Catch Up with The Editors: September, Editor in Chief
- Fawn
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
We caught up with September, Editor in Chief and Publisher of Weird Lit, in a conversation about what she's learned over the past year, goals for WLM's future, and advice for aspiring contributors.
What have you learned in the first year of WLM?
Besides—and more importantly than—learning the ins and outs of running a nonprofit lit mag, I’ve learned what my artist grandmother tried to make me understand for decades: creativity is like air and we must constantly breathe.
What’s been the most rewarding thing about running a literary magazine?
It’s a seemingly small thing, but sending acceptance emails to authors is a highly rewarding experience.
Favorite story you’ve published so far, and why?
This is like asking what my favorite album is: I have many and my answer may change with my moods. However, I do keep rereading “Bad Winter Screw-Can Blues” by Matthew F. Amati for its stylized voice, layers of depth, and fascinating characterization. I am a big fan of family sagas, and Amati succeeds in conveying familial dysfunction in this compact piece.
Which story surprised you the most? (i.e., one that broke the rules and succeeded)
The way Douglas Hackle connects seemingly disparate themes and scenes in “Please, God, Don’t Let Dogs Die Anymore” is enviable. I read this story regularly for a potent shot of joyous absurdity.
What moods or genres of short fiction are you excited by?
Topping my list of exciting moods and genres are surrealism, psychological horror, ambiguity (when done well), transformation, and absurdism.
What advice do you have for submitters who want to have their work published in WLM?
Follow our submissions guidelines and send us your most original, weird work. We’re forced to reject a surprising number of submissions due to disregard for our guidelines and/or a lack of originality and weirdness.
What is a really hard sell for you in a submitted story?
Stories told from the perspective of children and/or teenagers are a hard sell for me, even when well-crafted. I’m simply disinterested, in general.
Is there a word or phrase that you wish writers wouldn’t use, and why do you feel that way?
Words like almost and nearly are often useless and weaken the impact of otherwise compelling prose. Please don’t tell me the sasquatch was almost nine feet tall; that’s disappointing. Don’t bore me with the boat nearly capsizing either. I want to see it sink.
Unpopular opinion about writing or publishing, go:
You don’t need “lived experience” to write well. To create believable, complex characters and plots outside your realm of experience requires empathy, curiosity, research skills, imagination, sensitivity, and a solid understanding of nuance. These are all up to you to cultivate.
What are your goals for the next year of Weird Lit Mag?
As a witch, I like to work in threes:
Pay contributors
Release an issue or anthology in print
Meet more of our contributors in person
Oh, and I’m still on the hunt for that existential Bigfoot story.
September Herrin is a writer and book editor from the Pacific Northwest. Her work has been supported by Hypatia in the Woods and has appeared or is forthcoming in The Berlin Literary Review, The Stray Branch, Crow & Cross Keys, and elsewhere. She enjoys long, romantic walks through haunted houses and feeding Bigfoot peanut butter & seaweed sandwiches. September is drawn to absurdist themes, surrealism, and ambiguous endings. Learn more about her work here.
