Interview with the World's Longest-Running Flash Fiction Magazine (with 13 Flash Fiction Lit Mag Recommendations)
David Galef, from Vestal Review, shares advice for writers and editors along with 13 flash fiction magazines
Welcome to our latest editor interview/opportunities list combo! We’re going to try to do more and more of these throughout 2024 to add more value to our lists. Data is all well and good, but we want to be able to provide you with more information straight from the editors of your favorite publications and make our lists better by having them vetted by folks with years of editorial experience in the industry. If you’re into this kind of thing and want to support our efforts, you can become a paying subscriber here:
What is Vestal Review & what do they publish?
Vestal Review is a US-based magazine founded in 2000 that charges fees, pays writers, and responds within 30 days.
Vestal Review is the longest-running flash fiction magazine in the world. Our stories have been reprinted in numerous anthologies and selected for Wigleaf Top 50 many times. We’re eclectic in style and open to all genres. [CS Listing]
They accept simultaneous submissions. Submit via Submittable.
They exclusively publish flash fiction with a $3 submission fee and pay writers $75 per published piece.
They nominate work for Best Small Fictions, Pushcart, and Best Microfiction.
Our records show that they are active on social media.
Interview with David Galef (EiC of Vestal Review)
Tell us a bit about Vestal Review. What's your mission? How long has it been around? How do you distribute the work you publish, and what challenges do you face along the way?
Vestal Review, running since 2000, is the longest-running flash fiction magazine on the planet. Our mission is to publish captivating flash fiction under 500 words. Since 2020, we’ve been exclusively online, with a cool-looking website. The major challenge we face, like many magazines, is attracting a larger audience.
Being the longest-running flash fiction magazine is a bigger deal than I think people realize. Flash fiction has become a hugely popular genre, but wasn’t at the time. Did you think it would become as big as it has? (You write a book on it, so I’m assuming that’s at least part of it) Or was it more of a “this is neat, let’s do it” decision? Why the shift from print to online? Was this in pursuit of that large audience or a cost-cutting measure?
Actually, the roots of the current flash fiction explosion date back to Shapard and Thomas’s Sudden Fiction anthologies, starting in 1986, followed by Thomas, Thomas, and Hazuka’s Flash Fiction in 1992. But the internet made the form blow up all over the web. Vestal Review began as a print magazine but switched to all online in 2020, when I took over as editor. That format reflected the 21st century better, saved us money, helped the planet by not using up paper, and got us more hits.
As a database, we work a lot with quantitative data. How long has a magazine been around? How many editors, readers, writers—how much money are they working with? And all that. But we are greatly interested in more qualitative factors. Untrackable information that sets a magazine apart. What are three factors that stand out for you in what your magazine brings to the publishing world?
We don’t restrict ourselves to certain genres and avoid stories that promote intolerance. Another standout factor is our small reading fee, used to ensure we can pay for what we publish.
OK, so the reading fee debate is always raging on, but you call it a standout feature. Why? Also, when you look at some heavy-hitter magazines taking in 1,000+ feed submissions a month with no consequences, do you think the majority of people care? Or is it a loud minority?
Some people object to the modest fee, and I understand that, but it’s necessary to keep us afloat. Art should be free (and better supported in the U.S.), but I’m uncomfortable with the double standard: Few people object to other sectors charging for their services. And we do pay our contributors and staff, which many places don’t do. But I’d better stop here before I antagonize someone.
We get a lot of requests from writers about the make-up of a magazine's editorial staff. Age, education, background, and so on that often come down to life experience. A writer wants to know that their story in the hands of the right editor will be understood through a relatable lens. So my question is two-fold. Who are the folks behind the scenes at your magazine, and how much of a factor do you think this dilemma is in the process of considering a writer's work?
Vestal Review's staff includes five contributing editors and an art editor. They're a diverse and experienced group, deeply invested in the flash fiction scene. The editors are also working writers, and the art editor is an accomplished artist. Their broad-mindedness and expertise greatly influence the selection process.
Here you say “broad-mindedness” of your editors, and previously, you mentioned “open-mindedness” in the story selection. Can you elaborate on this?
Diversity comes in many forms, with underrepresentation that needs to be addressed in race, gender, class, culture…and we strive for a broad spectrum. That may be reflected in who the author is or what they wrote. But people also should be more broadminded in what they accept as literature. For instance, I can’t understand why some magazines still discriminate against what they call genre work, like science fiction.
What drives submissions? Money? Awards? A viral tweet? Or simply time? I think, with any online venture, folks are looking for a secret tip or trick. For indie lit, I don't think there is (tell me if I'm wrong), though some things do help.
Being a well-established flash fiction magazine with a history of publishing renowned authors helps attract submissions. We offer fair payment, a quick response time, and nurturing feedback to writers. Although we win awards and have a significant social media presence, we’re always looking to expand our reach.
I see this a lot. “Renowned authors” listed on a publication's website. For newer magazines, how do you attract them without straight-up soliciting (something many magazines avoid)?
Most magazines, with obvious exceptions like The New Yorker and Harper’s, probably aren’t going to get many famous names, if they even want them. But if you like their work, you have to solicit, if not beg. No harm in asking.
From a writer's perspective, a piece goes out a letter comes in. In between, there is a lot of sausage-making that becomes fodder for endless debates, articles, and—per usual—misinformation. So, what happens behind the scenes at your magazine? A piece comes in fresh. What happens between then and when it is rejected or accepted? How are those reviewing it trained and vetted?
Submissions are assigned to contributing editors who evaluate them as “accept,” “reject,” or “maybe.” The editor-in-chief reviews any “maybe” or higher-rated pieces. Our contributing editors, chosen for their expertise, assess sample stories for ratings, detailed evaluations, and editorial suggestions. We also feature a list of new flash fiction books, serving both as a promotional and informational tool.
When a piece comes across your virtual desk, is there a point in most where you know whether it is working or not? Or do you see it through to the end just in case the writer turns it around?
We can generally tell within a few paragraphs whether a piece is working well or a good fit for the magazine, but they’re only 500 words at most, so we give them all a good shot. If submitters pay a fee, it’s only fair to reward them with our time. And we encourage promising efforts that nonetheless aren’t up our alley.
If I had to peg the biggest problem everyone in indie lit is trying to solve, it'd be a lack of readers. Blame whoever (personally, I blame Netflix). What, in your experience, has contributed to this problem and what steps do you think could be taken to solve it (or at least make it not so big a problem).
The decline in readership began with the advent of competing media like radio, film, television, and the internet. While “reading” now includes web-based content, attracting attention often requires something newsworthy or innovative. Indie lit should continue to produce quality work that makes people think, as good literature remains newsworthy.
Have you considered at all the presentation of literary works? While the internet has taken to YouTube or TikTok, and short-form video is booming, lit mags tend to remain in the blog-o-sphere. Not to say that they should all convert to audio/video, but presentation matters. How does this factor into your future plans (if at all)?
New media are always tempting, though a challenge for us to judge. And it’s true that some stories that are flat on the page really sing when performed. Stay tuned to see how we deal with this in a few years.
How would you advise someone with these goals for creating a magazine but without the funding to do it? I know a lot of magazines go the nonprofit route. I’ve also seen a lot with Patreon, Crowdfunders or fiscal sponsors. But have you seen any trends emerge that seem to be evolving this process? When you say “Challenges,” what specifically are you referring to? If you were to write a roadmap for an up-and-coming magazine, where would you advise them to watch out, or take it slow, or what to pay attention to along the way?
A fair number of emerging magazines seem to be started by recent MFA graduates seeking a voice, which is fine. They have energy and drive and often good literary acumen. But it rarely provides a living, even with support from crowdfunding, a Patreon niche, or grants. My advice: Don’t quit your day jobs.
Indie lit should prioritize the freedom to publish meaningful work without financial constraints, encourage authors at all career stages, and create magazines worth more than just a cursory glance. This involves embracing both the challenges and hopes of producing art that matters.
13 Flash Fiction Magazines Recommended by Vestal Review
From David:
Far too many to list these days in the flash fiction world, which is our bailiwick. That said…