Aniko Press publishes fiction/nonfiction to 1,500 words and poetry to 50 lines. The publication aims to “bring passionate writers and curious readers together, championing new voices and creating a space for creative community.” Issues are themed. Read the complete guidelines here.
SQF: Why did you start this magazine?
Emily Riches: I've always loved literary magazines - they're quirky, eye-catching and important parts of the literary scene where you'll find risky, exciting writing and discover new voices. So, that's exactly what I wanted to create! In April 2020, Sydney went into its first lockdown and the state of arts funding in Australia was pretty bleak. Even some long-standing literary magazines looked set to close their doors. In the online space, there were a lot of grassroots creative projects popping up by people who were looking for creativity and connection and had just decided to do it themselves. It inspired me to take the leap and start Aniko Press.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
ER: UNIQUE VOICE: "Voice" can often seem like a vague criteria, but for me it's about why a piece is unique to this writer. It's the story you're telling and the way you're telling it; you can tell when a writer's own observations, predilections, interests and passion infuse a piece. When a piece has a strong voice it stands out from the crowd.
THEME: Issues of Aniko Magazine and our flash fiction competitions are always themed, so I love to see pieces that engage with the theme in creative or critical ways. It's nice when submissions have multiple layers of meaning to them. For example, in Issue 2: Revolt, the poem "a real life meat suit" by Rosa Caines 'revolted' against representations of violence against women in the media through the metaphor of a 'revolting' real life meat suit.
UNEXPECTED: Pieces don't need to be experimental in form, but I do enjoy seeing writers pushing boundaries and creating something playful or unexpected. I don't necessarily mean a twist, or a 'gotcha' ending; rather, imagery, turns of phrase, genre-bending or hybrid forms that are weird, different or open up a new way of looking at something. In Issue 2, I published a piece by Zachary Picker which was in the form of a musical score, and the play of reading between the treble and bass clef was such a joy and like nothing I'd seen before.
SQF: What most often turns you off a submission?
ER: Pieces that are not quite developed enough. Even if a piece has great potential but seems closer to a first draft, I know it will take a hefty edit to get it to where it needs to be to be published. I don't mind the odd typo and on the odd occasion I will take on a piece like this if it really fits the theme, but I prefer when the plot, characters or 'voice' of the piece are established at the get go and carried throughout.
I also receive lots of domestic realist stories focused on relationships between husbands and wives. While these stories can be well written, this particular relationship dynamic can get a bit tired or rely too much on heteronormative assumptions.
Myths, tropes or cliches being used without being made fresh or interrogated in some way.
Song lyrics can be tricky to include due to copyright issues.
Aaand generally, all of this can also be taken with a grain of salt: I'm always happy to be proven wrong on any of the above!
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraph(s)/stanza(s) of a submission?
ER: Before we even get there, I'm a sucker for an interesting title that catches my eye and speaks to the piece. Then, when poems or stories immediately move away from the general and get into the nitty-gritty, this really excites me as a reader. In the opening, I look for specificity in the imagery, word choice, the setting or the characters. It should be compelling; it should draw you in. As an example, a poem by Rae White from Issue 1 called "Discussing polyamory in the workplace:" began with the short line, "I don't." It was sharp, funny and made me want to read more.
In some ways, it's easier to say what not to look for, as the pieces that get selected seem to stand on their own as being quite unique. In fiction, there are lots of realist stories where a character wakes up, walks around their house or neighborhood, thinks about things and then the story ends. While these pieces can contain beautiful writing, it can take a long time to set the scene, and in a short story, I want more momentum! In poetry, an overly wordy opening can often trip up the reader before they've even begun.
SQF: I notice you publish book reviews and author interviews. How are the books/authors chosen?
ER: On our website, we review new contemporary fiction, nonfiction and poetry (i.e. released in the past year or so) and we also publish sets of themed recommendations - say "Queer Classics" or "Spooky Season." I like to keep a mix of Australian and international authors. We have two book reviewers, Elaine and Fruzsi, who both have an eye for interesting and exciting books that may not be getting as much mainstream attention. The author interviews are with writers we've published in our print magazine to accompany their pieces. We are also currently running an emerging writers interview series with emerging Australian authors who have taken alternative routes to publication.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
ER: Do we pay our writers? We absolutely do.
Thank you, Emily. We all appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
Excellent article, much appreciated Jim, thank you
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