FOREWORD
The excitement of sifting through a submissions pile and discovering the pieces that move you cannot be understated. It reminds me of going to the library, back when that was the central means of finding new books. Spending hours walking the aisles, reading titles on the spines, sliding the books that sound interesting partially off the rack to see the cover. Then pulling a chosen few off the shelf to look at the blurb on the back, to open the book and read the dust jacket. And finally, after all of these quizzes, the final test: flipping to the beginning and reading the opening pages to see if this will be the book you check out.
Of course, not choosing a book says nothing about the quality of writing, or its potential to be chosen by another reader. My siblings and I always chose different books based upon our varied tastes. The process of selection is a highly subjective one, though when choosing a menu meant to be consumed by others, one must also wonder if someone other than you is going to enjoy the fare. And so other questions arise to become part of the filtering process.
For fiction, is the plot engaging enough? The characters alive on the page? The beginning an enticing enough hook? The resolution a satisfying enough conclusion.
For poetry, is there rhythm to the poignant lines that flow down the page? Is the current strong enough to pull readers through the mysteries of the language?
With a play, does the dialogue sound real? Does it sound like would be spoken from the lips of actual people despite the subject matter and staged setup? And if so, will anyone care about what the actors have to say?
In non-fiction, are the insights universal though the recounting personal? Is the subject matter relevant? Will it push the boundaries of a reader’s perception?
When the Submission Guidelines to Samjoko Magazine were first posted, people queried about what type of writing we were hoping to publish. Our response was always the same: as long as the piece meets the guidelines for word length, it will be considered.
If there is an aesthetic Samjoko Magazine is looking for, however, it’s that the writing is engaging. The reader needs to forget where they are and who they are for a brief few moments as they see the world through another’s eyes, whether that mode of transference is prose, poetry, drama, or visual.
And with that, enjoy the voyage of our Inaugural Issue.
