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What Would You Ask the Editors of Your Favorite Journal—If They Were Actually Listening? - Jaymee Thomas's Blog

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Jaymee Thomas is a poet, writer and software developer in Columbus, Ohio. You can find some of her work in Blue Unicorn, Rattle, Eunoia Review, 7th-Circle Pyrite and a wide variety of online sites and forums.    


What Would You Ask the Editors of Your Favorite Journal—If They Were Actually Listening?

Blog Posted:6/6/2025 5:17:00 PM

I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a lot of time wondering what goes through an editor’s mind when they read a poem. Not just is this good?—but the deeper stuff. How do they recognize growth over time? What sticks with them about a poet, even after a rejection? What actually tips a piece from almost to yes?

That’s why I wanted to share something happening this week: a live AMA (Reddit, Ask Me Anything) with the editors of Rattle, one of the most widely read and respected literary journals out there. For many poets, Rattle has been a benchmark—a journal we’ve submitted to, admired, or maybe held up as a kind of creative litmus test.

And now the editors are opening the floor to anything. Craft questions. Submission strategy. Process. Growth. Even the messier, existential stuff like: When does someone get to call themselves a poet? [AMA] with the editors of Rattle: Friday, June 13th at 1 PM EST : r/Poetry

The AMA thread is already open for pre-event questions, which means you can take your time to think through what you’ve always wanted to ask—not just to get published, but to better understand what we’re doing here in the first place.

This isn’t a submission opportunity. It’s not a contest. There are no gatekeepers, no judges—just editors willing to answer, directly and thoughtfully, about the work they do and the work they believe in.

Even if you don’t post a question, it might be worth lurking. You never know what someone else’s question might unlock for you. I’ll be there—listening, asking, and scribbling notes in the margins like it’s workshop all over again.

**Disclaimer:  For the record, I’m not affiliated with the magazine in any way—just passing along something I found genuinely helpful and thought others might. It's too good a craft- expanding opportunity not to share.



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Date: 6/7/2025 5:44:00 AM
Thanks Jaymee. This might be helpful for those who desire to take the next step
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Jaymee Thomas
Date: 6/8/2025 10:41:00 AM
I agree, Tom. Even if you don't want to publish per se, it's a great opportunity to ask questions to professional poets who read thousands of works every year.

My Recent Poems

Date PostedPoemTitleFormCategories
6/13/2025 Evening Carnival Haikuallusion,word play,
6/12/2025 Fulcrum of a Rose? Free verseextended metaphor,
6/12/2025 To No One in Particular on the Unofficial HOA, Regarding Chickens: aka Weaponizing a Metaphor Free verseanger,community,conflict,
6/12/2025 What a Catch Free versecharacter,irony,memory,
6/12/2025 The Cost of Closeness Free verseanxiety,june,planet,
6/11/2025 Hostile Architecture and Its Narcissistic Gatekeeper Free verseanger,art,writing,
6/9/2025 Misuses of Charismatic Privilege: The Violent Pressure of Personality Free versecharacter,community,ident
6/9/2025 The Road to Hail is Paved Free verseallusion,appreciation,gro
6/8/2025 violin Senryulonging,magic,
6/6/2025 On the Body's Decision to Become a Freight Elevator Haibunage,extended metaphor,
6/6/2025 Rejection After the Reading Free versefunny love,
5/23/2025 This Probably Isn't For You and You Don’t Have to Answer Free verseanalogy,
5/23/2025 Parasocial Relationship: What Remains Is the Latch Free verseabsence,anxiety,friend,li
5/18/2025 Self-Portrait with My Shoebill Friend as We Rebrand Spirituality Free verseextended metaphor,identit
5/18/2025 Self-Portrait with My Shoebill Friend at the End of the World Free verseanalogy,bird,
5/17/2025 Self-Portrait with Flightless Bird Free versebird,self,
5/10/2025 Bad Science Free versedeath of a friend,
5/6/2025 Syntax for the Second Self Free versetime,words,writing,
5/5/2025 Improvised Altars Free versemythology,
5/4/2025 Character Witness Free versegrowth,irony,
5/4/2025 Self Portrait Free verseself,writing,
5/2/2025 For the Sake of the Children Free verseextended metaphor,friends
5/2/2025 Minor Poltergeists Free verseextended metaphor,
4/30/2025 Creation Story, From the Tongue Outward Free verseallegory,extended metapho
4/30/2025 Survival Tips for Recovering Cynics Free versemoving on,word play,
4/30/2025 Main Character Syndrome Haikuword play,
4/30/2025 Divorce Free versedivorce,marriage,self,
4/30/2025 White Noise with Bangs Free versefriend,
4/30/2025 Peripheral Sonnetanger,betrayal,dark,
4/29/2025 Palate Cleanser Free verseextended metaphor,food,
4/28/2025 Jinxed Verseintegrity,language,
4/27/2025 Runner Free verseabsence,character,journey
4/26/2025 Hit and Outrun Free verseconflict,self,
4/26/2025 Heritage Day, May 2063 Free verseallegory,america,
4/26/2025 Ersatz Docent in the I Am Museum Free versemetaphor,self,
4/26/2025 Undertow Ekphrasisart,dance,
4/26/2025 Interview with a Barnacle Free verseextended metaphor,
4/25/2025 Patience Haikuappreciation,green,
4/25/2025 Gardening Lessons: When to Pull the Volunteers Free verseconflict,extended metapho
4/21/2025 At Least One Giant Ground Sloth Is Alive Again Free verseallusion,environment,exte
4/14/2025 The Matriarchs are Molting Again Free verseage,allusion,women,word p
4/12/2025 A Reflection on That Time I Let My Husband Cut My Hair Free versedevotion,
4/12/2025 When Pets and Their Companions Start to Resemble Each Other Free verseallusion,anxiety,conflict
4/12/2025 Domesticated Violence Free verseabuse,anger,anxiety,art,i
4/12/2025 Afternoon Tea with a Friend Who Mistook Me for a Vanity Mirror Free verseabsence,abuse,art,conflic
4/12/2025 A Mirror is Sand and Water As Ethereedeath of a friend,extende
4/11/2025 While You Wait Free versedestiny,
4/11/2025 The Gas Station Paradox Free verseextended metaphor,
2/21/2025 On Our Silver Anniversary: Love Does Not Boast, But It Does Take Notes Free verseanniversary,humorous,
2/19/2025 Still Life: Seventh-Grade Art Teacher Gets High Marks Free verseabsence,anger,child,
1/17/2025 An Elegy for TikTok: My Battery is Low and it’s Getting Dark Free verseappreciation,community,
1/17/2025 Artichokes in Season Free verseabsence,allusion,food,
1/17/2025 Olive Oil Confessions Free verseallusion,food,
1/15/2025 Frozen Out of Context Free verseallusion,
1/15/2025 Sour Milk Gospel Free verseallusion,food,
1/15/2025 Noah’s Best Molasses Free verseallegory,
1/15/2025 Cold Cuts Free verseallusion,food,
1/15/2025 Meringues Free verseallusion,sweet,
1/15/2025 An Acquired Taste Free verseallusion,fruit,
1/15/2025 Slices of Life Free versefood,grave,
1/15/2025 This Wanted to Be an Ode to Pain au Levain Free verseappreciation,
1/15/2025 My Husband Leaves Free verseanalogy,
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12/23/2024 Nuclear Winter: Holiday Dinner Reimagined Free versechristmas,
12/15/2024 The Promotion Ekphrasisanalogy,art,extended meta
12/13/2024 Clover's In the Bottom Right-Hand Corner Doing the Best with What Circumstance Brought Her Ekphrasisart,extended metaphor,
12/11/2024 Unwriting My Sister as a Teddy Bear Free verseage,appreciation,grief,gr
12/6/2024 What the Highest Bidder Forgot to Consider Free verseconflict,metaphor,
12/5/2024 The Light Within Earshot at the Gas Station Snack Bar Free verseage,allusion,culture,
12/5/2024 Undoing the Disarmament of Venus de Milo: Aphrodite Gets Her Biceps Back Rhymeappreciation,art,betrayal
11/30/2024 Descent and Ascent Free versecare,courage,devotion,hop
11/26/2024 Mythmakers Often Miss the Stop Free versebody,community,courage,in
11/24/2024 Held Back Free versesilence,
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11/20/2024 The Anatomy of Restraint Free verseanalogy,birth,
11/15/2024 Remember Yourself Free verseallusion,analogy,
11/15/2024 The Out-Shuffling of Stars and Witches and Angels Free verseallusion,america,extended
11/5/2024 Where I Wait for Myself Free verselost,
10/13/2024 I Promise, It's Nothing Personal Free verseendurance,growth,life,
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9/21/2024 Honor Thy Father is a Punchline Free verseabuse,addiction,anger,gro
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8/24/2024 Botticelli Unmasks the Perp Haikuextended metaphor,
8/17/2024 I Am Anger Quintain (Sicilian)analogy,anger,extended me
8/17/2024 I Am Fear Quintain (Sicilian)analogy,extended metaphor
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Fav Poets

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Hilda Greenhough United States Flag United States Read
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Book: Reflection on the Important Things