The Hyacinth Review publishes poetry, creative writing, art & photography, essays, columns, and other creative artforms, including music and video content. They are an online journal dedicated to exploring the humanities through various mediums & providing free learning resources for all. Learn more here.
SQF: Why did you start this magazine?
Ariel & Terri: As two creators ourselves, with academic backgrounds in English literature and a love for the humanities, we wanted to find a way to share our passions with others. A literary journal has been a long-time dream, and a shared vision made it a reality in December 2021.
SQF: What are the top three things you look for in a submission and why?
A&T: We do not approach any piece by looking for anything specific. We give each piece we receive the same consideration and attention as another. We will say that we do tend to gravitate towards pieces that feel intentional, meaningful, and sincere in message and delivery.
SQF: What most often turns you off to a submission?
A&T: If a submission feels like it is unintentionally directionless or is difficult for the reader to connect to, we will often decline the piece with hopes that the creator will be given the time to bring it to its fullest potential before resubmitting it to us or elsewhere.
SQF: What do you look for in the opening paragraph(s)/stanza(s) of a submission?
A&T: We do not search for anything specific, but we do tend to gravitate towards a sense of connectivity and coherence throughout the piece.
SQF: Many editors list erotica, or sex for sex sake, as hard sells. What are hard sells for your publication?
A&T: Gratuitous violence and excessive sexual content are very hard sells for us. Any kind of discriminatory or bigoted content is completely unacceptable and will result in an immediate ban on submitting in the future. We want people to have access to free-range creativity, but never at the expense of the well-being of others.
SQF: What one question on this topic do you wish I'd asked that I didn't? And how would you answer it?
A&T: We hoped to share a little more about how we aim to be a source of knowledge and positivity for the creative community. Our mission is to use our love for this community and the humanities to benefit other creatives. By starting this magazine, we hope to create a platform for creatives to have their work seen and admired by others. We do our best to support those creators and get their names and work seen by the community. We also offer a list of free resources for everything from language learning to accessing free online courses. An extra feature is an “Author’s Picks” section on our site where we include the books that our contributors have suggested, in the hopes that these works will also help other creatives tap into some inspiration. We have other ideas in mind going forward, and we are excited to see how The Hyacinth Review grows through the generous trust and work of our contributors as well as our own passions as editors.
Thank you, Ariel and Terri. We all appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to participate in this project.
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