"A Small Press Championing Novellas." A Chat with Michelle Lyn King, Publisher of Joyland Magazine & Joyland Editions

"I like books with a lot of heart."

Hello, friends! I come with a new editor interview, freshly in the books.

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Michelle King, Editor of Joyland.

Joyland Publishing is the independent nonprofit publisher of an award-winning literary journal, Joyland Magazine, and Joyland Editions, a small press publishing two novellas every year.

…Joyland Magazine accepts unsolicited submissions of fiction year round. All submissions must be in English. We welcome works in translation. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. We consider fiction submissions (short stories and stand-alone novel excerpts) of up to 12,000 words.

Joyland Magazine was founded in 2008 by Emily Schultz and Brian J Davis. Michelle started out as a reader for the magazine, then eventually became Managing Editor. When the original founders decided to step back, they passed the journal along to Michelle, who took over as the magazine’s official owner.

From its inception, the magazine sought to publish work beyond local borders. The original founders dedicated portions of the journal to different areas around the world. Under Michelle’s leadership, the magazine no longer dedicates pages to certain locations specifically, but still strives to invite voices from everywhere. It is “more than a magazine from Brooklyn, about Brooklyn.”

In 2025, Michelle also became the Publisher of Joyland Editions. The press is strictly dedicated to novellas and publishes two novellas each year.

Joyland Editions was born from Michelle’s frustration with the publishing industry, a profit-driven environment in which some books receive massive attention for no apparent reason, and many, many deserving books get passed on. (Michelle recalled being told “books about sisters don’t sell.”) The novella is one form consistently overlooked by mainstream publishing, but which Michelle is eager to champion.

For Joyland Editions she and Madeleine Crum do all the editing as well as the marketing and publicity. This requires calling in a lot of favors—a friend to host a magazine party, a wine store owner to offer discounts for bulk orders. But it is all work she loves, on behalf of novellas she believes in.

In terms of what these editors are looking for, “distinctive voice” is a must, for both the magazine and the novellas. An authentic voice is “something you can’t fake.” She is not interested in writing that is proficient but “ultimately forgettable.”

For novellas, she is averse to writing that has a nihilistic bent. “I like books with a lot of heart.” She is also eager to see more translations.

For the magazine, what are the three types of stories that they receive in submissions? What is one recurring topic they tend to see often? What is it about the novella form that is so appealing to these dedicated editors? And what keeps her invested in this work on behalf of writers?

For all that and more, dear ones, you will have to tune in!

Joyland is seeking readers for the summer. Readers receive a $50/month stipend. If you are interested email joylandmagazine@joylandmagazine.com.

To everyone who came out today, thanks for showing up! Your faces are the radiant bursts of sunshine on my incomprehensibly cold and rainy May day.

And, of course, thank you to Michelle for taking us behind the scenes of another lovely little lit mag (and press).

Happy viewing!

Views expressed by any interview guest do not necessarily reflect my own.