Curious Curls Publishing accepts manuscripts for all creative works, “but we are most interested in full-length fiction and poetry projects. Novels, collections, and chapbooks are some of the most common submissions. Do not feel limited, however! We also welcome nonfiction, children's books, and other content as well.” Read the complete guidelines here.
SQF: Why did you start Curious Curls Publishing?
Christian David Loeffler: I started Curious Curls as part of a publishing course in my MFA program, and I became immediately enthralled. I was driven by seeing skillful work from peers go unacknowledged by other writers during workshops. Nothing hurt more than seeing an amazing piece not recognized for its complexity and craft, so I wanted to help get really strong writing out in the world. As a curious person and observer myself, I wanted to place special attention on unique life perspectives from writers and the characters in their work.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
CDL: I will give you three "P"s: Presentation, Product, and Purpose. The first is the presentation. Did the writer take the time to properly format the manuscript? Did the writer make sure to eliminate very blatant errors such as typos? While it can be very tempting to hit the end button after completion, quality factors are noticed. The second item is the book as a product. What did the writer submit and what could it be? It is typically much more appealing to receive twenty mediocre short stories or poems that work together under a theme as opposed to twenty separate masterpieces. It is important to look at a project as a collective whole. The third factor is purpose or intent. The writer should have a clear reason behind every decision made. It's clear when an author did not think about things like the order of events, where to include dialogue, and syntax choices.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
CDL: Overloading. Specifically with nonfiction writers working on autobiographical manuscripts, there is a tendency to just jump right into a life story or mission without providing any gradual setup or context. In the first paragraph I might see the name of the writer's family pet, the names of the writer's three previous spouses, the writer's town of birth, the current town the writer lives in, a tangent about the writer's relationship with their parents, and multiple other details that the brain cannot process in such a short amount of time. It's overwhelming. While the same can happen with fiction, there is generally a greater consideration of the reader. A character might be introduced in one paragraph and begin interacting with a new character over the course of a full page. The reader needs a story that is accessible.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraph(s)/stanza(s) of a submission?
CDL: For prose, we want something that stands out. It does not have to be fancy or original. It needs to stick. An opening sentence or paragraph should put the reader in a very specific place, detail a very specific occurrence, or just be uniquely engaging. Ambiguities can make it easy for the reader to quickly lose interest or make assumptions like "I have already read this story before." In poetry, we like to see an opening stanza that can take an original bend on an idea or begin to link two ideas innovatively. Poem titles can do a lot of this work right from the beginning, so writers should choose carefully.
SQF: What is the one thing authors can do to improve their chances of being published with Curious Curls Publishing?CDL: Write the story you want to tell and not the one everyone else wants you to tell. There is something to a piece of passion, even if it is lacking in the areas others might tell you are important. Don't be afraid to send us your passion piece, even if there are a few loose strings or you still have worries about its reception. We are a small press and are eager to work with authors who are not afraid to take a risk.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
CDL: What are your future plans for Curious Curls?
A: We are looking to start publishing multiple titles a year, bumping up to at least two for this year. We are also reaching out to emerging authors who have been published in literary magazines and elsewhere for video interviews and other opportunities. It has been exciting to get more involved with others as we grow. We are still relatively new and encourage people of all types and talents to let us know you are out there!
Thank you, Christian. We all appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
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