"Leaving a Beautiful, Glittery Trail": A Chat with Ann Przyzycki of Isthmus

Isthmus is fairly new onto the literary scene. Can you tell us how its inception came about? 

I have worked in publishing for a number of years, mainly at two independent presses, one medical and the other, scholarly, and have always loved the publishing process. I hadn’t worked with creative texts though since my time as Managing Editor of Third Coast and wanted to get back to that. When I found myself with some flexibility in my schedule, Isthmus was born. There is a sense of entrepreneurship that I hadn’t anticipated but like the challenge of, and I realize now how my time with independent presses fostered that.

What does Isthmus bring to the community of literary magazines and to Seattle where the magazine is based?

Our goal is to produce a thoughtful, memorable reading experience that showcases a range of styles and perspectives. We hope to bring a little of Seattle to the world and a little of the rest of the world to Seattle. The “scene” here is thriving with events, publications, and talented folk. We’ve gotten to know some of our fellow journal and press editors here in Seattle. Each endeavor is as unique as the editor who runs it and that makes for a wonderful community. I can’t imagine a better place for a literary journal to put down roots.

You publish in the three major genres: poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. What would you like to see more of in submissions? Is there any style Isthmus wouldn't publish (experimental, hybrid etc)?

Absolutely no style is off-limits. We would like to see an increase in nonfiction submissions. Keep the fiction and poetry coming, but it would be great to have equal submissions across the genres. I’m also interested in cross-discipline nonfiction writers, like Sarah Robinson, who contributed to Issue #2. She is an architect by trade and wrote a very interesting personal essay about “constructing” home. We would also like to see more translations in all genres.

Our goal is to produce a thoughtful, memorable reading experience that showcases a range of styles and perspectives.

Are there any plans to publish online content or do you see Isthmus as print only?

The journal will always be print only. We do publish author interviews and book recommendations on our blog. There are plans to add more original content to our website as we’re able, but it would not overlap with the content in the printed journal.

I, like many people, am always on the lookout for new, exciting reads. What have you recently read that you'd recommend? 

Karate Chop by Dorothe Nors; The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante; Can’t We Talk about Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast.

I've heard it said that half the literary world is on Twitter. Are you on Twitter? If not, any plans to start tweeting? I know the magazine has a Facebook page.

No current plans to start tweeting. Perhaps we will in the future as resources and operations expand.

If Isthmus was an animal, what would it be?

Seahawk would be too obvious an answer, right? How about another Pacific Northwest favorite: the snail. It’s slow and steady, leaving a beautiful, glittery trail.

Anything else you'd like readers to know?

We’re open to artists’ submissions for cover art. The artwork should be a play on isthmus or a theme of narrow connection, however loosely you want to interpret that. Send links or low-resolution samples of your work by email to editor(at)isthmusreview.com.

Alex Quintanilla received a BA in English from Rice University. She has taught in rural Spain and currently attends medical school in Texas. When not learning about the human body, she writes, reads, and spends too much time on the internet.