(ceased publication)
SQF: Why did you start this magazine?
GP: I started Untied Shoelaces of the Mind because I wanted to learn about being an editor and publisher. I wanted to "get inside their heads." I did it for my own personal growth as a writer.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a story and why?
GP: Conflict is paramount of course. Having a beginning, middle, and end is fairly essential. Plot is important too. I could list more than three.
SQF: What are the top three reasons a story is rejected, other than not fitting into your answers to the above question and why?
GP: We're really looking for the few and far between gem of a story. We reject 97.5%; and I know other venues reject even more, but we're looking for the very best of the best.
SQF: What is it about the characters in a story that makes them pop off the page and grab hold of you?
GP: Actions speak loudest when it comes to characterizations. I don't want to be told anything about a character. I want her inner goodness or evilness to shine through in her actions.
SQF: Will you publish a story an author posted on a personal blog?
GP: Yes, posting a story on a personal blog or homepage or forums kind of thing is acceptable to us and we'll still consider it.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
GP: One question I might think of, is "What is the worst story you get?"
That has to be the story that involves simply two characters talking back and forth when one character is tied up. I hate those stories.
Thank you, Geoff. We all appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
NEXT POST: Six Questions for Rakesh Khanna, Editor, Blaft Publications
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