Six Questions for Changming Yuan, Editor-in-Chief, Poetry Pacific

Poetry Pacific publishes poetry on a quarterly schedule. Learn more here.

SQF: Why did you start this magazine?

CY: On the Remembrance Day of last year, we started Poetry Pacific almost impulsively just to enrich Allen Qing Yuan, our 2nd-generation editor's literary experience as a teenager poet and enforce his application to a top business school in Canada, although i have always wanted to establish a publishing house of my own.

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

CY: They are 'short, richly suggestive, and truly lyric,' which we believe to be the three most important defining features of fine poetry. 

SQF: What common mistakes do you encounter that turn you off to a submission?

CY: Spelling mistakes, lack of 'poetic elements,' and/or unwarranted lengths. 

SQF: Do you provide comments when you reject a submission?

CY: No. 

SQF: Based on your experience as an editor, what have you learned about writing?

CY: For one thing, we have learned that as writers, we can never be  too careful with our own writing processes. Also, poetry writing and publishing is an extremely personal and subjective 'business.' Last but not least, poetry authors could/might (have) become very famous as a result of a series of lucky encounters rather than consistent quality in some cases. 

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

CY: For instance, what is your vision/plan/objective for the journal? And my answer would be: we wish to upgrade it into a major platform to promote poetic/cultural exchange between English and Chinese. Another question I wish you had asked is: what difficulties/challenges are you facing as an editor/publisher? - Of course, the lack of funds, manpower, and technical support. I hope to live and function normally at least for another ten years to write, and to publish... 

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

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