20000 word novel best/final yet open to edits that borders on schizophrenic yet coherent. An underlying point beyond postmodern gobbledygook. Heart in it. Grit, edge, realist, and humorous.
Poetry, schizo/transgressive

We do not read the cover letter before reading the submission and it rarely impacts our decision. The cover letter is professional, concise and to the point.
The work itself is attached as a separate document. The prose is of the highest quality: tight and seemingly effortless. When the piece is finished we like to be left feeling unsettled, uncomfortable and with more questions than answered.
Reading the piece again leaves us feeling even more confused as it seems to have changed between the first and second readings. There is the feeling that the piece is gesturing toward something outside the bounds of logic and language that has not been gestured toward before.
I consider burying the document in a deep hole so that no one else has to live through the experience of reading it. An acceptance is sent instead.

A full MS if it's a picture book or a fiction middle grade/chapter book. A clear outline and sample chapters for a non-fiction (though we prefer a full MS.)

For us, the ideal submission is a piece on which the passion and the genuine interest of the creator are reflected, a piece that one reads or sees and feels that it has a life of its own. And perhaps, a piece that inspires something to the audience so that they are, too, encouraged to experiment with and explore the intricacies of thought.

The ideal submission should demonstrate creativity and/or scholarship to entertain and enlighten readers. We like when the content of the story/poem/article/artwork starts a conversation.

The ideal submission believes in itself.
The ideal submission is aware of its situation in literary space.
The ideal submission is not a hype machine.
The ideal submission is not a doomer.
The ideal submission invites the reader to participate in its language.
The ideal submission teases these prescriptions.

Formatted well and easily readable, matches the theme, has love and dedication put into it.

The ideal submission is non-simultaneous and not previously published. The cover letter should be succinct but provide the necessary details. The attachment should be in Word Doc form, and with no silly fonts.

The ideal submission is a story with a unique and exciting premise, a hook that draws me in, palpable tension between the characters, evocative and sensory language, and leaves me feeling good in my body (even if the ending isn't happy). Moreover:
1. The main character has strong external and internal conflicts. There are high stakes for why the character needs to overcome both conflicts.  
2. The external conflict threatens the completion of the MC's internal character arc (i.e. threatens their ability to resolve their internal conflict). 
3. External GMC and internal GMC are not both about sex. The best stories are those in which the sex is woven in, but not the sole source of conflict. 
And don't forget to line edit carefully!

Thought-provoking, positively inspiring, and a little quirky.

A narrative about unusual places, people, and events that refrains from exoticising. An ideal submission would have clear accessible language and story arc. I want to be immediately thrown into the text, yet also surprised in some way. Text, images or media that brings us on a journey whether physically, emotionally, intellectually prick our senses and lift our spirits or challenge us in some way. Writing works well when it connects with the experience of the reader but I also appreciate when the opposite is true – that the reader sees something new in the author, and is taken to a new place or different reality. Often this comes from an honest, authentic self, revealing one’s innermost thoughts and feelings. At these points of vulnerability the best writing seems to come through. Submissions should follow the guidelines (word count, genre, style guide, etc) but the decision to include the work is really based on whether it moves us or not.

A well-thought-out, professionally presented thing that we have never seen before. By which I mean, pursue your strangest ideas, but take them seriously enough to bring them to some level of refinement.

The ideal submission is the story or poem that touches me somehow - whether it makes me laugh or makes me cry. I love the pieces that can be felt. And I've been lucky as EIC at Micromance to experience this often.

We're on the hunt for essay collections, all kinds of poetry, experimental works, hybrids, literary novels, novellas, short story collections, memoirs, and nonfiction that pushes boundaries—think literary criticism, history, cooking, health, science, and long-form journalism.
We're also on the lookout for submissions from authors who understand that publishing books is a front-facing business....and that they are ready to promote themselves.

The ideal submission for Moonday Mag opens with atmospheric descriptions and a main character who would otherwise not be given a second glance when passing on the sidewalk. We love feelings and moods over conversations and personalities. We want to be transported – into a world, into a moment. The ideal submission is also crafted for Moonday Mag, by a writer who has followed our journey and knows what we want to see. Simultaneous submissions are always welcome, but we can definitely tell when you just get us.

The writing is clear enough that I forget I'm reading as an editor and instead feel as though I am transported into a new world of ideas, feeling, or story.

For writing, we love pieces that are clear, emotionally resonant, and thought-provoking something that stays with the reader long after they’ve read it. For art, we’re drawn to originality and how well it tells a story or conveys an emotion.
It doesn’t have to be perfect it just has to feel real and meaningful. And, of course, following our submission guidelines always helps!

A well-researched story with equal parts characters, plot, and world-building.

My ideal submission is something that I feel I couldn't have written myself – a piece that speaks to me in a voice distinct from my own, and makes me want to listen.

Either a piece of fiction (flash fiction or a short story up to 6000 words) or 5-6 poems no longer than 45 lines, or a play up to 2000 words, edited and proofread to the best of your writing ability, which are funny. I like narrative voices similar to Terry Pratchett’s, Dean Koontz's, or Tom Holt’s but you don’t have to sound like them. Just be witty, absurd, sarcastic, irreverent and downright silly.

Poetry that is concise and leaves you thinking at the end of the poem, and likely wanting more. Short fiction and flash fiction about everyday life that cuts to the core of our complicated emotional being, and the give-and-take involved in daily living.

The ideal submission contains a cover letter with the author's third-person bio, a headshot that's not a selfie, and a valid email address that the author checks regularly. The ideal poetry submission contains 1-3 poems that make innovative use of language rather than relying on white space (because rendering white space for Kindle is really, really difficult). The ideal prose submission is between 2,000 and 3,000 words and explores the theme in an unexpected way. The ideal art submission is a high-quality image with a clear relation to the theme.

Deals with a subject that is politically or socially relevant from an interesting non-traditional perspective, with wit, humor, sensuality or sadness. When we put it down, we remember it.

Read the submission page for the details.

This is a tough question because we're not picky about a cover letter or a bio. We love learning more about you, of course, but we understand that cover letters and bios can be daunting. We're chill over here.

We don't have "ideal submissions." In fact, we don't provide submission guidelines at all. We want contributors to submit their work however they'd like us to receive it. We just ask that they put as much care into their submission as we put into reviewing it. Believe us, it's obvious when something is just fired off and submitted helter-skelter.

The ideal submission is one that fits well with our existing publishing program and that shows that the author is familiar with our books (perhaps has even read some of them).

A story between 4-6k words, a really catchy title, a striking first line that makes me laugh, a consistent tempo of wit and punchlines to maintain the comedic tone, characters who act based on their motivations, a full story arc with multiple scenes.

There is none in specificity - surprise us! But you have to have the craft down, no matter what genre or type of story you're submitting. Generically, ideal submissions come from authors who've labored of their writing and know what they are doing. These are a joy to read.

If your piece isn't like anything else we've published, even better!

Is there such a thing?

1. Considers and applies our submission guidelines.
2. Has a brief cover letter if any as this does not factor into our submission decision.
3. Timely communication when withdrawing pieces.
4. A well formatted submission document!

This is hard to describe. It is more about the quality of the writing for us. Some things just speak to you and some don't. Checking a list of boxes can't make up for not having "the thing". I know that isn't great advice, as it is very unclear., but it is the reality.

Fiction or poetry that breaks new ground, and is therefore memorable.

The ideal submission comes properly formatted and in accordance to our guidelines. It contains short pieces that evoke a visceral response in the reader and have a high level of craft. The subject is surprising, or the approach to the subject is surprising and innovative.

A traditionally-plotted science-fiction, fantasy, mystery or thriller with LGBT+ protagonist and a strong romantic subplot with a happy ending. I don't publish bummer endings--especially not tragic romance.

In terms of form: send it attached or in the body of an email to the right address. The ideal document is in txt format, or doc. In terms of quantity, three to five poems seems to be the right thing, and one piece or two of fiction. Other genres, please query first. In terms of substance, I quote again: "What I want from the work I read is that it traumatizes me, tortures me or makes me laugh, disturbs me in fact. There is nothing more dreadful than some sterile work which will leave no trace upon you, apart from the need to read something else."

If you have read our submission guidelines, following them strictly goes a long way. But additional suggestions are:
- include an introduction of yourself and your submission when you email us
- format your submission consistently; a serif font is preferred with the font size 11 or 12, double spaced
- if you have art or illustrations you want included, please provide them as SEPARATE files and not within the document
- let us know why you want to publish with Small World City and how you see your work fitting in with our speculative literary magazine
- include your author's bio and photo in your email, NOT within the document
- ensure that your author's bio is less than 200 words, not including your list of publications. You have room to be quippy or fun if you want!
- and a necessary reiteration: mention if the work is a simultaneous submission

An intimate moment written with care, creativity, and commitment.

Clear, meaningful, thought-provoking, embodied, and without judgement.

I want to laugh and be surprised.

First, the author queries us with a brief description of the project. When we see the mss. we are looking to see if it is something we feel we have not read before. It may be a familiar subject seen from a new angle, or an old form with a new set of formal rules. The best writing we see has a reason to be in the world and brings us news about the human condition. In other words it needs to be about more than "what happened in your life." The ideal submission is not about identity politics, nor trauma, nor is it the first thing you have ever published. Don't send us a mss. if you just started writing, master something first.

Our ideal submission is simply clean copy with a clear idea of what it is and what it’s doing. Beyond that, we’re open to just about anything—as long as the piece has an environmental angle, a spiritual emphasis, or displays concern for the natural world. Bonus points when a piece balances otherwise seriousness with elements of humor, satire, and/or oddity. Additionally, we are eager to see more creative nonfiction and graphic narrative submissions. We’d love to receive more work in the vein of author J.T. Robertson’s “No Spoilers” from our first issue. Surprise us!

Precise, careful prose that avoids cliche; accessible and unique voice; witty; a demonstrated interest in digging below the surface. And although we just to avoid cliche, please, show — don't tell.

Ideal submission follows our submission guidelines, has the submitted material as an Attachment and includes a short biography in the body of the email.

Good characters chasing clear goals in a fully realized world — with the twist of personality that only a dedicated artist can provide.

Surprise us, amaze us, take us on a journey to somewhere unexpected. Work that is well-described, with strong imagery, crisp diction, clear rhythms and an energetic flow stands a stronger chance of being accepted. Juxtapositions, contrasts, and paradoxes make for delicious explorations in a work. If you have poems that reflect a common theme, don’t be afraid to submit two or three of them together.

Simple: send a brief cover letter describing the book and anything interesting or relevant about the author, and attach the manuscript. That's it.
Don't send short stories or novellas -- we only publish full-length novels (generally 60,000-80,000 words, though sometimes we've gone a bit lower or higher). You're wasting your time sending us a 20,000-word story or a 200,000-word one.
No works in progress or pitches of things you haven't written yet but could -- we have our hands full just dealing with the 1,000+ completed manuscripts we get each year.
We're not looking for series -- just individual standalone novels that knock our socks off. Nothing wrong with series, they can be wonderful, I've loved many myself, but...we only publish a few books each year and just don't have room in our teeny-tiny line for another series.
We aren't looking for serial killers, fantasy, cozies, legal thrillers, spy thrillers, thrillers of any other sort really (if it feels like Dan Brown or Jason Bourne it might be terrific but it's not for us), anything conspicuously 21st-century (hacking, social media, Covid, Ozempic) -- just good old-fashioned hardboiled or 'noir' crime fiction.
Don't send a sample chapter from the middle of the book. If your opening chapter isn't good enough to hook a reader, you need to write a new opening chapter.
And if our answer is no, as sadly it will be in 99.9% of cases, please don't respond with, "Why? I thought my book was exactly the sort you publish. What's wrong with it? Can you give me a better idea of what you ARE looking for?" We just have to say no the vast, vast majority of the time, which means we'll probably have to say it to you. Apologies in advance. If it happens, don't be discouraged. Another editor might fall in love with your book and do amazingly with it. But we can only go for 1 in 1,000+, and that means saying no to 999+. It's nothing personal.

"I wish I wrote that!"

My sister wrote a story when she was 12 and I was 11 called Eyeball Invasion. It's still funny if I do say so.
Don't afraid to get weird is all I'm saying. And humor will get you places too. Ideal is something strange, peculiar and new.

Personal and specific while avoiding the trappings of cliché, over sentimentality, or too much repetition.

Story, story, story. I can put up with a lot of bad spelling, stylistic anomalies, poor grammar, and other fol-de-rol if I get a really good story. That means a well wrought plot, sympathetic characters, and interesting episodes.

clearly resonant with our overall mission as well as the theme for that particular issue and beautifully crafted.

A million-dollar tip.

We love short works. This would be something that gets to the point quickly. A story that drags is easily dismissed.

The ideal submission for a short story will keep me turning the pages. We meet the monster on the first page, sometimes the first paragraph. The hero makes a sympathetic character. The person sending the story will address me by my name (you'd be surprised how many people say "dear editor". He'll send it by email, knowing that snail mail can be unreliable. He'll use Times New Roman, Courier, or other easy to read font for the manuscript. And the plot will have a unique twist on the zombie or vampire.

The ideal submission arrives with not one note of either sycophancy, flippancy, or overfamiliarity, and follows our formatting guidelines. Sometimes I know I'm excited by something within first glance at the text, and others I'm engrossed in reading and challenged by it—when I'm asked to fire all my analytic cylinders, I know that the submission is special.

Brief, friendly cover letter, one-paragraph bio note with a combination of writing and life information, and literature that combines finely crafted language and content that connects on a personal/human level.

The ideal submission follows all of our guidelines and is not afraid to be different.

The ideal submission includes a brief cover letter introducing themselves and their work, that way we're comfortable with each other.

A story from 200 to 1000 words that grabs our attention from the very beginning and keeps us hooked until the very end. We want your characters/plot to be so captivating that we are satisfied with the ending yet disappointed there is not more to read. Fireworks is a place to experience an explosive story in a short amount of reading time, so take advantage of every word you write! Other than that, its up to you!

The ideal submission elicits some kind of emotional response. It rewards me for all the hours I spend reading submissions that don't. In turn, it rewards the readers who invest their time. There are a lot of different kinds of emotional responses. The best ones, I think, involve some kind of unexpected breath--either an inhale or an exhale, a laugh or an exclamation.

Ideal in the formal sense would be a submission that has taken note of the guidelines.
In any other sense there is no ideal. It’s based on feeling and what works for us and the journal.

There is no ideal submission. Its impossible to know what is going to resonate or stand out. Sometimes we get submissions from established writers with successful books and hundreds of publishing credits that are just boring. On the other hand sometimes we get a submission from someone who has never even submitted their work anywhere before and it blows us away. There’s no way to know.

We are not The Paris Review or Poetry Magazine. If you believe your writing can fit in there, don't bother submitting here. Maudlin House wants new forms, new ideas, and new takes on things. It should also be noted that the title that you give your writing is important and makes a big difference in how your work will be perceived by our editors and readers. We like metamodern writing. This does not mean constantly mentioning a celebrity's name for no reason at all or just slipping a current event that doesn't fit n with the piece in general. Go for ironic, but sincere. Different, but not chaotic.

We will NOT accept any writing that contains bigotry in any sort of way. If you are a white guy, DO NOT send us writing that oversexualizes women or uses ebonics. If you think we can't tell, you are wrong. If you think we are being too WOKE when it comes to this, do not submit or harass any of our editors because you find this to be hateful towards white men. We do not care and you will be blacklisted from submitting to our site. There are many other sites that are for some reason willing to accept writing from Incels. We are not one of them.

We look first for work that is both aesthetically ambitious and literary. We like work that pays close attention to language, work that challenges our assumptions and is willing to take risks with form.

Our ideal submission varies widely; it's best for writers to read what our genre editors have said on our website about what they're looking for: https://www.cincinnatireview.com/what-were-looking-for/

If we are talking about a writing piece, the ideal submission is captivating by its title and first line. It shows something different from the very beginning, containing the author’s true, unique essence. I personally prefer texts that operate with a lot of symbolism and figurative language. Still, considering that many artists find their real voices in different styles and techniques, I can equally enjoy more literal solutions too.
If we are talking about a visual art piece, the ‘rule’ still applies that the most important thing is that the personality and individuality of the creator shine through the work!
In both cases, we think the possibility of multiple layers of interpretation can significantly improve the quality of a submission.

Quite simply, the ideal submission is a story that engrosses us from the start. We're interested in fiction with a distinctive voice, that is well-crafted with clarity of thought and precision of language. It should fall within the broad category of literary fiction. Moreover, the ideal submission should be presented in a simple typeface with double spacing, page numbers and include word count, the story's title and author's name. It should have been proofread and be free of errors. Sloppy work is unlikely to be accepted.

Emotion so raw, it shines through the words, leaving its mark on the reader.

We run three contests per year, and they all relate to the process of querying agents. First is the Clash of the Query Letters. The ideal submission hooks us with a great pitch. Second is the Synopsis Skirmish. The ideal synopsis demonstrates the author's mastery of narrative structure. ("Plot is character, character is plot." --F. Scott Fitzgerald) And third is the First Page Challenge. The ideal submission will fill us with intrigue and make us want to turn the page.

Surprising. A gripping first line. A specific focus.

The ideal submission is well polished and fits our theme. It's disappointing to read a promising piece of work that the writer did not refine from its draft state.

SORTES tends to like stories that are real stories -- with real characters, real scenarios -- that bend in unreal ways. We tend to like poetry that's cracker-crisp, shaved to the skin, rich and strange. But the ideal submission, of course, is like love: the work we couldn't imagine but, having seen, can't live without.

The ideal first chapter will make us crave the rest of the novel.

The Wise Owl Team believes in giving everyone an equal shot at publication, based solely on the quality of their work. We favour work that is original, fresh and innovative. We only accept work that has not been published before. We would request our contributors to take a few minutes to read our Contributor Guidelines ( https://www.thewiseowl.art/contributor-guidelines) before you submit. Submissions may be sent to [email protected]

An ideal submission is creative, depicts people as fully-fledged individuals, and contributes to anthropological knowledge about what it means to be human.

First in word doc, or in the body of the email with a bio and attached authors pic.
It drives me crazy having to ask for what you should already know I need for the mag.
Again there is no formula for getting in but keep in mind I do not publish religious rants and this is not the evening news so I usally do not publish deeply political work.
But I do consider most anything you never know until you submit.

Ones that follow our submission guidelines.

A striking, memorable, and thoughtful work that makes me want to either reread, if it's a written work, or stop and stare, if it's visual art, any time I see it.

A piece(s) with a strong unique voice that connects with the feeling of New England, and all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted (figuratively and literally). The writing communicates what it needs, and words are used with purpose. We especially enjoy writing with strong imagery as well.

Fearless.

A polished and concise piece of writing that connects the hallmarks of midwestern writing (tradition, nature, seasons, suburban and rural life, etc.) with some new perspective or creative take that makes us nod in that special midwestern way when we're done reading.

All mediocre writing is formulaic. All talented writing is an individual take on form.

Submission in the body of the email. You may ALSO attach a PDF or Word document if form or italics might be affected in the body of email. Experimental form is tricky to reproduce online- we don't want to censor any inspiration, but just a heads up that even if we love it, we may not be able to replicate it, so work that is mostly flush left is preferred. Intuitively organized content. A brief third person bio. Titles of and links to referenced images. Brief cover letter. A personal note. Keep it simple. Strong writing. Must be about visual art! We get a huge number of submissions that are not inspired by visual art or about art at all. We are a niche publication and only consider ekphrastic works.

Work which, for the writer and artist, is quite simply a matter of life and death.

We enjoy work that approaches its subject from a surprising angle. If you're a formal poet, come on down. Non-traditional poetry and prose also engage us.

The submission page is followed, and the story is submitted through our form on it or the contact page. The story is attached in a word document, is speculative fiction, has been edited (or at the very least already run through a grammar checker,) is in our word count range, and doesn't include anything on our "None of this, though" list.

The poetry strikes us as powerful, and the poem is "complete." It has images rather than really being an essay or philosophy in lines. The writer is different than the writers in previous issues. The writer relates to an interesting social or personal issue in a poetic or fictional style.

Articulate, insightful

Well-written, packed full of good ideas, elegantly simple in its style, no overwriting, no posturing, does not have to be perfect, just has to be bold and brilliant.

Poetry and prose that are not editorials but attend deeply to the world, capturing the human spirit that we all share,

The ideal submission follows all formatting and content guidelines. It is fresh, bold, vivid, heartfelt, and honest. I want to see the work you're proud of, that you've worked hard on.

For prose --under 1,000 words. Bring to life a moment in a story.

Makes us see the world in a new way.

It consists of no more than five poems, contained in a single Word document or in the body of the email. The poems have some kind of formal quality -- whether a fixed form, or that internal tension which makes a good poem even without rhyme and meter. Each poem bears the imprint of a unique moment and contains much within a small compass. (Paul Celan defined the quality of great poetry as a "onceonliness open to the world [weltoffene Einmaligkeit]). The language may be colloquial, elevated or even archaic, but always the reader is convinced that each word is backed by reality and is necessary.

Between 1,000 and 3,000 words. Written in English. Previously unpublished. Well-written.

It adheres tightly to the guidelines we have. It has a cover letter and author profile with any credentials and curriculum attached AND most importantly the ideal submission will be a FINAL fully edited mss as we do not want to do our proofing and editing and then find out the author has changes they want to make other than typos or spelling errors.

A piece that is perfect in the eye of the submitter. A piece that expresses the emotion, mood, colors, themes, characters or existential human questions we all strive to answer in our daily lives. Clearly and distinctively with imagination and energy.

A well-crafted story with prose that borders on poetic. And of course, one that actually speaks with the current issue of the magazine, linking it by character, setting, or theme. I’d love to see more stories that follow a character’s thread, or are set in the same place as the magazine’s current story. Most of the submissions I receive are linked more abstractly by theme.

The ideal submission hooks us right away. It introduces threads and ideas that later come back and attain a new relevance. The form is daring and unconventional, the characters unique and fleshed out. Our favorite pieces often devolve into a dimension of self-commentary or even self-parody, making us reconsider assumptions we initially took for granted.

A brief cover letter [title of story, word count, prior publications and relevant professional/personal details]; a compelling story that starts on page one with a clear and confident voice from a unique point of view. And one that also follows the guidelines.

Totally in control, effortless, articulate word choice, sharp attention to form, music, image.

The ideal submission is not only written well (both in terms of mechanics and depth of meaning, experience and insight), but it also contributes to the exploration of our theme, sharing a new perspective. It also shows both a grounding in the Christian faith and an awareness and awe of the mystery that this faith brings us into.

The ideal submission would provide us a unique perspective on something related to the Finger Lakes. Every person who is touched by this region has their own story to tell, has a singular lens through which they experience and see this area.

We don't have an ideal submission, because I never know what I'm looking for until it lands in my lap. But I will say, the authors we pick up are almost universally in complete control of what they're doing with language - whether that's laying each word like a carefully aligned paving stone, or reinventing the road like an MC Escher illustration. Words aren't just the medium to deliver the story. They're a vital part of the experience.

The ideal submission follows our guidelines and suits our theme, and then offers us a beautifully written new view of something (an animal, an interaction with nature, a human impulse).

Submissions that follow our guidelines are ideal.

Our publication is staffed by MFA students at the University of San Francisco, so "ideal" will vary as editors and readers move in and out of their positions. Our overriding sensibility is omnivorous. We've been described as experimental in our tastes, but we also enjoy well-crafted work that follows more traditional arcs or forms. Send us your best, and send us your misunderstood.

In fiction, it would be a story that uses the military as a departure point for a really interesting story about the human condition. Think "For Whom the Bell Tolls." For non-fiction, we like something that catches our interest and hasn't been done before (maybe a novel point of view on an old subject), by someone who has done their homework. We like our non-fiction readable rather than academic, but short works that are heavily illustrated (around 12k words) fit well in our "Bulletin" series.

Keeps to the requested word count. Has been copy edited for mistakes. Is clearly written with simple attributions for dialogue. The characters are engaging even if they aren't likable. I enjoy an unreliable narrator. Shows me an insight or point of view I hadn't seen before. The ending is good, tight, and satisfying, with no loose ends.

Lyrical work that has one eye looking inward and one eye looking outward/historically

Genre editors respond:
Fiction Editor: We are interested in stories with clear narrative focus, that treat their characters both honestly and fairly, and that strive to earnestly explore political, social, and spiritual questions. We love to read work that experiments with genre and form. We've been able to publish work that varies greatly in style and subject matter and value this eclecticism--there may not really be an ideal Journal submission
Poetry Editor: The Journal is open to all different kinds of poetry. However, we are most interested in poems that stun us, poems that grab our attention and hold it. Technical proficiency is important, but only when paired with content that challenges us on emotional and psychological levels.
Nonfiction Editor: We love essays that invite us into the author’s world and mind; essays that introduce us to insight and experience that we might not be privy to otherwise; essays that make us think from a new perspective, that make us stop to sigh over beautiful language, that compel us to keep reading. None of this can be totally objective, of course—but no essay is either.

The ideal submission would meet the requirements of the guidelines while conveying the spirit of the magazine. It would give the reader an insight into how a person deals with the paranormal and the effects it might have on them.

A short story that is engaging for the reader and is an original idea.
For the illustrator - 3 pieces of art that show your strengths. Don't submit three portraits. One is fine if you must but your other 2 should have background, action, etc.

Works that contain a large piece of your heart—enclosed in a word document, exuding some fresh appeal, and saying some passionate stuff.

We love to see traditional cut-and-paste zine submissions with a unique interpretation of the monthly theme. Prose and poetry pieces are great to see - provided they fit the 1-2 page limit, so we can fit as many creators in our zines as possible! We love our submission meetings, because it's always so exciting to see how each person interprets the theme we set. We encourage everybody to submit, regardless of background and ability. Whether you have been professionally trained, or this is the first time you have picked up a sharpie, we love to see what ever you can create!

The piece which leaves me thinking, "I wish there was someone else in the room who had also just read this so we could talk about it!" or "Our readers have to read this!"

The model submission would be a story or poem that contains not only a thrilling speculative narrative but also social commentary and deeper meanings. Even if an author's prose is excellent and plotting magnificent, we will reject the submission if it is nothing more than a simple adventure story. We want Radon stories to have a purpose and a message behind them.

This feels like a bit of a trick question, as there's no one Platonically perfect model for submissions. There are different ideas of what a "perfect" Orion's belt story is. Still, the best stories tend to have a strong balance of grounded storytelling and speculative conceits, and the speculative elements should lay the foundation for the emotionally driven storytelling instead of disrupting it or just being distracting. There should also be a high amount of attention paid to the style of the piece. The prose should glisten. I want submissions that understand that how a story is written is crucial to determining how a reader experiences it; stories are not just a series of plot points. Word choice and sentence structure as vital to the spirit of the story. Obviously, don't use pretty words just because they sound nice, but I adore elucidating, lush, taut descriptions of landscapes or the internal world of a character's psyche.

The ideal submission to Seaside Gothic is singular—either a single short story, a poem, a creative nonfiction piece, or a collection of images that work as a whole—and is original in its approach. It should meet the three criteria of seaside gothic literature: being led by emotion, addressing duality, and connecting to the edge. It should not be reliant on cliched tropes but be astounding in its creativity. It should surprise me.

No ideal. I'm open to all kinds of submissions.

The ideal submission is so creepy I get spooked when I take my dog out to pee at night! It would also be nice if it had a few really memorable turns of phrase or a really interesting character.

Ideal submissions follow the submission guidelines to the letter so that nothing stands in the way of the writing itself. I'm always looking for clean, clear writing, a sense that the story is going someone interesting, scenes I can immediately envision and experience as if I were there, and characters who are fully developed. I also want to feel that the story itself takes precedence and the author recedes so far into the background as to be invisible (unselfconscious writing that doesn't draw attention to the author).

The ideal submission is the one that is within the word limit and other rules, really. LISP is extremely open-minded, we do select genre fiction, poetic, lyrical, cross-genre, literary, and commercial anything but it has to be original.

Contemporary, relevant, fluent, unusual work that turns us inside out.

Libidinally transparent.

The ideal submission will come in through the correct channels (according to the specific guidelines). It will show me a world I haven't seen before, or a piece of the world that I have seen, but from a new perspective or in a new light. The writing will be polished and expressive. Every word will be where it should be. The writer will have thought about every comma and how moving that comma might change the rhythm. Most importantly, the story won't digress into too much backstory; the poem won't tell me the moral at the end. The submission will not tell us how we should live or think, but rather open up new possibilities and embrace the endless and beautiful diversity of ways of being. It will allow for human darkness and human light, without pretending one or the other is the "true" version of humanity. I love speculative fiction and poetry that uses weird words. I also love when writers can take the most mundane real-world event and turn it into something profound. My taste is quite broad, so it's hard to say exactly what I'm looking for. Let's say stories and poems that are crafted with care, that take risks without pretentiousness, and that make me want to keep reading.

As mentioned, our staff shifts annually, and we don't want writers to feel limited to certain forms, so there us no "one" type of ideal submission. Of course, we want submissions that adhere to our guidelines. After that, we look for innovative language, fractured form, and sentences/lines that make us stop in our tracks.

A story that makes me say "wow," from the first line. A story that shakes me by the shoulders and says you must keep reading. A story that resonates on an emotional level and takes me to a satisfying conclusion.

Our ideal submission is one which follows our guidelines to the letter, tells a compelling story and evokes an emotional response from our editors. Sounds easy, but it isn't.

An ideal story would be between 1000 and 3000 words. It would be original, contain interesting characters, a clear unpredictable plot and a satisfactory conclusion. Most importantly, it would be entertaining.

Setting, character, voice, and plot. Maybe there's humor or an experimental form. Maybe there's a musical influence or a robot or a dragon who loves Doritos. We love to see layers of meaning and writing that makes us think about what it is to be human. We love moments of wonder. Whatever it is, we want to move and be moved.

One that follows the Writer's Guidelines :) I don't think there is an ideal submission, given the variety of what we publish.

Original and previously unpublished. Proofread. Grabs my attention with voice, setting, etc.

An ideal submission follows all submission guidelines. Their email/query is short and to the point. Their synopsis is less than a page. Their sample meets industry standard formatting.

Poetry and fiction that surprise us.

One that I wish I'd been capable of writing.

The ideal story is one that leads us straight into the protagonist's world, with hints of the dilemma. An engaging story forces the reader to piece together a picture from dropped clues and hints. The skill of the author is in the creation of real characters, people we can invest in, for good or for ill. Curiosity about the outcome of the story will keep us reading, but only we care.

Our ideal prose submission is formatted with pagination,12-point Times New Roman, double spacing, indented paragraphs, and no extra space between paragraphs. The title and the author's name are at the top of the first page, and also in the header. The story opens with narrative. Exposition is spare or exists within dialogue. The story logic is supported by recurring objects and sensory details. The reader remains engaged due to the writer's strong prose construction, syntax choices, and deft curiosity gaps. The reader inhabits the story and becomes transformed.

A 3,200 word story or essay, or 6 500 word flash stories or essays, or 6 one page poems, or one 6 page poem, or 42 haiku or 16 pieces of art to include throughout the magazine, or any combination of all the above. I'd rather you send more than less work. Each accepted author gets a lot of space in the magazine, and if you send only one poem I have no real way to judge the overall quality of your work. So, don't be shy. We give our audience 10 writers and at least one artist per month. Send enough material to wow the audience. Key word: audience. Send work that others will want to read and you'll find a good home here.

My ideal submission would be about some people recreating in the woods and they stumble across something (maybe an altar or obelisk or something of the sort) and then find out that there is some entity in the woods hunting them down one by one. Bonus points for ancient rites, stars aligning, etc... Or, I am a sucker for horror and westerns mashed together. If you can write me a slow-burn, creepy, weird, and disturbing horror western, I'll eat that up.

An ideal submission must have an in-depth understanding of our contest guidelines and most importantly the theme of our contest. It must not be published anywhere else both in print or online since it sometimes leads to copyrights violations among publishers. We want your writing to be the king of the submission. So please try to avoid unnecessary decorations or details other than your literary work in the pdf or doc, docx file that you've submitted to us. Keep the fonts readable.
Furthermore, we always look for submissions that depict originality, creativity, clarity of imagery and language, and cohesive form and structure. We hate plagiarism and strongly recommend our submitters to stay true to themselves.

An original idea that gets to the core of the story as quickly as possible without sacrificing characterization or plot structure, formatted in Shunn's, and competently edited for grammar, punctuation, typos, etc.

A writer with a unique point of view that doesn't just describe baseball, but places baseball in a greater context.

Cavar: I'm continuously surprised by the content I love, so I'll focus on form: the ideal submission is in Shunn's Standard Manuscript format: TNR or similar, 21, page numbers, contact information in the top left corner. We also seek submissions with clearly-designated trigger warnings, whether on the manuscript, in the body of the email, or both. We have a strong preference for submissions in Doc/DocX form, but also accept PDFs.
We like, but do not require, a brief cover letter, addressed to the editors (and NOT to "Sir/Madam;" this is an instant reject for us) and introducing yourself. If you're not sure what to write, don't be intimidated! Cover letters are awkward and we're pretty chill. If you can, include a short bio, including your name, pronouns, and social media links. Since we're all writers ourselves, we love simultaneous submissions, and strongly encourage you to submit simultaneously –– but please withdraw if accepted elsewhere, since we do not typically take reprints.

The ideal submission is something new, raw, emotional, and strongly-voiced. It's anything from educational to emotionally-driving. As long as it features passion, voice, and impact, it's more than ideal.

A barnstorming, uncompromising world-changing work of genius... Something that gets the hairs on the back of the neck lifting. A book that does something new with words... (The truth is that it's actually very hard to describe the ideal submission because part of what we hope for is to be surprised.)

Short
Original
Snappy Title
Wish the Hell I Wrote It.

--One that adheres to our theme. If it doesn't, it's an automatic rejection. We can tell when you simply take an unrelated story you wrote for a different market and wedge in a sentence or two that relates to our theme. We require that our theme be an important element of the story.
--One that grabs the reader and keeps them reading right to the end. This means a great opening, good pacing, relatable characters, something we care about at stake, a strong climax, and a satisfying resolution. You only have 2000 words. Don't waste any of them.

The ideal submission for Luna Station Quarterly is a story with great characters, great plot, or a great idea behind it. That's obvious for any publication. What makes a story best suited to LSQ, though, is a sense of intimacy, of grit and reality, even if that reality is a million light years away or a million years in the future.

Most of the works we've accepted stood out from the slush pile because they had a focused theme or story, a well-written and believable premise, and some overlap as far as intersectionality goes.

One that follows the guidelines. I know that might not be a sexy answer, but it's true. We set guidelines for a reason. It helps all of our editors read submissions quickly when they are formatted correctly.
In terms of an ideal submission that I like to read: One that shows instead of tells. I want to be dropped into a story, immersed in it. Surround me with the sights and smells of your childhood, don't just tell me about it. Like me be on that first date with you, don't just tell me what happened. I want to be in the story.

Traditional Sherlock Holmes, set in the right period. Strong storyline, Conan Doyle style writing with plenty of deduction.

Clear cover letter and short 3rd-person bio. Submission meets all guidelines and is properly formatted.

The ideal submission is thoughtful and thoroughly cared for. Its little blemishes are easy enough to take care of and its author feels that this subject matters. The ideal submission uses words that we weren't expecting, but now that we've read it, we know it couldn't be any other way. The ideal submission compels us to stay with it, to forget that these are just words on the page, to be carried forward like we are a small boat and the piece is the ocean, and there is only one way to be sent: towards the ending. The ending is also just right, landing on a moment of crisp balance--the subject has been well considered, but not overly considered so that we're tired of it. The piece is only our minds remember because of the emotion or wonder it provoked in us, our brains turning it over like a smooth stone in our hands.

Something that moves us to laugh, cry, or feel wildly emotional about! Something that we know will connect with everyday moms across the board.

As Gil once said, "An original, clever idea, expressed in stimulating English, without spelling mistakes, in a simple format." To this I'd add my own quartet of specifics: Tight plotting, engaging characters, quality of prose, and believable dialogue.

Our ideal submissions are critical and creative pieces of African literature from writers from Africa or African writers in the Diaspora.
Accepted pieces must have great promise and meet our aesthetic taste on both creative and critical levels.

Instead of telling you, I'll show you. Take a look at The Winners Are ... and Prior Winners on www.writeradvice.com.

The ideal submission is a poem, short story, or personal essay that touches the soul, shifts the gaze, and offers a new perspective.

Poetry or prose, with well turned phrases and acute or humorous observations throughout. Writing by someone who has obviously read a lot of good literature.

The ideal submission is responsive to our theme and to our subject matter of motherhood, has deft writing, original ideas, and a personal voice. It has been honed and edited. It might be a piece you wouldn't send anywhere else.

The ideal submission is unlike anything we’ve read before, or else takes old tricks to great heights (or depths). It’s attentive to language, attuned to tone, generous with story, strange for more than its own sake, delightful and devastating. We consider work up to 7500 words, but find that 500-1200 and 4000-6000 are our sweet spots.

We greatly enjoy a wide range of submissions From all around the world. From well known writers, high school kids, ESL, from everybody.
One thing that is a true delight is how unique these submissions are and how so many are so well written.
As editors we do work with writers to bring the piece into clearer focus (iron out a few lumps and comb out the burrs). We are not
a "clink and publish" / "click and reject" publication. It is always nice when someone read, and followed our guidelines.

Our ideal submitter has carefully read our submission guidelines, included a professional and inviting cover letter, and has submitted a piece that excites and intrigues our readers from the get-go—the writing is polished and inventive, and the piece feels like it was always destined to appear in Porter House Review.

The beautiful dark. Our ideal submission sings with every breath, is lush with description and has a killer opening.

The ideal submission uses language (or art technique) in skillful and surprising ways. It has substance and emotional resonance, and uses specific detail and vivid imagery to create a memorable experience for our audience. The ideal submission is complex and unusual enough to invite discussion. It is not formulaic or reliant on hackneyed tropes or stereotypes.

An ideal submission is creative, raw, on theme, follows our guidelines, and teaches readers something about a patient or provider experience that engenders empathy. We want our readers to feel something from the pieces we select. Ideally, every piece, whether a poem, essay, flash fiction, short story or digital art, presents a narrative that changes how the reader sees some thing or some one in the healthcare environment.

Make me laugh, make me cry, or make me sit and stare at the wall for thirty seconds while mouthing "wow" to myself. I am always looking for work that uses all the words necessary and no more.

We're not looking for the perfection :) Our hearts sing with joy when we work with talented and professional writers and artists.
Simple as that -- talented and professional :)

The ideal submission shows particular care for its theme and a unique way of engaging the reader. We see perfection in the author's ability to create intimacy and give us insight into new worlds, to create a world and a culture.

Adventurous, yet accessible. I love confident stories that do something unexpected, while still drawing the reader in (rather than alienating). Strong plots, strong characters and an evocative atmosphere are all hallmarks of the kind of short story I enjoy - but quirkiness is often what really hooks me.
My ideal submission is a .doc file attached to an email, with the body of the email telling me the story title, story genre(s) and author's name.
You might also mention if you are simultaneously submitting the piece elsewhere, and/or if the piece has previously been published.

Our ideal submission comes to us through email with a cover letter that is personable and that lets us at least have a glimpse of their struggle with mental illness. After that, we like to see poetry that is creative, meaningful, and original. We like to see stories with focus that draw a reader in. We like to see essays that are edifying and inventive. Technically, we like to see submissions that adhere to our submission guidelines and demonstrate that the writer or poet has an understanding of our mission. We love to see material that brings us fresh perspectives on mental illness, and inventive ways of expressing its many facets.

Something well written, that stands out from the crowd. Use an authentic voice. Grab our attention with your words.

Properly formatted cover letter (name and title of submission[s], relevant prior publications, other experience in writing, closing), .docx/.doc/.pages format, Garamond/Times New Roman/Times, 12-point font, content within the parameters prescribed.

One that grabs us in the first few sentences. We read so many submissions that we need it to stand out almost immediately. Also a submission that follows our guidelines, no pdf’s, no indented paragraphs or dialogue.

Thoughtful, in-depth reviews and interviews or a great short story.

We try not to picture "the ideal submission." Good flash fiction is too various for that. But here are a few guidelines: Give us an opening that grabs our attention. Go for vivid imagery and make something happen. Tell a lot in a few words.

To quote our editor and founder, Sy Safransky: “I’m looking for a writer who doesn’t know where her sentence is leading her; a writer who starts with her obsessions and whose heart is bursting with love; a writer sly enough to give the slip to her secret police, the ones with the power to condemn in the blink of an eye. It’s all right that she doesn’t know what she’s thinking until she writes it, as if the words already exist somewhere and draw her to them. She may not know how she got there, but she knows when she’s arrived.”

The ideal submission is one that reflects a submitter’s understanding of what SAND publishes and that follows the guidelines to the letter. It’s also nice when submitters address their cover letters to the editors who will be reading their submissions.

An ideal submission follows submission guidelines, indicates explicitly or implicitly that the submitter is familiar with our journal, and takes risks that pay off. We return to the submission to discover a deeper layer of meaning.

(Asela) It really depends on the person’s style of writing or approach to poetry. For me, I am looking for poems that are not afraid to speak their truth. What I mean by that is a poetry submission that utilizes language and tone into their work while exploring ideas and themes that not many people are able to share like racial identity and how that affects writers of color, love, and more. I’m looking for poems that share the writer’s story and who they are. (J.B.) Although as eic and Reviews Editor I cannot be at liberty to speak for my editors, but for me specifically, there is so much to stories that find a way to make a reader feel everything at once. A story that knows how to make one jump, cry, laugh, scream, preferably all at the same time. A work that is either striking, humorous, heart-wrenching, experimental, or all of the above.

The author submits the first 25 pages of a completed ms that doesn't need extensive editing, a one page synopsis, a grab, a writing cv of other publications, and suggestions for how they could help with the marketing.

Inventive content. Interesting, not confounding formal elements. Strong voice that isn't solely direct inward. Place is distinct, or intentionally indistinct. The author is familiar with our catalog and their manuscript's role among its ranks.

A strong voice.

Ready for publication.

Word document (not docx), formatted to industry standard, very brief cover letter with bio and contact information. Work is extremely polished and shows solid command of the craft, and is so engaging we forget we’re reading.

See the previous answer. ...and please keep within the limits in our submissions guidelines.

Show don't tell. Give us vivid imagery and storytelling. An ideal submission follows the guidelines on the website and brings a fresh new voice to our publication. We seek upcoming artists who haven't been published before but do not discourage others who have been.

in a perfect world: short, brilliant, compelling, shocking, provocative, soothing, universally appealing....
failing that: start with short, brilliant...

My ideal submission leaves me feeling hopeful for the future and warmer at heart. It leaves me feeling that magic and solutions lie all around us. My ideal submission sticks in my mind for even a week or two, thinking about that inspiring character, the imagery, or about an aspect of culture/myth/folktales/science I’ve never considered or been aware of before.

We appreciate submissions that demonstrate the submitter has read our submission guidelines and has provided all the information necessary. This is important as our editors read blindly.

We believe that when young writers put precise and powerful language to their lives it helps them better understand their value as human beings. So, for us, an ideal submission comes from a writer who cares to get their words and ideas onto a page and does it with care.

It's a piece that knows its layers, that has been worked by the writer without showing the effort. The piece is quirky and sharp so to better highlight the talent in voice, the description, the plot development, the meaning. It reads as if the writer has been possessed by the art, and in response, so then will be the reader. (This makes great writing sound like magic, but we know it is hard work and smarts...it just sometimes reads like magic)

Clearly intentional. Moving beyond beautiful language or mastery of writing conventions to raise tough questions, highlight ambiguities, or reframe the everyday in a new light.

A self-contained short story of less than 1500 words which elicits emotions in our editors.

Our ideal submission would be a work of fiction, poetry, or translation that jumps off the page (both literally and metaphorically!) We want something that reverberates, subverts, and challenges traditional senses of language and form. We want to see insistence, the reality of global extinction, environmental concern, or any other topics that engage with the same level of significance, and which gets our editors and readers alike leaving us with a newfound and dreamlike sense of knowledge and attention.

12 point, double-spaced. Please don't add your name onto pieces if we ask for anonymous. They will be rejected, unread.

The accepted submission paints the whole picture--without extraneous words. Killer first sentences are a big plus.

Clean copy. Thoughtful and compelling characterizations. Vivid setting as appropriate. Worthy writing, whether it's spare or ornate. Some element of the fantastical. Some revelation of the human condition. Most of all, exceptional storytelling.

The ideal submission is one that is saying something new, preferably from an underrepresented voice in the literary community. We especially welcome submissions from people of color, as well as those in the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities. It is definitely under our accepted page limit of 30 and likewise shows effort in conforming to our submission guidelines.

Clocking in between 250 and 1,500 words, submitted with a brief but thoughtful cover note, proofread and edited to the nines such that we don’t want to change a comma.

As long as it either gives you a laugh or a hard-on, it’s all gravy baby!

The ideal submission has been edited before submission so it isn't riddled with typos. It's a story set in a future where everything isn't bleak and robots, backed with science fiction where exploration and interaction with the world around any character reflects some unique observation or exploration of a part of human nature. Or, it's a vividly painted world that has the same affect when reading it as you get when you look up at the perfect starry night sky. That sense of wonder and awe. If your story can evoke wonder, that puts you light-hours ahead of the competition.
If the story is reminiscent of Edmond Hamilton, or James Blish, or one of the golden age writers, that's a plus too

This is a difficult question, since every time we state what we like and don't like, we inevitably receive a submission that completely upends our prior thought. We do, however, look for work that is strong and thoughtful on the level of the sentence. For fiction, we are happy when we read something that surprises us, that takes a turn we didn't expect or experiments with generic norms. For nonfiction, we tend to prefer work that moves beyond personal memoir toward something more universal. (We rarely take memoirs, for example, unless they offer a lens on a greater social or historic moment.) On a technical level, we are most pleased to receive submissions that adhere to our length and submission guidelines.

We are looking simply for prose and poetry that stands out. Check out our most recent issue to read the pieces that stood out to us among hundreds of others.

Weird romance. Couples who’ve escaped from it, couples desperate to get in. Couples who may not be couples at all, or if they are, they’re certainly very weird: Narcissus and his reflection, God and the Virgin Mary, Eija-Riitter Berliner-Mauer (who fell in love with the Berlin Wall, but when it got torn down started dating a garden fence)… Or male and female in one – what could be weirder than that? Do you know the Potter Angelfish? It starts life as a female, then switches over to male – a handy technique used by Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, though in the opposite direction.

Something that surprises us, makes us laugh, makes us think differently. You don't need to do all of these at once! Also images that jar or fill our heads with something fresh and exciting.

Again, one that follows our guidelines. As for the writing, we like it short and memorable. Aside from that, we're pretty open to form and content. I've found that we take delight in publishing seasonal writing in the right season, so you might want to note which issues we're reading for if you use seasonal imagery in your writing.

One that follows the guidelines and joins the conversation of defining Judaism

We love work that questions the concept of truth, and work that reinterprets what we think we know. We prize experimentation (physical, emotional, metaphysical, meta-emotional); we welcome the unanswerable. We want to see the dark and the light side of the moon—or we want to see it obliterated.

No more than 5 pages of astounding poetry that moves us, surprises us, makes us laugh or cry or swoon. We look for poems that exhibit a love of language, that speak to a wide human experience, and that blossom on the page into more than we ever expected. In short -- send us your best!

The grammar and spelling are impeccable, for one (it's truly shocking how many writers submit something with a total lack of attention to detail on this front). The ideal submission is also a story or poem that doesn't overtly pander to current trends of the "literary scene."

We got many, many technically competent submissions--perfectly fine stories and poems with nothing wrong with them except that, among hundreds of other submissions, they're forgettable. We have no shortage of work we like--send us work we'll love!

The ideal submission would follow the guidelines exactly and contain fiction which also applied the principles contained in the book How Stories Really Work, which are the axioms behind all successful fiction.

Surprise us.

(This is a very limiting question, so I prefer not to answer it.)

Our ideal submissions are clearly described in detail in our submission guidelines for each category and for our annual themed calls for submission.

I'm not sure there is an "ideal" submission. If there was a blueprint for writing none of us would be doing this. What we love is writing that leaves us breathless by the end. We often talk about the "gut punch" effect. We want to feel like you just smashed us in the stomach. How you deliver that blow is entirely up to you. It's different every time.

It will be between 50 and 3000 words long. It will have the title at the top, the by-line underneath and the suggested drink under that, all centered. The text will be single-spaced with paragraphs indented. It will contain a third-person bio, not more than fifty words long and a link to a blog or web site. The story will be well structured and have a believable and satisfying ending.

If I could describe the ideal submission, I'd be home by now.

Personally, I like to find submissions that make me think "I wish I'd come up with that idea". I'm a huge fan of dystopia and I love those that carry a message with them too. I like stories that are going to make me ask questions and not always give me the answers.

An ideal submission adheres to the submission guidelines. The cover letter is succinct and unique. The bio is brief with a hint of the author on a deeper level. The submission is edited, in the proper page/word count, and a note of gratitude is tucked into the email.

Funny. Freaking funny. Make us wet ourselves laughing. Sarcasm is good. Goofy is fine. If you have a message and some depth to your story, we're good with that. But the best submission is one that makes us laugh.

The ideal submission wakes us up, knocks us over, demands to be read and published. That is of course subjective.

Something remarkably different to anything that I have read before.

An 8- to 12-page story that has a unique interpretation of the theme.

Writing which cares about language, which is aware that language is an artistic medium and not merely a conveyance for ideas or opinions. Writing from an individual's perspective, not an Everyman perspective. Writing composed by someone who shows signs of having read widely.

The ideal Qwerty submission accompanies a short cover letter with a third-person author bio and updated mailing address. It's well-formatted and proofread and a joy to read—and re-read.

As a well-structured document. With a brief third person biography. A profile picture, if available. And, a brief synopsis of the work in case of fiction.

The ideal submission can't be pre-determined, because the ideal work is something we've never seen before, something that expands our understanding of what art, literature, or commentary can be.

It would look basically like any of the stories we've published.

The ideal submission will hook me by the first half of the first page. By the end of the second page, there will be some quality to it that has my Spidey sense tingling - and I usually know that I'm going to accept a piece by the bottom of the fourth page and I'm usually just reading from that point forward to enjoy the piece and also, make sure that my intuition is sound. So the ideal piece starts where it needs to start -- a big problem I have seen with submissions is that the author spends a lot of the first three or four pages trying to set the scene and by the time it gets good, I'm already leaning toward not accepting it, so it takes a powerful story to pull me out of that mindset. Secondly, just because Witness has a top end word count of 8000 words doesn't mean we're looking for super long pieces -- some 8000 word stories probably need to be 3800 word stories.

There is no such thing. There is only excellent work; that is what is ideal.

Our aesthetic sensibilities run the gamut from traditional to innovative; we do not align ourselves with a single school or style. While we do confess a preference for poetry, we do not publish it exclusively. Instead, we seek works in all genres by intelligent, creative humans that speak to other intelligent, creative humans. In many ways, Sundress Publications envisions the manuscripts it publishes as concept albums, not merely as collections of hot singles. We are most interested in the overall effect created by the artist, how the parts act in concert to create the whole.

One that follows our guidelines, is carefully proofread, and shares a quirky outlook or deeply felt belief. We don’t publish porn or children’s work, but we are very open to the unusual as well as the conventional.

It should be proofread for noticeable grammatical and spelling errors. The writer should indicate that they are submitting to PLJ in their letter and should include their bio (and abstract for academic pieces) at the top of the Word attachment with the submission. I always hope to find the next classical writer, or a brilliant gem, but just good writing with an interesting story is a reasonable goal to have.

A story that opens in scene and grounds us in time and place by the time we turn the first page. Characters who stick with us long past the first read. Dialogue that develops character. Plot. That emotional something that makes us want to go right back to the beginning and read the story again.

A story that makes me laugh out loud, start to tear up or cringe in a good way. The perfect hat trick is nailing all three in one story.

The ideal submission is clearly written, lengthy (1400 words or more is a sweet spot) and instantly grabs the reader. We are keen to show parenting in all of its light so vivid writing is crucial. Work that interweaves race and/or culture and focuses on the parent rather than the child(ren) is of utmost importance in our selection process.

The ideal submission is for a really great manuscript that is within our tastes. The letter is concise but engaging, the synopsis is logical and short, and the sample has us screaming to read more.

Attached in a Word document, within the word limits specified and including a short bio about the author that details their connection to the South.

I love a story that is well-written, clever, creative, and entertaining. If you can surprise me, even better!

The ideal submission would begin with a cover letter that catches our attention. We believe in building relationships with our contributors, so a cover letter that gives us a glimpse of the kind of person you are gives you a high advantage over a submission that states the bare minimum. We love humour and emotion and honesty and vulnerability and humility. An ideal submission would closely follow our guidelines - from properly formatting the subject line, to including the submission within the email and not as an attachment. We worked very hard to clearly spell out our expectations. Those who pay attention and follow instructions will rush to the front of the queue.

It takes what I know of the short story, the essay, or the poem and expands that definition without sacrificing the other core elements of craft.

I'd rather not give even more fodder to writers for self-rejection. The Ideal submission gets a story to me, and follows the sub instructions. ;)

Page breaks between pieces. A standard font - no need to "design" your submission.

The ideal submission is one that is free of any grammar errors. The submission should follow our guidelines. But most importantly, the submission should be original and connect to the human senses and emotions in a way we have never seen before. We want to read something new and exciting.

There's nothing more exciting than when I read a submission Monday morning and I'm still thinking about it the following week. Doesn't matter the genre or topic, as long as it's memorable, it's ideal.

The ideal submission changes me, I should not be the same person after reading or viewing. As Vonnegut said, the plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. [When] asked if [he knew] of any artists who pulled that off. [he replied], 'The Beatles did'. But as Wilde said, I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.

The ideal submission may arrive in various formats, genres, and styles. We are looking for truth, honesty, good writing, and clear thinking made visible. We get enough of them, we develop four anthologies of creative writing each year, encourage young writers of all ages to develop their craft, provide a publication opportunity in good taste for all writers, discover new, talented, and unpublished authors, and continue our pursuit of improved literacy. This is what we do and what needs to be done. Our publications increase our understanding of the world by reducing the darkness of ignorance with the light of hope. Sometimes, all it takes is one person doing one good thing to forever change another person’s life.

Well thought out and developed and in adherence to our guidelines.

A clear literary voice that plays with convention, tells a unique story, and triggers critical thinking and reflection.

The ideal submission is one that you'd read in one sitting, understand in one reading, but wish to reread to get the nuance and explore the depth and enjoy the language. It is one where you'd be able to say to a friend, 'Hey, read this!' For this you'd need something new - and that can be anything: character, image, mystery, plot, insight, language. Ideally in the read-through one wouldn't stumble on punctuation or word choices, get kicked out of the story by inconsistencies or character voices that don't work, get distracted by imbalances in emphasis and importance - i.e. the reader should be able to read the story or poem undistracted. In short, make it sing, make it new, make it something your neighbour at a writers meeting would hand to their neighbour.

Easy - I read it or see it and want to accept it and ask the writer/artist for more before any other reviewer has even seen it.

We like to be surprised and engaged by what we read. Control of craft and originality of voice and material matter a lot.

Elegantly crafted poems with depth and vision. We love every poem on every page, and as we progress through the ms., we continue to love your poems. Every line delivers. We especially look for poems where the vision is larger than the poet who wrote it. A poem can be very personal but at the same time speak deeply to a larger audience. We like poems that let us see the world in a new way.

A piece whose voice or appearance is arresting, whose style is seductive, whose view on the world is important and thoughtful.

Follows the guidelines
Introduces me to someone interesting
Isn’t devoid of plot

The ideal submission takes our breath away. It might be on a topic we've read before (we do read a lot of birth stories) but a talented writer can make the subject fresh and new. We want to publish work that makes us wish we'd written it ourselves!

The ideal submission follows our submission guidelines, has a BRIEF, informative cover letter, has been carefully proofread and edited, and gives us goosebumps because it's so wonderful and surprising.

The ideal submission, the IDEAL, is something that unintentionally interacts beautifully with the visual art and the other pieces around it. That isn't expected. We end up having to reject quality work, but the best submissions are ready for print.

I read your writing, I burst into flames. These flames engulf the earth. Or, these flames fix the ozone layer, or something.

Heart. I tend to believe everyone has a poem or story in them. I don't privilege the place that that comes from. Although I am committed to the voices on the margin, the one's most often over looked and left standing outside, I try and open the space up to all walks of life. I do believe there is a good poem but I don't believe it's the only poem. All too often a good poem, (however you would measure that, and I'm not really sure how you would) is more often an indication of educational opportunity and training and while we publish those voices as well, we strive for the other voice too, the one's who have not had that opportunity of higher education and creative training. I should also add we aren't interested in racist, homophobic, misogynists or overly violent work. We do not want work that diminishes others. We're trying to talk up to people, not down.

See past winners for a general idea of our tastes. We are always eager to receive more work from perspectives outside the white, cis-hetero, middle class "majority". (I put that in quotes because it is the majority in the publishing world, but not in THE world!)

Emotive, visceral layers of the human condition that unfold before my eyes. If I forget my inner editor while reading, then I know the writing is gripping.

It has the correct e-mail subject, is sent to the correct address, and has no attachments. It has a brief professional/warm cover letter introducing the author. It has not been simultaneously submitted. For poetry, the work is concise, fresh and engages the senses, creating clear images while saying something beyond the surface of the poem(s). For fiction, word choice is particular and the piece is technically good while the story (flash or short fiction) follows a traditional arc and is complete in plot, theme, and idea. Storytelling is essential; the reader must be engaged from the first line of the story.

The ideal submission follows the guidelines *and* is representative of what we've published over the long haul. For instance, we only publish twenty or so pages of poetry in each issue. A twenty-page poem is not ideal.

The ideal submission offers a compelling narrative arc, literary prose, and makes the personal universal. In terms of making it easier for the editors - an ideal submission should contain all the writer’s/artist’s personal contact information, a brief description of their submission, three to four sentence bio, and a headshot. The submission (if attached and not pasted within email) should also include the writer’s name and title on the attachment.

Each sentence compels the reader to continue reading. The story ends and the reader feels changed. See: "Spar" by Kij Johnson.

A fresh story with crisp, clear language that makes us think and breaks our hearts just a little bit. Or a complex, elegant piece full of smoke and mirrors that opens like a secret blossom and makes us waltz each other around the living room. If you can do both we will surely publish and likely nominate you for a big prize.

Whether a piece of writing moves us is subjective. But we can say it's ideal when there are zero typos or grammar errors and when the cover letter doesn't contain superfluous information. But, even if those conditions are met, it's no guarantee we'd publish the piece. We have to have our socks knocked off for that to happen. (It does happen.)

Enthralling prose and imagery, fully drawn characters. We want work that resonates, so that the reader carries it around with them after they leave our site. Particularly in the case of creative nonfiction, we want narratives that speak to the reader, allowing them to relate in some way.

Our ideal submission would be formatted according to our guidelines and would display a cohesive, tightly-knit, and elegant use of language and imagery. Humor is also appreciated.

The ideal submission follows our guidelines explicitly and makes us laugh, cry, fume, roar, muse, rethink, etc.

All we're looking for is high quality. Your work should speak in your voice.

The ideal submission is one that makes a larger connection and does not simply state facts. We prefer articles that are written about topics on which we have not already published (check first to make sure we do not already have multiple other entries on your topic), or that are unique to your experience or your part of the world. If writing about a historical figure or event there should be something unique and interesting about it. If it is narrative nonfiction, write about more than simply "what happened." There should be an element or theme that connects more broadly to the human experience.

The ideal submission follows our guidelines, is proofread, well-written, and moves us in an intellectual, emotional, and/or aesthetic way.

Fiction: a story that makes my eyes widen and eyebrows arch from the first page and rewards me with emotional engagement by the last page. A story that continues to gnaw at my brain after putting it down. When it comes to poetry, Dickinson said it best: "If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry." Although we occasionally publish it, I'm not a big fan of Language Poetry, which I usually find sterile and unfeeling. I need poetry to do something to me psychologically and emotionally. I personally cannot stand the linguistic masturbation that stands for poetry today. Nonfiction should be informative, but as engaging as any excellently crafted story. It should strive to be topical, relevant. A good nonfiction piece, to me, does not come across as some academic piece, but has fluidity in its prose style. Drama: Short pieces that read well on the page and can be visualized successfully for the stage.

The idea submission shows us a new take on an old subject. We love flash fiction that makes us feel and makes us think, and personal essays that have unexpected and surprising associations (see "Eating Octopus" by Judith Lille on our website for an example).

The ideal submission is like nothing we've ever seen before. Place-based writing is lousy with its own set of cliches and tired tropes. Some topics have been essayed to death. Familiarize yourself with what's out there, then write something that only you can write.
And read the guidelines before you submit.

We encourage submitters to follow Elmore Leonard's advice: "If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."

Our ideal submission is one that showcases the work. If we don't get hung up on format, grammar, or spelling errors, it means we can focus on what is before us. We like to hear the voice of the author clearly in the work. Please include a cover letter that tells us who you are, but stay away from trying too hard to be clever. Your writing is what ought to make you stand out to us.

The ideal submission adheres to our guidelines. It's that simple when it comes to the technical aspect. As far as the sample pages go, I'm going to sound like every other editor and agent out there: I need a fantastic hook in those first few pages. Even though we're small, we get a lot of submissions, and decent and good isn't good enough, sadly. There's a variety of ways to get a good hook: an excellent voice, an incredibly unique set up (waking up in bed is NOT one of them), characters I can relate to and love (or love to hate) are fantastic. Conflict, or the immediate potential for conflict, needs to be there, too. "The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile" by Noah Lukeman is a great place to start if an aspiring writer needs help in that arena.

The ideal story grabs my attention within the first few paragraphs, keeps me hooked with a combination of fresh imagery and strong character development, and takes me to some unexpected places.

The ideal submission not only provides an important examination within intersectional feminism, but it also displays a deftness in craft. We want pieces that not only detail your unique experiences, but pieces that also engage us as writers deeply interested in craft and form.

The ideal submission is one that has been copyedited, contains (almost) no mechanical errors, and requires very little editing upon acceptance (though we absolutely love working with our authors). While we are not very fond of what have now become cliche topics in our submission pile—divorce, infidelity, infertility, college life—we are interested when these topics are rendered in an original and unique way. If the language is lovely, the narrative is structurally sound, and the content feels wholly new to us, that submission is solid gold.

Rather than describe, I'd be more inclined to point you to a couple of stories I've published that are the ideal submissions. Follow the two links below and read them and know that it doesn't get closer to the mark for me:
"Puppah Fish" by A.E. Weisgerber - https://theairgonautblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/puppah-fish/
"The Ritual" by Hugo Esteban Rodriguez - https://theairgonautblog.wordpress.com/?s=the+ritual

A comforting, disturbing, hilarious, heartbreaking, traditional, experimental poem or story or essay or comic, either originally in English or translated from another language.

Vivid prose or poetry with a strong voice

The ideal submission not only provides an important examination within intersectional feminism, but it also displays a deftness in craft. We want pieces that not only detail your unique experiences, but pieces that also engage us as writers deeply interested in craft and form.

We feel that the best literature manages to include excellence in all aspects: originality, plotting and pace, interesting writing and thoughtful themes.
We tend not to favor endings with big twists or punchlines, cliches and tropes, and typos.
Make us feel something, whether it's sadness, hilarity or joy.

Fiction includes these elements: a beginning, a middle and an end. It must also have natural dialog. Fiction submission should not include a retelling of your creative writing workshop, or anything involving a troubled writer. Poetry can be anything from the mundane to the meaningful. We don't care about form, but weird formatting is a turn off. It's sunny where we live, 320 plus days a year, so gloomy poetry like urban decay and rainy beaches tickle our toes. A nonfiction submission that teaches us something is especially rare.

The ideal submission has a cover letter with a third person biography included, and contains quality writing that is proofread and adheres to the content and format guidelines on our website.

It would be 1000 - 3000 words. A nice opening that will grab my attention. Flawed characters that interest me. A twist in the tail (though it's not essential).
A short bio. A good image for the bio. It has to be in .doc format and not .docx.

short, strange, full of instinct and emotion, walks a line we can't define.

It is clear that the submitter has read the guidelines, knows how to format a document, chooses words well, and guides us on a journey that makes us see the world a little (or a lot) differently. If it’s personal, it also connects with the reader on a shared universal level. Even if it is poetry it tells a story. The piece shows a love of language, a little edge, interactions, and an underlying tone of humanity, humility, and humor.

It would arrive during the actual submission period, through Submittable. It'd be accompanied by a succinct, uncutesy cover letter that included why the author thought this submission was right for THE MAINE REVIEW. And, getting down to the nitty-gritty of things that make a difference when you have a ton to read, it'd be in 12 point of a standard font. That's the bar. After that, we want writing that demands something of us, as readers & want it to pay off if we genuinely try to meet those demands. We want to see aslant, feel uncomfortable, think hard.

There is no one ideal submission, though all of them will share in qualities of insight and a high level of skill in terms of all levels of writing from the overall shape of a piece to the finest details of diction, punctuation, and syntax. The ideal submission will evoke gasps, tears, laughter, and contemplation past a first reading.

The ideal submission would move us with its precision and its languor. It would give us memories we do not or cannot possibly have. It would realize a contemporary urgency by imagining or reinscribing personal or cultural mythologies in fresh ways: it would be an act of learning and transformation. We would say to ourselves after, "wow, this is a piece that has listened to the mystery."

The ideal submission is snappy, with a great opening that makes us demand to read more. It’s got a distinctive voice, fully realized worlds, vivid characters that feel like actual people. Technically speaking, it’s well-formatted, uses full sentences and proper punctuation, doesn’t use tab indents (the bane of a typesetter’s existence), and has obviously been proofread. Also, it adheres to our submission requirements – in other words, you actually read the guidelines and sent in the format and materials we request.

Tight prose, solid story with a clear plotline and interesting characters, plus a nice blend of genre categories.

Submitting is a leap of faith. Writers want to please someone. Maybe it's even just that little voice inside them. So they write. We want to see that writing - we're curious about the human condition. Or the alien condition.
What's the ideal? Something that a writer knows in their gut is a pretty good idea rendered as honestly as they were able. Maybe they've even sent it around already, got the generic post card or e-mail "no thank you." It was a bummer to receive, a gray hour in an otherwise sunny day. No good explanation. They've heard all the possible reasons for rejection.
But, not quite discouraged, they found our listing, send us a note with an attachment, hopeful once more.

Good writing that doesn’t cater to the prevalent. We are looking for work that only one person could write, rather than work that fits into a type.

There's probably no "ideal" submission. We like work that is thoughtful, energetic, and aware of itself. We want to be riveted, changed, moved. We want to remember the piece long after we've read it--and to be eager to read it again.

Innovative, intelligent, and moving.

See last answer.

Regardless of genre, we are looking for submissions that are concerned with both language and affect. The experience of reading the perfect submission would begin with the pleasure of novelty and end with the ache of recognition.

Nothing milquetoast. It can be well-crafted, or turbulent and messy, in its genius. Something with a voice. Something that is playful or innovative in some way. Something that has conviction, style and substance, rather than an exercise.

Unusual and beautiful writing with a dark slant or twist.
Ideal qualities include:
+Emotional Resonance (e.g. Fear, Relief, Joy, etc.)+
+Action (Plot Movement)+
+Unique and Thoughtful Ideas+
+Literary Courage (Push Boundaries)+
+Extraordinarily Memorable ‘Voice’ in Characters+

A pleasant note with an attachment in a doc file that contains a story that makes me smile because I was surprised - by the word-choices, by the honesty. I will respond with a note that thanks you for sharing your work with us, what I liked about it, and if I plan to publish it, when I will do so. I will ask for a short biography, if you haven't already included such information, and let you know that I will send you courtesy copies when we go to print, with the hopes that the two words "to print" bring some level of pleasure to you.

An ideal submission is a unique speculative fiction story. I'd love to go somewhere my imagination hasn't been before.
We do have a few requirements for cover letters (yes), formatting (rtf), and word limits.

An email which gives the title, genre and word count and the story attached as a separate file.

The ideal submission would be from someone who has carefully read all the rules, has formatted and laid out their piece perfectly, and has written a story that lingers long afterwards.

The ideal submission can be many things: shocking, current, nostalgic, literary, experimental. The only constants in what we seek are that elusive word "quality" and Pound's dictum to "make it new."

There is no ideal piece for Apogee. We appreciate experimentation with form, but we also publish traditional narratives and essays.

We accept prose submissions up to 5,000 words, but the ideal is below 3,000 (under 750 for flash), in 12-point, black Times New Roman font with normal paragraphs and quotation marks, etc., and is sent through our submission manager without any identifying information on the submission. The poetry or prose has imagery, something we can connect with, something that astounds with its gravity, its scope, or its insight.
The subject matter of the ideal submission is something that's personal to the author and to the characters/narrator of the piece, but can be understood from a broader perspective. It has characters that a reader can feel strongly about (although not necessarily like), and treats those characters with compassion and clarity. It doesn't preach to the readers, nor try to tell them how to think or feel about the story, but lays out the facts of the case and gets out of the way.

First of all, it should be a short story, in the speculative fiction genre. We are a new startup and are on a limited budget, so we
only buy short stories in the range of 1500 to 3000 words. This can be a tricky requirement, since not all stories want to be
that short. We also accept a few "flash" fiction pieces, and we prefer
those to be humor. Some horror can add spice, as long as it fits the theme and is not too grisly.

Your first paragraph should do several things:
1. Hook the reader: create a question on their mind that they need to keep reading to answer. (Or hook me with beautiful language.)
2. Identify somehow if it's going to be science fiction or fantasy.
3. Let me know the general age/gender/species of the protagonist. Don't let readers build up a false image of who your main character is; when you clarify it too late you will throw them out of the story.
Get the science or the folklore right. Sloppy research will also throw those in the know out of your story.
Something has to happen to the protagonist. Something has to CHANGE. It can be an internal plot arc or an external one, or both. No slice-of-life stories please.
I'm fond of circularity. I hate white room dialog and a lack of scene blocking and telling details
Oh, and it's formatted in Standard Manuscript format. And you don't tell me what it's about in the cover letter.
A personal pet peeve: I prefer ONE space after the end of a sentence so strongly that I need to search and replace before reading a story.

One that makes me want to read it again.

Space Squid wants flash that breaks every single rule. There should be no beginning, middle, and end. There should be no character arc or fifteen-point plot outline. There should be no damn Joseph Campbell journey of the damn hero. There should be only awesome.

See above.

Polished, concise, and visceral.

That's hard to answer, because for me the ideal submission is one that is radically different from the one I read previously, whether in tone, subject, genre or voice. Which is good news for authors, because it means all styles are welcome as long as the storytelling is solid. For a more pragmatic answer I'd say I personally prefer stories on the shorter side -- up to about 3000 words -- carefully crafted, with an engaging voice and a satisfying arc.

Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while, heaven can wait we're only watching the skies. Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, are you gonna drop the bomb or not? Let us die young or let us live forever, we don't have the power, but we never say never. Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip, the music's for the sad man. Can you imagine when this race is won? Turn our golden faces into the sun, praising our leaders, we're getting in tune, the music's played by the madman. Forever young. I want to be forever young. Do you really want to live forever? Yes, we want your atemporal, no-future, anti-capitalist progress poetry--but we also like to read work by writers who are familiar with the plentitude of interesting experimental and innovative work that's being written today.

The ideal submission is a story or poem that catches us off guard and makes us feel something about the work. We like surprises, not just with endings but with authors who stretch us to learn about ourselves and our world through their words. Avoid derivative works and fan fiction. We would rather the story run long and flesh out the character than be truncated to fit our word requirements. Of course, the ideal submission is also proofread for grammar and typos and is in nothing larger than 12 pt. font. I guess that goes without saying.

Poetry with clear imagery, short stories with strong dialogue and a touch of humor, personal essays that are poignant but not depressing. We also like to include 1-2 pieces with each edition that are seasonal in nature.

Our ideal submission has followed our guidelines and sent us a polished, complete work. Whether it's poetry or prose, our editors read it and said "wow" without any reservations.

The ideal submission begins with the query. The query tells me the title of your novel (or non-fiction project), the genre, the number of words, and a brief pitch. The query is made in the body of the email. Attached to the email is a brief synopsis of the story (or non-fiction project), three chapters of the work, and also a marketing plan. Note that we ask for the marketing plan because we want to know that you have thought about how to market your book. Discoverability is the key issue for sales and is something that we (both the author and the publisher) must think about.

A work of indeterminate prose that captures your emotion and your intellect through narrative or lyricism or, ideally, both.

The ideal submission would be error free, beautiful to read and fascinating. It would be something that as soon as someone starts reading it, they don't finish until it's finished, and then they feel the need to tell their friends about it. Also including some pictures and links can help the editor with time.

Innovative, inventive work.

We don't have a particular house style but we tend to favour stories between 3000 and 6000 words: we have published flash fiction, but only occasionally, and we don't accept novellas. We like work where the writer has a great eye for language and characterization, whatever the topic or style happens to be. It's a cliché, but we've got to be hooked from the first couple of lines, which isn't to say that you mist start with a very dramatic incident, but that your prose has to strike us as confident and compelling from the beginning.

Unique comedy article, irreverent but approachable, laugh out loud funny or bitingly witty, 800 words, spell-checked and copy-edited, with a catchy title.

It has a great opening, a strong character, a voice that grabs me, and the suspense is killing me so that I want to read on to find out what happens. There's no backstory dump, just smooth writing. (Notice that we actually want a STORY.)

edgy, original, experimental, weird perspective.

A thoughtful, balanced story that grabs my attention from beginning to end. Both Karl and I read every submission.

A funny, well told, imaginative story that uses realistic dialogue to drive the plot forward and concludes in a satisfying manner.

Mostly authors send work to us that does not suit our journal or the work is not ready for publication. In either case, do have a look at what we publish and that will be the best determining factor. We have cultivated an audience that reads a specific form of literature and we do our best to accommodate that.

Work that doesn't suck.

Work that enacts an idiosyncratic vision. We love a sense of humor, a sense of play on the page. We also value stories that feel impelled, that strike a visceral response in the reader.

1. Clearly states the genre of submission, ie 'poetry'
2. I'm a sucker for polite unassuming brief introductions. Who isn't?
3. Your format follows the submission guidelines
4, Ensure your work is aligned with the theme/style that we are looking for ( if there is one for the particular issue )
5. isn't the same work being submitted to multiple journals.

One that takes risks. This could be risks with form, but in other ways as well. William Stafford said that if we are not risking sentimentality, we are not close to our true voice in writing. So take that for what you will. Also I like to see work that takes the basic units of poetry and prose, the line and the sentence, and makes them units of possibility, rather than strictly units of meaning.

One that is well written and reflects an understanding of who we are.

Opens to a mysterious scenario in medias res, with strong characters, interesting, believable dialogue, minimal flashback, and visceral action that addresses the central conflict. Beautiful, spare language. Humor. A little gore.

One that hints at a breadth of experiences, that shows that your antenna are always up and always looking for another point of view. One that shows that you are actually engaged in the world and makes us want to sit down for a few beers and talk with you deep into the night.

An narrative non-fiction piece that immerses the reader in a world that you've thoroughly researched. The writing flows smoothly and keeps the reader engaged.

Various media, that speak to the subjects in the world beyond the self, skillfully done and powerful in its imagery and message.

It should be spare, not swollen. It should be sincere, not precious. Formal ambition is good, but it should either a) be formally excellent -or- b) triumphantly own its failures as a form (nothing in between). It should be astonishingly human (or eerily cyborg). It should not remind us explicitly of something we've read before (no imitations), but rather, it should be innovative but harbor nuanced echoes of the things that inspire you.

Beyond following our submission guidelines, I love a strong, strong voice. Hard to pin that down specifically, but I know it when I read it.

An ideal submission would definitely be one that doesn't engage with the most prevalent tropes and conventions of its genre/format. We love being surprised, and we hate being able to sort writing into simple categories based on the first few lines/sentences.

Something that makes me want to keep on reading. It's as simple as that. I want to be engaged because I want my readers to be engaged.

A single attachment, well edited but not to the point of sanitized. We'd rather see "reach" than "polish," since polish can be done at any time. Our open submission periods are brief, but are year round for subscribers. What this means is that we have far more time to invest in any necessary back and forth which may want to occur if authors are more familiar with our magazine.

The ideal submission follows our guidelines, is powerful and gutsy, and is well-written.

One that enthralls me and requires no editing and has a name attached to the manuscript,

One page or less. We look for a wide range of subject matter, from earth based spirituality, ancestral musings, hilarity, irony, political and activist, direct experience, observation, reports on the color of the sky, intimacy, magic.

Pieces straight from the gut, that make the author cringe to reread them. Possesses a fierce originality of voice and/or stance. No neat, bloodless submissions. Nothing easy. No imitation exercises. No unrevised flashes of inspiration. No excessive dialect. If there's a bird, or a horse, it had better be one heck of a necessary bird or horse.

The ideal submission to The Satirist would be an allegorical satire, telling a good story and pointing out the foibles of contemporary society or culture. It is difficult to do all of that in one piece and preserve balance. But it is worth striving for!

A story that surprises us and is carefully crafted.

One that makes sustained, near-tantric love to my heart and brain.

Ooooh, okay.
Starting with the email - A greeting, a sentence to say what you are submitting, the title, volume, year of any previous publication the work appeared in and a brief paragraph about yourself (if you're likely to want a bio included, should I decide to publish your work, please write it in the 3rd person). No links to previously published work. No huge list of every single publication you've been in. I'm not interested. A brief bio should be enough.
The submission itself - attached as a word doc or rtf (paginated and with name and title as a heading on every page). TNR 11 or 12, single line breaks (the less formatting the better). I appreciate work sent in via a mac rather than a pc generally appears as helvetica. If you're including words that aren't necessarily in the dictionary, please do tell me so I don't assume it's a typo, though I will always try to check this. Please tab indents rather than pressing the space bar. If submitting artwork it should be saved under its title rather than 0001.jpg and possibly artists name.

Mind-blowing. Heartbreaking and true. Inevitable.

The ideal submission follows our guidelines exactly. The cover letter is succinct and professional and shows that the writer has spent time getting to know what we're all about. And the manuscript is well written, impossible to put down, and fits our themes and interests. As a small press, we also appreciate an author who has a lively web presence, as well as a passion not only for writing but for promoting the book and helping it reach its audience.

Upto 2,000 words. Not horror or erotica. No personal details on the manuscript. The file name and title are the same.

Written in (or mostly in) English. Between 50 and 5,000 words. Literary science fiction.

Can't stop reading it. The stories or chapters or poems are connected somehow, either thematically or through characters.

One that shows good awareness of what's published and read today.

One you know will be accepted from the first sentence or paragraph or stanza.

My ideal submission enjoys long walks on the beach, emotional sessions of Mozart listening combined with a fine port, sucking on my toes, whispering evil things in my ear, doing my every bidding, knows it's evil and admits it, has a conscience, adores itself, fights like hell, bleeding in every moment, fulfilling its impossible desires in the medulla by chomping its own cheeks in the bit, bleeding like Christ for our sins, shitting itself in its eagerness to define its meaning, to arrest the tragedy, to assassinate the overlords, to defy logic, to make a good sandwich, with extra avocado.

Everything I print is ideal to me, and they are all such different pieces, so that's the best I can do. There is no ideal submission. I respond with my gut and my heart and little else.

One that balances grace with intellect, form and content, and surprises without unnecessary gimmicks.

Not a word wasted; original subject matter; well presented.

This will sound clichéd, but oh well ha-ha. It should be something short but sweet; something that moves us in some way (laughter, heartache, shock, etc). It should be unique, bold, and fearless.

Our ideal submission anticipates our journal's needs by understanding our editorial goals. It presents itself professionally with craft and intent. Beyond these generics, the horizon is completely open to possibility.

We have no preconceived notions; we like pleasant surprises.

We wish we’d written it.

As fiction editor, I was really impressed by Abby Geni's "Fire Blight" and Meghan Perry's "Another Ocean," which are two stories we just published. I was also impressed by how nice and smart both writers were. Complete professionals.
"Fire Blight" gave me a glimpse of familiar landscapes (both physical and emotional), but in a way that I'd never seen before. There's also a wildness to the image at the end that's both unexpected and completely logical.
"Another Ocean" is an honest, almost searingly sad story. It's a solid, classic narrative, like an Amish table or something. Readers a hundred years from now will enjoy it, maybe even more than I did.

An ideal submission is one that is well written, imaginative, fresh, and comments or shows different aspects about life, people, and how people function. it should be written in a unique and personalized style. the piece should make us say: 'I never thought about it that way.' We look for work that we can fall in love with and be jealous of at the same time.

Depends on the genre, but usually, the ideal submission does a few things:
1. Makes us wish we wrote that
2. Makes us wish we could have a whole book of that
3. Makes the class of readers talk and talk about how good it is. Keeps them talking at the bar, after class.

If we could describe the ideal submission, we'd ditch the submission process and just write the content ourselves.
The whole point of running a magazine is you're hunting for that "something" that you won't know until you read it.

Our ideal submissions is one that adheres to the guidelines, tells a great story, is proofread and edited, and falls within our genre guidelines.

Professional, articulate, and with a list of people who will support/blurb the book. Very good work that stands out and isn't simply well crafted but actually says something.

An ideal submissions follows our submission guidelines, maintains a polite tone in its cover letter and any correspondence with our editors, fits the spirit of our issue's dedication, and knocks our socks off in its craftsmanship and content.

The ideal submission follows ALL submission guidelines, which are clearly stated.

An intriguing short story with a nice turn of phrase or a poem which makes me think about it. I like rhymes too, I know it's unfashionable but I haven't been in fashion since 1973!

Oh, please!!!

There is no such thing. It's easier to say what not to submit: nothing on napkins; don't tell us how wonderful you are, we'll make that decision ourselves; don't name drop.

I can't. If I knew what something should be beforehand, I would be writing the whole magazine myself. The ideal submission is one that surprises me.

One of our goals when we started was to publish work which had received great feedback from larger publishing houses, but who opted not to accept the work because it wasn’t “commercial” or “marketable” enough. We know a lot of talented writers who have had this very experience. Although their work is exceptionally good, they still can’t find a home for it. This is our ideal submission.
In more concrete terms, we like writing which blends genres, stories that are hard to categorize neatly, but which do contain strong elements of speculative fiction, whether that means fantasy, sci-fi, horror, steampunk, or all of the above. Also, it should be an entertaining read.

3,000 to 5,000 words, first person, engaging, inventive or (alternatively) atmospheric, good sense of pacing with attention to character and/or payoff, all while being terse or at least considered in its word count. Horror of any kind, obviously.

A previously unpublished writer with a killer story that gets a buzz going.

A great story idea is essential. Ideally, the characters (antagonist & protagonist) will have definable goals with believable motivations and high stakes. The story will have structure (inciting incident, rising action, rising stakes, turning points, black moment, climax, and resolution) filled with tension, conflict, drama, and suspense and leave an emotional impact on me.

Good writing. Experimentation is fine (and encouraged, as long as it serves the story or poem). We like work that explores boundaries. Left-justified poetry (just kidding – sort of).

There are no perfect submissions. Our readers are open to any approach as long as the submission deals with moving through urban space. We want to be surprised by an author’s ingenuity. Of course, in terms of formatting we are hoping for submissions that are contained within the body of the email. No attachments. No clip art. Our readers expect clean writing with few errors.

Coherent, polished, engaging, well-written prose and poetry that possesses emotional gravity.

A story I wish I'd been able to write.

A submission that has me laughing within the first page. A submission that's so funny I have to e-mail it to the other editors so they can have a laugh, too.

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.

The ideal submission tells a story using language at its most potent apex, narrating something important keeping the reader's attention fixated, and leaves a mark long after the final word. It must also be about something, instead of merely pretty words. It must say something.

The ideal submission is honest, true, a pack of lies, idiosyncratic, smart, funny, sad, ugly, and beautiful.

The ideal submission is inventive, but not for novelty's sake. It shows a deep understanding of language and how three words can convey far more than 30. The ideal submission can be sad, scary, silly or funny (funny is VERY hard), but it gives us a sense of what it means to be human. Fairy tales have the power to do that, and so should the works we publish.
The ideal submission entertains us.
On the practical side, the ideal submission shows respect for the genre and the publication.

The ideal submission is around 4,000 words and unique.

Seamus Heaney's

Anything that displays a clear attention to craftsmanship. I think we need that these days, more than ever.

The ideal submission is a work that has been clearly edited and re-edited by the author. It should be correct in grammar and punctuation as much as possible. It will, in the first paragraph, grab our attention and proceed to tell a satisfying story in its genre.

Paul Cornell describes a perfect Asimov's story this way: "[The]... emphases on character, atmosphere and storytelling give the title the feel of a superior Twilight Zone, with the difference that magic is never invoked, these being SF, or sometimes what one might call literary short stories about scientific speculation. The lyricism of a lot of the telling makes that point easy to miss." A story from a new writer has to catch my attention in the first paragraph. I need to have the sense that the author is confidently in complete control of where the story is heading. That doesn't mean that I need to have any idea as to where the story is going, just that I should fasten my seat belt and trust that the author is going to keep me interested in the journey.

Engaging story, beautifully told, with a narrative arc.

The ideal submission is when I can instanly reply after one reading--I want them all.

Brief bio that establishes residency/authority in the region, works attached in a Word file and also embedded in the email

The ideal submissions offer either a sharp, controlled voice, a visionary notion, or a rich sense of story and heart. Preferably, all three.

Extremely brief (or absent) cover letter; brief and interesting bio; wonderful, relevant poems with no misspellings or grammatical errors, whose selection demonstrates familiarity with what has already been published in Mobius.

Character-driven stories that have been thoroughly revised. We take literary fiction and personal narrative, not academic or scholarly work. For poetry, we look for the visceral more than the cerebral.

A work so stunning that it wins the Pushcart prize, propelling TQRstories into the vanguard of e-zinedom and the advertisers come a running and lay down bags of cash at our feet so that we can spend the rest of our days driving our enemies before us and hearing the lamentations of the women.

Starts fast. The language is striking but lean. There's lots of action, characters whose motivations aren't exactly broadcast to us but fall within the realms of common sense. Surprise at the end, but not in a bad way. Make us think about the story for hours afterward. Make us resolve to write one just like it, changing the names, the time, the setting. Make us realize the magic of the story is the sum of its parts. Make us realize we're not worthy.

One that is polished, finished, compelling, moving, possibly even amusing or ironic. And, of course, unique.

Original treatment of a classic plot or an original voice with commercial appeal. We can't publish what we can't sell!

The ideal submission, regardless of the quality of the work, would arrive to us in a font that doesn't distract; without clip art or backgrounds; in a proper document form (.doc or .rtf) so that all of our intern and volunteer readers can participate in that submission's discussion; and with a simple and brief cover letter. Likewise, our copyediting team especially appreciates clean writing with few errors.

A story that makes me gasp or hold my breath, shows me something new and/or unexpected.

An ideal submission would be RTF or Word DOC file with no special formatting. We accept email submissions and hence don't need double-spacing and the likes. State author name, contact details and follow the simple instructions.

Concise. Poignant. Vivid. Strange.

A piece of writing so startling and memorable as to restore our faith in literature.

Our listeners have grown to prefer stories that, while making you laugh, also make you think. If you promise something in your text, then make sure you deliver. Our sweet spot is around 4000 words, although we've had great stories come in above and below that. If you can make me laugh out loud, then you have an excellent chance.

1500-2000 words long, spellchecked(!), beautifully-written, funny, poignant and sharp, with a great ending and a really strong voice (whether narratorial or authorial). Oh, and submitted in accordance with our guidelines. Please always read the submission guidelines!

Arrives in a 9x12 manilla envelope with a self addressed stamped business envelope and 1-page cover letter paperclipped to the submission. No staples. The work itself should grab me from the first stanza/paragraph and everything should tell a story - that is, have a beginning, middle and end.

Days after I read it, as I go about my daily business, I can't stop thinking about it.

For poetry and fiction: An ideal submissions would include information about how one found out about the journal, mention one of the aspects of the journal that made them think their work would fit here, and to follow the guidelines as to providing contact information, quantity of poems or number of words for fiction.
For essays and reviews: I prefer a query letter to be sent first.

My ideal submission has one particular quality: sincerity. I am looking for ecstatic poems about Thor. Tales of awe-inspiring encounters with Athena. Heart-felt haikus about Asherah. Urban fantasy about Isis. The genre and form don't matter; the tone of the piece *does.*

Something you're proud of.

Uses the premise, fits our word length limitations (1,000 to 5,000 words), gives us intriguing characters involved in a situation we've never read about before. The characters are so good we'd enjoy a story about them eating dinner together, and the situation is so fascinating the story might work even if populated with one-dimensional dullards. But THIS story gives us great characters AND a great situation.

Outstanding writing in any genre.

I suppose the “ideal submission” is one that makes us laugh, cry, and revel in its beauty and clarity. Or: submissions that follow our submission guidelines, which though long, are pretty straightforward.

One that doesn't wear the dress of a submission, as if coming from a friend or acquaintance who suddenly had a brilliant literary idea.

The ideal submission... Of what, Poetry? Short stories? We cannot tell you what the writing should say, but when emailed, leave in the body of the email unless there are special character (like smart quotes/curly quotes, ellipses, long dashes, etc.) or bolds and italics that may be lost in the body of an email. With any special treatment of type, send it as a Microsoft ".doc" file (which we prefer to ".rtf" or "docx" files). If you have a bio and want it included on the Internet with any potentially accepted writing, include it.

Unpretentious, thoughtful, not overly obscure, not too dark, good use of an extended metaphor, beautifully crafted language that works both as a whole and on the individual sentence/line-level.

I'm not sure what you mean by "the ideal submission". The stories we publish are only the very best we find, so one answer is to look at any story we've published recently, and that's what I'd call ideal.

But in very broad terms, it would be a story that tantalizes with the beauty of its prose, the music of the language; a story that surprises with the depth of the characters and the non-linearity of the plot; a story that is not afraid to shock the reader (but doesn't try to do so with sex, gore or violence for the sake of it); a story that challenges the norms of commodified society. In other words, a piece that would be beautiful even if it weren't useful; that would be useful even if it weren't beautiful; that would be a damn good plot even if it were neither of the above; but is all three.