SmokeLong Quarterly

Over the next few months, we’ll be introducing our submissions editors so that you, dear writers and readers, might have a clearer idea of who we are, who reads your work first at SmokeLong, and what they love to see in the SmokeLong submissions queue. We are all writers at SmokeLong, so we know that sharing work can be difficult. Our submissions editors are all experienced flash writers and participate in the discussion throughout the editorial process. Your work is assigned to two submissions editors and sent to the senior editors if at least one of the submissions editors votes MAYBE on the submission. At SmokeLong we are always rooting for you.  – Christopher Allen, Publisher

Our next submissions editor I would love for you to meet is Elissa Field! Offering a deep dive into how she celebrates flash in the queue and out of it, I hope you join her in navigating the sometimes murky waters of what could make a great SmokeLong submission! – Melissa Llanes Brownlee, Senior Submissions Editor

 

What excites you about a submission?

Do not ever doubt that we are here, reading the queue, cheering for you. We want your success, and we are so thrilled when we stumble on a story that knocks us out! I still remember every story I picked out of a queue that made it all the way through to publication. Seriously, I’ve cheered the success of ‘my’ little discoveries just as much as I celebrate if one of my own stories is published. I keep on cheering those writers on social media, thrilled for every progression of their work. And I am just as excited for stories that I loved, gave a ‘maybe’ or a ‘yes,’ even if they did not make it past the final round of selection. Just know: we are legitimately here excited for you.

What’s something about a submission that makes you want to give it a thumbs-up?

I love a good title to draw me in, as long as the opening lives up to it. In flash, every beat of the opening lines carries so much weight — kind of like a match lighting a fuse, and the rest of the story is building and playing off that opening. Beyond this, it’s great to be drawn in by a convincing voice; whether loud or subtle, I love when the voice sucks me in. Then I’m looking for surprises: an edge in the word choice, unexpected objects or actions or places, startling dialogue or emotions, some aspect that feels expansive, a sense of being in the story, a surprising ending. With all that, it has to actually be a story (not just a moment, a voice, a vignette or a character sketch). Even a story that is flawed in small ways, I’m more likely to give a thumbs up if it delivers an unforgettable effect. Each of my favorite stories that I selected, I still vividly remember at least one gut-punch of a detail or effect, months or years later.

What is your advice for writers submitting to SmokeLong?

Among reasons for rejection, I think the hardest one for writers to know is that the story topics that might seem the most impactful, because they are the ones that knock us over in real life, tend to actually be fast no’s because that topic has already been written ad nauseam. Aging parent, death of a loved one, relationship break down, child tragedy, spousal abuse, mortal illness… The moment one of these gut-wrenchers happens to us in real life, it feels so earth-shattering that it’s easy to imagine writing that experience will create an earth-shattering story. Truth is, as (hopefully) new or rare as the experience is in real life, they are heavily-trod themes in submission queues.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give is one I use with my journalism students: when writing something huge, go as small and specific as possible. Don’t pick the ubiquitous, universal detail; pick the oddball, unique, specific bit that only you could bring. This could be an object; could be actions, or dialogue and interactions; could be ignoring the elephant in the room and creating silences or focusing on something mundane to demonstrate the inner tensions. You may not be able to read editors’ minds about exactly what they’ve already seen in hundreds of other stories, but you up the ante if you give us something only you could say.

What brings you joy?

SmokeLong! The flash community! 🙂  I had been in various literary communities for decades, writing novels and short stories, before I found my way to flash. I’ve been part of all kinds of conferences, workshops, writers’ groups, retreats… and no one – no one! – is having as much fun as the flash community. It’s not that writing flash is easy — it’s meticulous, mindful, artful, experimental work — but it feels like flash writers have found a way to make that work playful. We are excited to experiment, turn things inside out, try new structures, cross genres… I’ve always said, my first summer in a SmokeLong workshop felt like an extended karaoke party. It’s a vibe where writers are genuinely excited about the work and cheering each other on. Joy.

What are you writing now?

I’ve had a busy writing year with a small slew of flash publications coming out, but my big push is to get a collection together. I have a draft out on submission. I’m also wrapping up a novel. I’ve written novels before but have yet to query, so that still feels like a big hurdle. Wish me luck!

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Elissa Field is a Pushcart and Best American nominated writer, who was a previous Emerging Writer Fellow with SmokeLong. Her writing has appeared in SmokeLong Quarterly, Monkeybicycle, Ghost Parachute, HAD, Citron Review, Reckon Review, Hypertext, Conjunctions, Adelaide, Writer Unboxed, and elsewhere. In addition to flash, she writes novels, which have earned a Doro Boehme grant from Story Studio Chicago, and been a Heekin Foundation finalist, First Pages longlist, and James Jones First Novel prize finalist. She lives with her sons in an historic house under an ancient mango tree, with a flash collection underway. Find her @elissafield or elissafieldthompson.com.