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

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.