The Light Bulb is a new interview series by The Lumiere Review. Our Editor-in-Chief, Jessica Kim, has interviewed editors of various regional, national, and international literary magazines to shed some light on the work they are doing. Many editors are writers themselves, and we hope that these conversations bridge the gap between these two identities by giving editors a chance to discuss their contributions and motivations and writers a chance to learn about the editorial process, preferences, and interests behind these magazines. We believe in amplifying a diverse range of publications and editors in the ever-expanding literary scene through this series.
This time round, we have April Michelle Bratten, founder and editor-in-chief of Up the Staircase Quarterly, an online journal of poetry, art, interviews, and reviews. New issues are published every February, May, August, and November.
I am in love with the work Up the Staircase Quarterly is doing! How and why did you start editing for Up the Staircase Quarterly and what has fueled you to continue running it?
Thank you! I co-founded UtSQ back in 2008 with admittedly, no experience in editorial work and very limited experience in maintaining a website. I was an eager young poet who longed for a stronger connection to the writing community. This was the driving force and inspiration behind starting the journal, and the remnants of those initial ideas still remain.
Quite simply, I continue to find the work exciting. I still find a thrill in discovering a new writer or finding those amazing poems and artworks in our queue. I still get excited piecing a new issue together and seeing all the voices fall into place. I still get a “publishing high” after releasing a new issue into the world. It is an incredible feeling. I take my responsibilities for the journal very seriously, but honestly, being an editor is fun, too.
Tell me something about Up the Staircase Quarterly that can’t be found on your “About” page.
We love finding works that are in conversation with one another, both words and visual art, and often our issues are constructed within this unique conversation. We select an Issue Illustrator for each issue, whose works are paired with the poetry selections. This particular conversation, between the art and the poetry, is one of my favorite elements to discover within an issue.
What do you look for in submissions? Do you have any advice for writers who submit to your magazine?
We do not have a specific list of go-to’s that we search for in our submissions. I will say, however, that we do tend to lean more towards surprising work, work that encompasses fresh ideas and execution.
My advice for writers submitting to the journal will probably echo most editors: please read and follow our submission guidelines. If you have a question about guidelines, feel free to drop us a line.
Could you elaborate on Up the Staircase Quarterly’s editorial process? How do you and your team determine the acceptance or rejection of a submission?
We select work over a period of three “rounds”. My poetry staff reads and comments on submissions in the initial round and their opinions and thoughts are taken into consideration over the course of the next two rounds. We select work which we feel is the strongest and can hold its own within the issue, but also collaborates with the issue’s conversation as a whole.
What has given you joy as an editor? How about challenges?
Oftentimes we have published work only to find out later that it was the writer’s first publication. It is such an honor to be a poet’s “first”! I also love following our contributors’ work and seeing their progression over the years: new works published, book releases, awards won. I’m always so excited to see these successes.
The greatest challenge for me has always been time. I’m a stickler for deadlines and put a lot of pressure on myself to reach these deadlines every quarter. Also, html.
Our readers may also know you as a poet. Which came first for you, editing or writing? Is there a particular role you prioritize?
Thank you! I definitely started writing first. I had been writing and publishing my own work for a handful of years before starting UtSQ. These days, I do tend to lean a touch more to the editing side, but I still find pockets of time to write and submit my own work.
What other literary magazines are your current favorites?
I adore online journals and consume them constantly. Glass Poetry, Peach Mag, Screen Door Review: Literary Voices of the Queer South, and Adroit are some of my favorites, but there are so many online journals doing amazing things right now.
Finally, what do you do outside of writing?
Aside from editing duties, I have a day job that I enjoy, but it can also be quite stressful. In my down time I prioritize relaxing as much as possible: cooking, watching sports, listening to paranormal or true crime podcasts, and of course, reading.
April Michelle Bratten is the Editor-in-Chief of Up the Staircase Quarterly. Her poetry has appeared in Southeast Review, Thrush, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, Grimoire Magazine, Screen Door Review: Literary Voices of the Queer South, and more. April’s latest chapbook, Anne with an E, was published by dancing girl press. You can follow her on Twitter @aprilmbratten, Up the Staircase Quarterly @upthestaircase, and learn more at www.aprilmichellebratten.com.
Interviewed by Jessica Kim, edited by Lou Willmott.