"We Are Telling the Story of Who We Are in This Country." A Chat with Ronald Spatz, Editor of Alaska Quarterly Review
"It's important work to do."
Happy Monday! I’m pleased to kick off your week with news of another interview, freshly wrapped. Over the weekend I had the delight of speaking with Ronald Spatz, Founding Editor of Alaska Quarterly Review.
Alaska Quarterly Review is one of America’s premier literary magazines and a source of powerful, new voices. It is published twice a year in both print and digital editions and maintains partnerships with the Center for the Narrative and Lyric Arts and the Anchorage Museum. Founded in 1980 by Ronald Spatz and James Jacob Liszka, its mission is to discover, nurture and present eclectic and innovative literary works by a diverse range of new and emerging writers, and the non-commercial work of established writers, in print and digital formats, and in online and live public forums.
This conversation was rather free-wheeling. It was also tremendous fun. We started out with some history of the magazine. Back in 1980, Ronald was encouraged by writer and good friend Stuart Dybek to launch a magazine that would connect Alaska with the larger literary landscape. The process presented challenges along the way, as some expected the journal to have a more provincial feel. “I had to fight for the vision” of the magazine, Ronald explained.
Forty-five years later, the journal has become one of the preeminent lit mags in our country. During a two-week submission period, they receive up to 1,000 submissions. Acceptance rate is anywhere from .5% - 3%.
While those figures sound daunting, Ronald said the journal is made up almost exclusively of works that come over the transom. The magazine’s emphasis is on new and emerging writers. They do not solicit work. The exception is for special theme issues, during which they have guest editors, and those editors solicit works in order to “cast a wider net.”
This conversation was part of our Lit Mag Reading Club, for which we read the summer/fall 2024 issue. There is a special essay section here dedicated to “human relationships with animals...” For those of you interested in animal rights, animal ethics, environmental impact on animals, I recommend taking a look. One particular piece, “Hello From the Children of Planet Earth,” by M.H. Tse, stood out for me as utterly harrowing and unforgettable. This is Tse’s first time in print.
Based on the material here I wondered, do these editors want politically-oriented work? Ronald offered interesting insights in what “political” actually means in creative work, and what it is they want to see.
The word “important” came up again and again. Other terms we heard— “risks;” “raw;” “powerfully moving;” and “artist dealing with the problems [of today].” Work need not be related to Alaska or set in Alaska—“We’re not looking for stuff about blueberries or bears.”
Ronald also read a poem out loud from a recent issue. He was nearly brought to tears in explaining why they selected the poem, which is a perfect example of a writer grappling with issues both personal and political, and working it out on the page for the reader to experience. This poem is “worth its weight in diamonds.”
I always close interviews by asking editors why they continue with this work. What keeps them motivated to run a lit mag? What keeps them inspired in the face of other demands and challenges? In this case, I barely needed to ask. Ronald’s passion radiated through this entire funny and informative conversation. He described himself not as a publisher or curator, but as an artist, a conductor and a theater director. The magazine is “a synthesis of artists.” “What we do as artists is a moral act;” the magazine has “a sacred mission.”
AQR publishes fiction (including novellas up to 80 pages), poetry, drama, nonfiction and photo essays. Check the site for the next submission window.
This is my longest interview yet. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
This one is for paying subscribers only. A paid subscription will also get you access to discounted lit mags (including a three-year subscription to AQR for the price of one!), plus other exclusive interviews, info sessions and Lit Mag News content. Your support of my work is sincerely appreciated.
To everyone who came out yesterday, thank you! Your faces are the sweet smiling pumpkins in my Halloween weekend!
And, of course, thank you to Ronald for taking us behind the scenes of another lovely little magazine.
Happy viewing!