|
 Home | About |Membership | Resources | BookWire |
|
|
Home | About |Membership | Resources | BookWire |
Every submission is read by at least one of us. Work of sufficient quality and interest is passed on to the editor who has not yet read it. Final decisions are made jointly. This is not to say that we concur 100% on everything we publish, but we do come close. In cases when there is a disagreement that is not readily resolved, we may turn to a contributing editor for another opinion.
Apostrophe: Sheila Tombe
Yes, several readings-but I know the first time I pick it up that it's a "yes" or a "no."
The Bridge: Jack Zucker
I read most submissions, though some are read first by Nancy Rampson. The best then go to Mitzi Alvin (poetry editor) who reads them in depth. She and I make final decisions.
The Carolina Quarterly: Robert West
All unsolicited submissions are read by two readers; disagreement may lead to a third reading. If an unsolicited submission is approved at this point, it goes into our stack for discussion at our meeting, which we hold about every six weeks. Solicited submissions automatically make it to the meeting, where we make final decisions. We're not strictly democratic: strong support by a minority can win a poem acceptance.
ELF: C.K. Erbes
Our editorial board, of which I am a member, reads all submissions and discusses those submissions. Some works may require different responses (such as a note about some word or line that's questionable). The final decision is left to the editor.
Kalliope, a Journal of Women's Art: Mary Sue Koeppel
Members of the Kalliope Writers' Collective read and accept or reject all manuscripts. Since we receive so many manuscripts, we depend upon three readers agreeing that a work should be published. As editor, I read all works which have received "yes" from at least two readers; I am then responsible for the final selection and layout, etc.
The Literary Review: William Zander
All submissions are reviewed. If, after a couple of pages, it's clear that this poet is not for us, I stop and (as slush pile reader) send the poems back. Any poems that get beyond this first reading are carefully reviewed by all the editors, and majority rules.
Lullwater Review: Eric Brignac
The Poetry Editor reads all poems. The best poems, erring on the side of inclusion are sent to the staff. The staff reads all poems sent to them several times and makes the final decisions.
Phoebe: A Journal of Literary Arts: Christopher Putnam
Yes, we do read all submissions. Usually we do a quick but careful reading and separate the poems into a "SORRY" pile and a "MAYBE" pile. The "MAYBE" pile is then read much more closely and then the "FINAL" decision is made through a consensus of the poetry-editorial staff. Some things that we consider in this final decision include: if the poem's language is zippy & if it seems to fit well with the other work in the issue.
The Sewanee Review: George Core
I read all the submissions. The selection process involves little more than my deciding what is best, but sometimes I make suggestions to poets by way of their improving the poems that I like well enough to comment upon.
tnr: Frank Finale
Yes, except when heavily submitted to; then a well-chosen intern will weed out the ones that are not appropriate for us. I read all the poems passed on to me and mark down which ones I want to go back to for a second, third and fourth reading. Occasionally, I like to read aloud to and discuss with my editor-in-chief poems I'm not quite certain of yet.
The Southern Review: Dave Smith
Submissions come addressed to me, to my co-editor, as "The Editors." James Olney and I read everything addressed to us. An associate editor reads everything else and passes to us what he believes we should consider. James and I make all selections for publication.
American Letters & Commentary: Anna Rabinowitz and Jeanne Marie Beaumont
Cover letters are not crucial, but they are appreciated. Those that are brief and factual are best-that is, do not explain the poems, give lengthy resumes or send a press kit. It's always nice to know if the poet has seen the journal or how the poet knows about it.
Apostrophe: Sheila Tombe
Cover letters are merely correct courtesy and should include pertinent fact only.
The Bridge: Jack Zucker
They're not crucial at all; we wish poets would stop sending them.
The Carolina Quarterly: Robert West
Cover letters rarely help our impression of the poems, but they can hurt them. We're not interested in reading miniature manifestos outlining the writer's poetics.
ELF: C.K. Erbes
No. We do appreciate a brief, courteous letter accompanying the submission. No biographical, educational or other information is required.
Kalliope, a Journal of Women's Art: Mary Sue Koeppel
Cover letters should name the poems submitted and contain a bio of 2-3 sentences. Original, creative or long cover letters are not helpful.
The Literary Review: William Zander
Cover letters are not crucial for me. In fact, I make it a point not to look at a cover letter before reading the poems.
Lullwater Review: Eric Brignac
The poetry is what matters, though a bad cover letter does leave a bad impression. The creativity should come through in the poetry -- not the cover letter.
Phoebe: A Journal of Literary Arts: Christopher Putnam
A brief, honest cover letter is best. Creative cover letters seem risky in that the attempts at being clever or humorous often (gulp) flounder. A long list of publications looks like a desperate personal ad. Easy and false compliments about the magazine are not very exciting to us.
The Sewanee Review: George Core
Covering letters are not crucial. Just as nothing depends upon a red wheelbarrow, little depends upon the covering letter. I prefer to have one but assume that most of them will not be of much help and that some will contain inflated or dishonest information about the writers in question.
tnr: Frank Finale
No. I prefer brief (a paragraph or two), factual cover letters.
The Southern Review: Dave Smith
Not crucial. I want to know the actual experience of the writer in the world of letters. It should be brief, perhaps only a paragraph with books, journals, other pertinent information given. Cute letters, letters which tell me why I will like something lead to instant rejection.
A handwritten note may be added to the rejection slip when the work is sufficiently interesting to merit encouragement, or when the author has been published in AL&C previously or is otherwise known to us.
Apostrophe: Sheila Tombe
When the work is worth reading. I often ask to see more of the rejected writer's work.
The Bridge: Jack Zucker
When I'm pleased or impressed by the work, but not ready to send it on to Mitzi.
The Carolina Quarterly: Robert West
We receive too many submissions to allow us to write many notes. We always write notes when we reject solicited submissions.
ELF: C.K. Erbes
We may write a response when a work demonstrates most elements of our criteria, and when we can offer suggestions.
Kalliope, a Journal of Women's Art: Mary Sue Koeppel
Since we receive so many submissions, we usually comment only on work which made it to the final cut. I wish we had time to write to everyone.
The Literary Review: William Zander
When a poem comes close; when I disagree with another editor; when I think I can encourage a young poet; when the poet is a friend or acquaintance.
Lullwater Review: Eric Brignac
When a good poem is destroyed by one bad idea or line.
Phoebe: A Journal of Literary Arts: Christopher Putnam
I try to put at least a handwritten thanks on each rejection slip. If I like the work, but it isn't quite right for the issue or for the magazine in general, I'll write "Enjoyed 'Dog with Bugle'". Occasionally, I will ask to see more work.
The Sewanee Review: George Core
I write typewritten notes, sometimes on the bottom of the rejection slip for poems that have caught my eye but which don't quite measure up. Many writers send work here that is too good for a rejection slip to be the appropriate response.
The Southern Review: Dave Smith
When I want to encourage the submission of more work or when I have a particular thing to say about why I am rejecting the work.
tnr: Frank Finale
When I would like to see more of the poet's work or encourage the poet. When I feel there is a good chance of accepting the poem if a slight revision is made.