The Blue Nib Literary Magazine publishes poetry, fiction/nonfiction of 750-3,000 words and book reviews.
(Ceased publication)
The Blue Nib is home to The Blue Nib Poetry Chapbook Contest which has been judged by poets such as Paul Sutherland, Kevin Higgins, Michael Blackburn and most recently Helen Mort. Previous winners include, Anne Walsh Donnelly, Ruth Quinlan and Derek Kannemeyer.
SQF: How did you get involved with The Blue Nib Literary Magazine?
Mike Griffith: I had poetry published in The Blue Nib when they first started about four years ago. From then I spread out to write essays and reviews for the website and magazine. The scope and size of the operation demanded new talent be brought on board, so I joined the editorial staff in late March 2019.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
MG: First, did the poet follow our submission guidelines? If he or she didn't care enough to consider our request, do I really want to invest much time and attention to the submission? With hundreds poems to read in each submission reading period, a submitter wants to be a standout for all the right, not wrong, reasons.
Second, poetry that says a good deal in a short space. Personally, I usually appreciate poems of less than 60 or so lines as a writer, a reader, and an editor. As an editor, page space and layout are of concern to me. Also as an editor, but also as a reader and poet, why should a poet retread himself by, in effect, saying the same thing over in a single poem? Don't tell me how white the moon is in stanza 1 and repeat something like ”as white as the moon" in stanza 3. Unless there's very good reason to repeat words or concepts, don't.
That goes into the third thing I desire: originality. This is subjective, I realize. A poet who has been writing for a few months writes what she feels is a stellar love ode. To her, her friends, her family, it's great. For her skill level, it may well be great. Unless she came to poetry as a very well-read person, that stellar ode will doubtless be just like 20 others I'm reading from other contributors and countless others in my poetry anthologies and books on classic poems. To write something new, know and understand what has come before. I know she feels what she has created is new since it came from her own experiences and feelings. That's generally not how it happens.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
MG: The opposite of the three above "likes," but also a poem which is obviously not in final draft stage. Again, this is subjective, as I had two poems accepted within the last week which were both first drafts. That's not to brag, but more an indication that as an editor, I may have a slight upper-hand in anticipating the desires of certain editors and markets. Believe me, I get as many rejections as any poet out there. Every rejection makes me go back to a poem and see if there is revision work that needs to be done to help my work become stronger. So, on one hand I say "sure, submit that awesome poem you just finished." But with my other stronger hand I caution you to be SURE that your poem IS, indeed, done and ready for an audience. Always remember that your first audience is an editor. Editors are very good at realizing if a poem or story is "done" -- gone through several rounds of revision -- or not. Like bullshitters can detect other bullshitters, writers struggling to make great art recognize those who are trying to glide through the process.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraphs/stanzas of a submission?
MG: A line that makes me realize this poet is either addressing a new topic or a topic I have already read or written about in a fresh way. The unexpected.
SQF: What one piece of advice would you offer an author hoping to be published in The Blue Nib Literary Magazine?
MG: Oh... Umm...
Act professionally. To be a professional you must realize that once you submit work for an audience, it becomes a form of commerce, whether money changes hands or not. You are asking to be paid for your efforts in time by me, my publisher, and our public, should we publish your piece. Pride and ego are huge aspects of who we are as people Don't take acceptance or rejection as a form of praise or personal attack. I liked your poem "Why My Dog Pepper is a Good Boy;" I have no idea who you are, so I saw a use for your art, not you, really. If I didn't take your doggie poem, don't write me off as a jerk and never submit to The Blue Nib again. I may love your "Old Cars are Bad for the Earth" poem next submission round. Editors are gatekeepers, but we tend not to be jerks or elitists. Treat us, the process, and your poetry with respect and expect the same from us.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
MG: How can a poet get feedback on his or her poems before submitting to The Blue Nib or other presses?
Do NOT publish your works in public like many Facebook or poetry sites are if you hope to get it published elsewhere. Doing so amounts to "previously published, " though that might not seem fair. A majority of publishers won't accept previously published works for their magazines and websites. If you do post your drafts online, be sure the site or group is a private one, as this skirts the "previously published" status. Also join a writers' group and ask to read at a meeting to get feedback.
Thank you, Mike. We all appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
The Blue Nib is home to The Blue Nib Poetry Chapbook Contest which has been judged by poets such as Paul Sutherland, Kevin Higgins, Michael Blackburn and most recently Helen Mort. Previous winners include, Anne Walsh Donnelly, Ruth Quinlan and Derek Kannemeyer.
SQF: How did you get involved with The Blue Nib Literary Magazine?
Mike Griffith: I had poetry published in The Blue Nib when they first started about four years ago. From then I spread out to write essays and reviews for the website and magazine. The scope and size of the operation demanded new talent be brought on board, so I joined the editorial staff in late March 2019.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
MG: First, did the poet follow our submission guidelines? If he or she didn't care enough to consider our request, do I really want to invest much time and attention to the submission? With hundreds poems to read in each submission reading period, a submitter wants to be a standout for all the right, not wrong, reasons.
Second, poetry that says a good deal in a short space. Personally, I usually appreciate poems of less than 60 or so lines as a writer, a reader, and an editor. As an editor, page space and layout are of concern to me. Also as an editor, but also as a reader and poet, why should a poet retread himself by, in effect, saying the same thing over in a single poem? Don't tell me how white the moon is in stanza 1 and repeat something like ”as white as the moon" in stanza 3. Unless there's very good reason to repeat words or concepts, don't.
That goes into the third thing I desire: originality. This is subjective, I realize. A poet who has been writing for a few months writes what she feels is a stellar love ode. To her, her friends, her family, it's great. For her skill level, it may well be great. Unless she came to poetry as a very well-read person, that stellar ode will doubtless be just like 20 others I'm reading from other contributors and countless others in my poetry anthologies and books on classic poems. To write something new, know and understand what has come before. I know she feels what she has created is new since it came from her own experiences and feelings. That's generally not how it happens.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
MG: The opposite of the three above "likes," but also a poem which is obviously not in final draft stage. Again, this is subjective, as I had two poems accepted within the last week which were both first drafts. That's not to brag, but more an indication that as an editor, I may have a slight upper-hand in anticipating the desires of certain editors and markets. Believe me, I get as many rejections as any poet out there. Every rejection makes me go back to a poem and see if there is revision work that needs to be done to help my work become stronger. So, on one hand I say "sure, submit that awesome poem you just finished." But with my other stronger hand I caution you to be SURE that your poem IS, indeed, done and ready for an audience. Always remember that your first audience is an editor. Editors are very good at realizing if a poem or story is "done" -- gone through several rounds of revision -- or not. Like bullshitters can detect other bullshitters, writers struggling to make great art recognize those who are trying to glide through the process.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraphs/stanzas of a submission?
MG: A line that makes me realize this poet is either addressing a new topic or a topic I have already read or written about in a fresh way. The unexpected.
SQF: What one piece of advice would you offer an author hoping to be published in The Blue Nib Literary Magazine?
MG: Oh... Umm...
Act professionally. To be a professional you must realize that once you submit work for an audience, it becomes a form of commerce, whether money changes hands or not. You are asking to be paid for your efforts in time by me, my publisher, and our public, should we publish your piece. Pride and ego are huge aspects of who we are as people Don't take acceptance or rejection as a form of praise or personal attack. I liked your poem "Why My Dog Pepper is a Good Boy;" I have no idea who you are, so I saw a use for your art, not you, really. If I didn't take your doggie poem, don't write me off as a jerk and never submit to The Blue Nib again. I may love your "Old Cars are Bad for the Earth" poem next submission round. Editors are gatekeepers, but we tend not to be jerks or elitists. Treat us, the process, and your poetry with respect and expect the same from us.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
MG: How can a poet get feedback on his or her poems before submitting to The Blue Nib or other presses?
Do NOT publish your works in public like many Facebook or poetry sites are if you hope to get it published elsewhere. Doing so amounts to "previously published, " though that might not seem fair. A majority of publishers won't accept previously published works for their magazines and websites. If you do post your drafts online, be sure the site or group is a private one, as this skirts the "previously published" status. Also join a writers' group and ask to read at a meeting to get feedback.
Thank you, Mike. We all appreciate you taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
No comments:
Post a Comment