 |
- Publisher interview - |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Editor of Grain Literary Magazine |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlotte Austin interviews Elizabeth Philips, Editor of Grain Literary Magazine in Canada, a quarterly print publication for poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. What is Grain Literary Magazine? How is it different from other magazines? GRAIN: Grain is a Canadian literary magazine that publishes prose, poetry, and occasionally creative non-fiction. Grain is unique in a few ways, though it has much in common with mainstream litmags in the USA and Canada. We rarely screen our submissions, so the Editor sees your submission and not a grad student or other volunteer or paid staff member. We are very open to emerging writers. Grain is more often the first publication for an emerging writer than some other magazines. We try not to be unduly influenced by reputation, and can reject established writers as well as emerging writers. Is there a specific theme prevalent throughout your publication? GRAIN: No. What do you particularly look for in a submission? What kind of voice appeals to you? GRAIN: I look for clarity, for a confident voice, whether the work is fiction or poetry. I like to get lost in a piece. This convinces me that the writer has successfully invented a world that a reader is willing to inhabit. I like poetry to surprise, startle and refresh me. I prefer a clean uncluttered style in fiction, but that doesn't mean I can't be convinced by a voice that is elaborate or ornate. Do you accept e-mail queries? E-mail submissions? GRAIN: Email queries, yes, submissions, no. What is your response time on queries and submissions? GRAIN: Query response time is between 4 and 6 weeks, or much faster if the query comes via email. Submissions are turned around in 3 - 4 months. Most submissions are returned in 3 months, anything we have kept longer is being considered more seriously. What are your payment terms? What rights do you purchase? GRAIN: $30-$100 Canadian for prose and poetry (no higher than $100). We purchase First Canadian Serial Rights. How would you best define your publication's style? GRAIN: We are a somewhat eclectic magazine, publishing a range of fiction and poetry, mostly within the mainstream, but with the occasional more avant- garde piece included. What common mistakes do you see beginning writers make? GRAIN: Beginning writers are often too general, making large indefensible statements, especially in poetry. In prose, beginning writers tend to be expository, explaining the story rather than letting it reveal itself to the reader. Beginning writers tend to make a lot of errors in small words, such as using an "of" when an "in" is more appropriate. That is, they tend not to be as "fluent" in their medium as more established and practiced writers are. They sometimes paint on too large a canvas, writing a story, for example, that attempts to cover a person's whole life rather than a day in the life of... What is a typical editing day like? GRAIN: A typical editing day involves answering correspondence, both written and electronic. I might spend two or three hours reading submissions and writing rejection letters. I would then send any material I was interested in publishing on to the poetry and fiction editors. I might read several things they have returned to me, perhaps copyediting a story before I send it back to a writer to be polished and returned to us on disk. What decision process do you go through when rejecting or accepting a manuscript for your publication? GRAIN: I reject two-thirds of our monthly submissions of around 125 submissions. I often write short notes to many of the writers, as well as a few longer ones to writers I wish to encourage or whose work particularly interests me. Then I send the remaining third on to the poetry and prose editors who live in other locations. Those editors will in turn reject many pieces, then come back to me with the stories or poems they wish to accept. We then agree on what to take. I then edit and copyedit the pieces (particularly the fiction) and send them back to the writers, if necessary, for minor changes. We usually don't accept pieces that require major editing, reasoning that the piece isn't finished if it needs that much work. From your side of the desk, does a rejection slip serve any other purpose? GRAIN: Yes. A rejection slip may encourage a writer or elucidate on the decision to reject. It can be used to build a relationship with an emerging writer. How do you see the future of traditional publishing as we approach the year 2000? GRAIN: I think traditional publishing continues to have a loyal following. Although many magazines will increasingly use the Internet and electronic publishing to augment their operation, I believe there will always be a place for the hand-held object, for the book, whether it is a book or a magazine, because of the sensual element involved in reading. The feeling, smell, and look of paper appeal to readers. Reading is not just about written content. Any closing thoughts, observations or comments? GRAIN: I'd like to thank you for the chance to communicate with your readers. An email interview is a very thoughtful way to reach a broader audience, one that I really enjoy. Grain Literary Magazine - Box 1154, Regina, Saskatchewan - Canada S4P 3B4 Fax (306) 244-0255 Web site: http://www.skwriter.com/grain E-mail: grain.mag@sk.sympatico.ca Pays electronic rights. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||