Literary Writing Markets Spotlight: The Pinch
In the March/April 2012 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine, The Pinch literary journal is among the handpicked venues spotlighted in the Standout Markets column. In this special online exclusive, we share more Q&A with the editor who makes this market tick.
In the March/April 2012 issue of Writer’s Digest magazine, The Pinch literary journal is among the handpicked venues spotlighted in the Standout Markets column. In this special online exclusive, we share more Q&A with the editor who makes this market tick.
The Pinch: Q&A With Tara Mae Mulroy, Managing Editor
What makes a submission to The Pinch stand out?
Submissions where the author has a clear understanding of our aesthetic and has obviously perused a copy of our journal. On top of that, clear, confidant voices and strong emotions.
What are some topics or themes that you are actively seeking?
Brave fiction with soul; thought-provoking, emotionally resonant literary fiction with some punch; creative nonfiction that pushes the genre to new levels of truth and beauty; and poetry that uses form to convey a deeper meaning and is done in a way that seems fluid.
What do you wish writers would know about your selection process?
At least five people read every submission we get. We have a really thorough submission process and pride ourselves on this. Therefore, we may not be able to get back to you on your submission as quickly as other journals, but this is a sign of the dedication we put into every submission we get.
What common mistakes—either in the submission process, or in the writing process—do you see?
Not checking our detailed guidelines; addressing submissions to the editor in chief instead of the specific genre editor; using form cover letters which don’t address our journal; the title(s) of the work not included on the cover page; the bios on the cover letter include every publication or don’t give a sense of a writer-ly self; and the use of Sans Serif fonts instead of Times New Roman.
What kind of publicity and support are you able to give your writers?
We publish the listing of the contributors for an issue on our website. We also include a Contributors Kudos section in the front of each issue noting the accomplishments of our current and previous contributors. We celebrate the printing of each issue with a Launch Party at which all of the issue’s contributors are invited to read their work and sell their books.
For the complete inside story on how to break into this and other standout markets, don’t miss the March/April 2012 issue of WD.
Tiffany Luckey is associate editor of Writer’s Digest. She also writes about TV and pop culture at AnotherTVBlog.com. Follow Tiffany on Twitter @TiffanyElle.