In your mission statement you speak about looking for stories that are based in urban settings, and is urban themed. Could you elaborate on what you're looking for in a story, and what, if anything would send a manuscript packing right away?
Yes, right. Well, cities are so dynamic. They come packaged with their own punch, their own inherent force. When you lay a story over that setting, that energy, what you create is often something packed so full of movement it practically leaps off the page. There's also a city voice, a city mindset that a writer can give their characters that's going to be much different, and perhaps, for some, more accessible. Also, we take a lot of pride in the fact the Curbside Splendor [CS] was born and built in Chicago, in Logan Square, so guiding what we publish in the journal towards a more citified theme is partly an homage to where we're coming from, quite literally.
Vampires will get you booted. Teenaged sex and/or drug use stories will also, most likely, get you booted. But for the love of pete, please no vampire stories. Let's go ahead and expand that to include: werewolves, trolls, witches, fairies, unicorns, and any sort of talking animal story.
- What is Curbside Spendor's specific process for editing short prose manuscripts? Do you suggest changes or rewrites for your authors?
It depends. If a story is right on track, except for this little thing or that: yes, I've suggested making changes. But because I can relate to both sides of the editor/writer relationship, writing and submitting stories of my own, I try never to cajole a story too much. I don't think writers appreciate that. I know I don't. I'd rather have a story rejected outright than for an editor to rewrite it to satisfy his/her own vision. When I begin to sense that substantial changes are going to be required in order for the story to work, it usually means one of two things: either 1. the story's just not ready for publication and the writer needs to go back and hone it a bit more finely, or 2. we're just not the right venue for it.
- Is there something, story-wise, that you receive too much of, or anything you wished you received more of?
I wish we received more flash, micro, nano stories, etc., more vignettes, and more prose poetry. Is there anything we receive too much of...? I read at least a dozen "why did s/he leave me?" stories every month. I also read too many stories in which the narrator only talks to him/herself, and doesn't engage other characters, the setting, or objects in the setting. When a character can't get out of their own head on the page, I start to feel like the writer is channeling his own thoughts, exploiting the character, and that makes me feel icky. Like I got duped into reading a private journal entry or something.
- Also in the mission statement there is the goal to support independent publishing. Could you elaborate on that thought, and what being independent means and why it is so important?
If we let the big guys take over the entire industry, the quality of literature available to the public will suffer, and the public will suffer for it. We need independent presses because we need what comes from publishing lesser known, marginalized, and emerging writers. With the big guys, this vitally important segment of the industry would never be acknowledged, and we'd lose many amazing and powerful voices; voices would don't fit the mold, voices that buck the trend. Academic presses tend to serve their own first, which makes it even more important that writers who don't fall neatly into any category can still have a platform and achieve recognition.
-Curbisde Splendor has a lot of different publishing mediums with the e-zine, books, and ACM under its wing. This allows a lot of different styles and authors to be published. Could you speak about the differences that goes into editing the manuscript of a book as opposed to that of a short story in print and online form?
The most important thing for us, when deciding what will go into the e-zine versus what will go into the print journal, is length. We don't want to ask readers to scroll through more than a few thousand words on a screen. We've done it in the past and it hasn't gone very well. People come to stories offered in electronic formats differently from work on the printed page. The expectation is different. Online readers want a jolt, a quick boost to enliven their lunchbreak. That's very different from curling up on the couch with a journal and a cup of coffee on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
- I recently had the chance to read Chicago Stories, and thought that inside was some great imagination into historic Chicago characters; who were all witty and thinking. I really enjoyed hearing each distinct voice in the stories. Could you speak about the acceptance process of this book? What caught your attention, and what usually catches your attention in book manuscripts?
Another editor, Jacob Knabb, was the first to bring Chicago Stories into the CS mix. I can't speak for him and say exactly what it was that made him decide to take it on as a publishing endeavor, but having read it, and knowing Michael Czyzniejewski, I can totally understand why he did. We love combining art and text as well, so when Michael was excited to include illustrations, that just made the whole process even more fun. He's an exceptional writer and he understands the business and marketing end really well. It's been a joy to work with him. We're having the release party for Chicago Stories at Cole's on the 21st. You should come!
Personally, when I'm reading a novel-length manuscript that's been submitted or solicited, I'm keeping myself wide-open to what I feel. I want to FEEL something, even if that feeling is something negative, like anger or sadness. I want to get to know solidly-developed characters with strong and unique voices. I want to see what they see. I also search for work that's very mechanically and technically precise. It's important to me to know that the writer cared enough to make sure all of his commas and semi-colons were in the right places before he sent out his manuscript. If we take on a novel, I need to know that the writer is committed to the editing process, and has a good understanding of the rules, so that he can feel comfortable breaking them.
- Are authors kept close for the editing process of their book manuscript? Are the authors involved for most of it, or is it usually handled in house?
Yes, we work very closely with our authors. Essentially, they've gifted us years and years of compiled dreams, fears, hopes, and imaginings in this wonderful thing called a manuscript. We wouldn't dream of adopting a, "Okay, we'll take it from here" kind of attitude with someone who's offered us something so special, so personally significant. Working closely with our authors builds trust on both sides, which is so important.- Along with your e-zine, all of the books has an electronic reader counterpart. Do you feel the e-reader wave has shaped Curbside Splendor in anyway, as in readership or financial situations?
I'm going to pass on this question, Jon, because I really can't say. It's yet to be seen, but from what I can tell so far, ebooks seem to be helping us to draw a larger audience, and many who first buy the ebook versions return for the print versions.
- Do you have any closing advice for emerging authors? Anything authors must do and abosuletly should not do?
Be gracious, generous, and grateful. If these qualities are contained within the seed of your intention, you have every reason to succeed. Every author, even the greats, need feedback and constructive correction from time to time, so be open to it. Check your ego before sitting down to write, and especially before submitting what you write. And ESPECIALLY when talking to other writers further along on the journey than you. Write at the very top of your potential. Don't be afraid to experiment, but understand the rules inside and out before you break them. Write as often as you can, but dream every single day.
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