"In the SR Family." A Chat With Patricia Murphy, Editor of Superstition Review
Editor of social-justice-oriented online mag takes us inside her journal
One more editor interview is now complete!
Today I spoke with Patricia Murphy, Editor of Superstition Review. Did you know there is a mountain range in Arizona named Superstition Mountains? This, among many other bits of insight, is what I had the pleasure of learning in this chat.
Superstition Review is housed within Arizona State University. The production of the journal is part of a Literary Publishing course, which Patricia teaches. The students in this class are undergrads, which means first readers of submitted pieces are undergrads. Patricia and I discussed the interest and thoughtfulness these students bring to every submission.
The magazine is also keenly invested in social justice. They especially aim to publish work by marginalized writers. We discussed the evolution of this focus for the magazine, the sort of work the editors do to ensure a variety of voices are represented, and what distinguishes work that is authentic from that which is merely “virtue-signaling.”
In terms of style, Patricia and her staff keep an eye out for innovation. She likes “weird stuff.” She eschews work that feels like “an MFA story,” and favors material that displays a strong command of “the three C’s:" content, craft, and composition.
Superstition Review will open for submissions in January. While they do not cap submissions, they do accept work on a rolling basis. So it’s best to get your work in as early in the submissions period as you can. All submissions are free.
The magazine publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry and art. Their response time is a lightning fast 1-2 months!
Additionally, their blog is open for submissions year-round.
To everyone who came out and participated today, thank you! And thank you to Patricia for taking this time to pull back the curtain of another nifty little magazine.
Happy viewing!
I will be hosting another Submissions Q & A session tomorrow, 10/15. Become a paying subscriber now so you can come on out and ask all your submissions questions!