SQF: Why did you start this magazine?
Beth Longman: I initially had the idea for "Re-side" when I was looking at the vast quantities of anti-women "women"'s writing that preaches change and teaches insecurity whilst being, more than anything, really boring and oppressive to people of all gender identities. I always wanted "Re-side" to tell another side of the story and we have ended up with so many more narratives of human experience from all over the world than I anticipated we would, so it continues to grow! ANYWAY, I can't believe I've got so far through explaining what "Re-side" is without mentioning Lizzie (Kemball, Designer and Editor) who shared my vision from Day 1 when I posted asking if anyone would be keen to get involved and who has shaped "Re-side" into something already so beautiful.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
BL: Overall, originality, feeling and lucidity. Like many other zines, we look for something that makes us feel something. These pieces tend to compliment and work against the other pieces in the issue and can be quite loosely based on our themes. We love to see originality and can forgive a lack of clarity/lucidity in favour of this though, generally, we favour work that requires less editing, of course! My writing, personally, is often quite unclear so I am willing to work with writers to edit their pieces to bring the ideas out. The only pieces we reject tend to be those that have less originality and are also unclear in their themes/ messages.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
BL: We are turned off by pieces that try too hard to fit into what the creator thinks they should be doing. For example, poetry with gaps between lines/words for no reason/ images that are over-used and hyperbolic. These are the kinds of things that everyone does at times, though, it's just something to be cut out in final edits before submission.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraph(s)/stanza(s) of a submission?
BL: In the opening paragraph/stanza of a submission we like to see some attempt to push against conventions/conventional narrative voice. This sounds like a big ask but it doesn't have to be anything extreme but, as is taught in probably every creative writing course, if you write until you cut to the core of what you are trying to say, start with that.
SQF: What piece of advice do you have for authors who are interested in submitting to Re-side?
BL: Take a look at the submissions that we publish but also other work that we share for inspiration! Working around a theme can provide some direction to your work but absorbing as many perspectives as possible might lead it in a different way.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
BL: Maybe the question of which kinds of work we would like to see next? My answer could be massively long but, in short, we would love to see lots of different kinds of art! We have been lucky to have found a home among a group of super talented writers but would love to see more photography and art!
Thank you, Beth. We all appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
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