Nate Pritts via the Writer’s Digest blog.

As the editor of H_NGM_N, an online journal of poetry and prose, what do you look for in poetry submissions? 

Gosh, I guess that’s hard to define but I know it when I see it.  I’m looking for poems that are looking for me.  I mean, first, I expect a certain level of competency and professionalism in the submission; H_NGM_N has guidelines for a reason.  And if anyone wants to know what kinds of poems we publish, the best thing they could do is read the poems in our nine issues, our various chapbooks and side projects.

We get some poems that have no chance; they show no knowledge of the kinds of work we champion, no attention to language or craft, have nothing to really say.  Most of what we get is pretty solid, though, and so we have to make some tough calls.  I’m looking for something that knocks my head off with its energy and this could come from the compelling nature of the linguistic utterance, it could come from a sparkly and brilliant image, it could come from anywhere.  Though we’ve been labeled as a home for experimental poetry, I’m not happy with that.  My models are Renaissance sonneteers, or Coleridge saying “O!” every time he got to see the sunrise.  I think a poem is what one beating heart can say to another beating heart in words.

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