Wood Cat Review publishes flash fiction to 1,000 words, short fiction and nonfiction essays of 1,000—to 6,500 words, and poetry to three pages. The journal is printed bi-annually in Spring and Fall. Wood Cat Review is a showcase of new and emerging artists whose work captures the spirit and experience of life out of doors. Writers and poets who offer clear voices from the back of beyond. We are looking for travelers, writers, and poets whose lives and passions grow in the mountains, forests, and along the open road. Read the complete guidelines here.
SQF: Why did you start this magazine?
Nathan Sinclair: Last year, I left an unsatisfactory career for the open road. I loved the drive, the road, the changing scenery, and the forward movement. I drove for the sake of driving, I hiked and communed in the western national parks, and I spoke with people along the way. I heard new voices and stories from people in towns, parishes, pueblos, and backwaters.
While that trip is now finished, my love of back roads, vast forests, and new stories remains. I created Wood Cat Review to continue those conversation. We aim to serve as a showcase for new and emerging writers whose work captures the same spirit and experience of the wild.
In short, I guess you could say that Wood Cat Review is a classic case of not wanting to let go.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
NS: For our poetry submissions, we look for well crafted, beautiful language, of course - but not just that. We are also looking for significance - a message, an insight, a truth. Something that sets it apart from the others.
For prose, we have a similar ask. We look for descriptive writing that is both immersive and engaging. Writing that can pull us from our seats and deliver us into the author’s world.
For all submissions, we look for honesty. Our tagline is Emerging Voices from the Wild. Oftentimes that wild lies in the beauty of untamed nature and the great outdoors. But honesty can also be ugly or difficult, just like life can be. Sometimes the wild can be closer to home - a place, a person, or an experience which you are running to (or from).
So pretty and descriptive, yes. But good submissions are honest, significant, and sometimes messy.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
NS: I don’t like the word “cacophony”, and I have had my fill of poems about blue herons. Those are trigger words for me. However, we recently accepted a work that included both, so maybe they’re not that big of a trigger after all.
I have read many works which are beautifully written. Clearly, they were lovingly crafted from beginning to end by writers who take their time, making sure that they are submitting their best. So, when I see a piece of writing that doesn’t follow the guidelines or our theme, or writing which is shallow, undeveloped, or filled with cliché and errors. It stands out in a negative way.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraph(s)/stanza(s) of a submission?
NS: I suppose I am looking for a hook. Something to catch the readers attention and keep them reading. Our busy culture has taken a hard turn toward the snippet. Viewers and readers are accustomed to scrolling through headlines and tweets with a passing glance. Unfortunately, literature is not immune to this trend. Busy people at the bookshop browse in terms of seconds, and busy people read magazines the same way. Send us a compelling beginning.
SQF: If Wood Cat Review had a theme song, what would it be and why?
NS: “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” by Arlo Guthrie. A piece of storytelling that I would be happy to publish.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
NS: One of the most frequent questions I get is whether the board will review international submissions. Yes, we read English language submissions from across the world. In fact, our Autumn Issue will feature works by some incredibly talented writers and artists from overseas.
I appreciate the opportunity to answer your six questions. For those wanting more, I invite you to check out our website and send us any questions or comments you might have. Cheers.
Thank you, Nathan. We all appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
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