Six Questions for Tyler Gobble and Layne Ransom, Editors, Stoked Journal

Stoked publishes literary poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as interviews and book reviews. 

(Ceased publication)


SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a story/poem and why?

SJ: RELENTLESS ENERGY, FUN and PUNCTUATION


SQF: What are the top three reasons a story/poem is rejected, other than not fitting into your answers to question one and why?

SJ:

1. The writer is afraid, like seriously scared, and won't get his/her head out from under the pillow to be like WOO and make us wanna believe in magic.
2. Story/poem is full of moons and birds and dead white dudes, all just sitting around half-asleep.
3. A lack of understanding of The Punctuation Balance principles, like too many ////// or not even one semicolon -- WUZZZZZ IN THE WORLD IS UP WITH THAT?

SQF: What other mistakes do you encounter that turn you off to a story/poem?

SJ:

1. bad sense of self, like ugh I'm a fat kid, or a voice that rolls over itself
2. obvious lack of editing/revising
3. that bullshit where the writer includes blurbs from his/her buddies or videos of him/her reading poems which fill up four times as much room as the two poems he/she sent.

SQF: What is it about the characters in a story that makes them pop off the page and grab hold of you?

SJ: ACTION is cool. Make them move, I mean really MAKE THEM MOVE. Also, dynamite and big arms. Also also, we like sexiness but can't really admit that respectably. oopz.


SQF: I read a comment by one editor who said she keeps a blacklist of authors who respond to a rejection in a less than professional manner. I'm sure you know what I mean. What do you want authors to know about the stories you reject and how authors should respond? Along this same idea, do you mind if authors reply with polite questions about the comments they receive?

SJ: I like talking to people. It's no fun being stoked alone.


SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?

TG: A/S/L?
22/M/My Parents' House

Thank you, Tyler and Layne. We all appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.

NEXT POST: 9/15--Six Questions for Kristin Ginger, Editor, YoYoMagazine