Do you read all submissions? Could you describe the selection process that the poems you read undergo?	Journal	Are cover letters crucial? Do you prefer original, creative, or factual ones? How long should they be?
All manuscripts received are first read by a few, very carefully chosen first readers (who are instructed to err to the side of generosity). After that, all work comes to my office and I choose what is passed on to the Poetry Panel. And then, of course, all Hell breaks loose . . .	Agni Erin Belieu	Only in that a bad one (e.g. smart-ass, rude, cute) can make a first impression from which it may be difficult to recover. Just the facts in the briefest form possible, please.
Each submission is read by at least two editors in the first round of reading. Two editors are necessary for manuscript rejection. Manuscripts held for the second reading are read and discussed by all members (six to eight) of the Journal Editorial Collective. We work to reach consensus on final decisions.	Calyx Beverly McFarland	Cover letters could be brief, listing the titles of poems submitted and including the requested 50-word biographical statement. It would be good if they stated whether or not the manuscript needed to be returned if rejected.
An initial screening and a final screening are done by a panel of readers.	The Formalist William Baer	A brief, factual cover letter is appreciated.
Our staff reads all submissions, but I personally read only what they like enough to pass on. We publish less than one percent of the poetry and fiction we get, and we make our final cuts with great care.	The Gettysburg Review Peter Stitt	Crucial? Food is crucial, shelter and love. We like factual cover letters that contain a hint of personality. We hate smart-ass letters.
Yes. I screen all poetry manuscripts. A co-editor screens all fiction manuscripts. All those manuscripts we feel are worthy of further consideration are then rated by my two co-editors, after which I make a final decision.	The Ledge Timothy Monaghan	No. My main concern is the quality of the work. If a writer has something relevant to tell me, I’d like to hear it. If not, I prefer factual cover letters no longer than a few paragraphs or a page.
I read all submissions, then put some aside for a second reading.	The Nation Grace Schulman	Cover letters have no importance to me. My interest is poetry.
Yes, definitely. There are two poetry editors at the journal. Both of us must agree that a particular poem should be accepted. Either one of us screens submissions.	The Northern Centinel Ellen Rachlin and Lucie Aidinoff	Cover letters are not crucial because we are seeking to publish the poems not the cover letter. But, we appreciate the writer’s desire to inform us of some biographical information.
No. We share the reading burden, though Margot Schilpp, the poetry editor, reads the most. Then we meet, discuss, and decide.	Quarterly West M.L. Williams	No. The briefer the better. We have too much to read already, and I’ve never read a bio that saved a poem.
No. All editors read and select possible keepers. They send these to me to make the final decision. I often consult with an editor when the poems do not immediately impress me. I read these poems, put them aside, then read again. Maybe again. On non-referrals, I read and make three piles—keepers, maybes, rejects. Then I read the keepers and maybes again.	Southern Poetry Review Ken McLaurin	No. I don’t read them until after I’ve read the poems. Some freshness is always appreciated, but facts often make further correspondence unnecessary if acceptance happens.
There is a light screening by office staff. But I then read most every submission—or at least the beginnings of them.	The Yale Review J.D. McClatchy	Not crucial; merely polite. Brief ones that mention prior publications or mutual friends often work most effectively.