By Zoe Grace Marquedant
Don’t You Want Me, Baby asks: what is rejection? How do you phrase it? How do you take it? What makes it past the sensors? Is there a long German word for refreshing your email on decision day? Each installment, we’ll hear from different sides of the literary magazine submission process. From writers, editors, readers, volunteers. Maybe we’ll learn the secret ingredients, the rituals, the rules that need to be broken. Maybe we’ll all just agree to retitle our PDFs and try again.
Name: Alex Fig
Job/Title: Editor
Location: Portland, OR
Publication(s): Butter Mag
Without using the word “yes,” describe what it feels like to read something you want without question to publish.
You know when you sit down with a new book that you picked up on a whim and you’re immediately absorbed? So much so that you let the whole day pass by as you read it cover to cover? It feels a lot like that.
How does Butter Mag deliver the good news?
An email full of excitement that does its best to stay within the bounds of professionalism.
How far do you read before you settle on a “no”? What is that moment like?
I will always read to the end. There’s a lot to be said for a strong conclusion. My “no” usually starts as me making too many excuses or “well if”s. I love a good project, but if the list gets too long I have to say no.
In sending a rejection, is there anything you feel you cannot say?
Nothing mean? I’m a big believer in the compliment sandwich when it comes to giving any critiques.
How do you break ties when you cannot decide on a submission?
If I’m still thinking about it days later then it’s a yes. More specifically than thinking, is it making me ponder?
Do you ever regret rejections? Or second-guess an acceptance?
Nah, gotta move forward. As “Project Runway”s Tim Gunn said, “Make it work.”
What do you include beyond necessary info, like page limit and pay, in your Submission Guide? Has that changed over time? If so, why?
A lot of people represented by Butter’s content feel rightfully frustrated and want to write about it. I try to encourage a balance of expressing that frustration, education, and hope. No one wants to read an entire zine of just complaining, no matter how well earned those complaints are.
Is there anywhere you feel the submission process overall needs refining?
It would probably be good to put together a submission guide.
What are the more common mistakes you see in submissions? Are any of these forgivable?
All mistakes are forgivable if followed up with accountability and changed behavior.
Who is the reader/audience you have in mind when picking submissions?
Today’s kids looking for role models in the outdoor world and the inner children of those who’ve grown up feeling unseen.
Is there a best time to read Bullshit Lit?
Mid-hike snack break.
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How does being a writer/creator yourself affect your work as an editor?
I think it gives me an expanded creative palette which allows me to discern when something is not to my personal taste but is still good.
Has your experience editing changed how you view the submission process?
I don’t feel bad if people don’t email me back. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by your email inbox.
If you work outside the publication, does that life inform your work with Bullshit Lit?
I don’t think it’s possible as a creative to not be influenced by what’s around you. My experience as an interactive designer definitely influences my work now. Now I do a lot of dog-sitting to allow for the flexibility I want for my projects. The dogs inform me that I should go on walks and also give more pets.
Is there anything you have learned from reading submissions that you’ve applied to your own creative process?
I’m always looking to see how folks use figurative language and handle descriptions in their work. It’s a weak point in my writing, so I try to absorb as much as possible.
Whether it’s misspelling the name of an editor or forgetting to attach your piece, what’s one time you feel you fumbled a submission?
I don’t know that I feel like I’ve ever slam dunked a submission. I don’t send out stuff very often because of my work with Butter and it’s usually a bit of a last minute decision.
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What do you do when you’re supposed to be writing?
Other items on my to-do list. If it’s technically productive it’s not really procrastination, right?
(How) do you prepare to write?
- Day before: outline, outline, outline. Give some structure to my thoughts instead of letting them float nebulous in my mind.
- Wake up, eat, coffee and ADHD meds. (I focus best early in the morning, which is a constant battle with my sleep schedule.)
- Put on music. Common writing soundtracks include: “Head Empty Nintendo Music”, Daft Punk, and K-Pop. There’s nothing like some EDM at 8am to get those brain juices flowing.
- Write.
What tools do you use?
Google Suite for everything from writing to admin. My very tech forward middle school used Google Drive to submit homework. Now I’m in too deep. For writing though, if I hit a block I will switch to pen and paper. Muji Gel Ink size .5 and either grid or yellow legal pads.
Do you have perfect spelling/grammar?
Hahahahaha. Absolutely not.
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After the interview, we like to ask each interviewee to pose a question for future interviewees based on the conversation they’ve just had. Victoria asked:
What book do you think every editor should read?
Not a specific book, but I think there’s a lot of value in revisiting an old favorite with an analytical eye. What makes it work? Are there repeated patterns in structure and word choice? Pop open the hood and see what makes that baby run!
What question would you then pose to future interviewees based on these questions, your answers, everything that’s been said and unsaid:
What’s the earliest manuscript/extended piece you remember working on? That project you would scribble away at during class instead of taking notes?
Zoe Grace Marquedant (she/her/hers) is a queer writer. She earned her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence and her M.F.A. from Columbia University. Her work has been featured in Olney Magazine, the Cool Rock Repository, Schuylkill Valley Journal, and the School of Commons.
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