Meet Glenn Lyvers, Editor and Writer

Glenn Lyvers is the masthead at Prolific Press, Inc, where he oversees eight literary journals, a full publishing program, and a chapbook series.

Born in Michigan, he now lives in a fishing village in Virginia. He is also the creator of the online submission management tool, Green Submissions, which is used by a number of literary magazines.

1. Why did you decide to start Prolific Press, Inc?

I think anyone who founds a press does so because they want to decide what is printed. It's not for the money, because there isn't any when you first start. I wanted to create opportunities for writers, without regard to pedigree or past achievements. It seemed to me, at the time and even today, that most notable journals seem to care far more about the name of the writer than the quality of the work. That's not how it should be. I have strong convictions about that.

I also knew that any vision for the kind of press I founded would be a diverse mix of journals and other projects. I have many interests. It made sense to house the various journal brands and publishing branches under an umbrella corporation. Most large publishers have that type of structure. If you look at any of the "big 5," you will recognize a loosely-similar framework. I wanted to have that in place and build into it, instead of figuring out how to combine multiple projects later. That can be confusing. Besides, "Prolific Press" is a catchy name, don't you think?

In point of fact, all our brands are good names. Poetry Quarterly, Haiku Journal, Jitter Press, Inwood Indiana, Tanka Journal, Dual Coast Magazine, Three Line Poetry, and 50 Haikus... these are all great names, popular and recognizable. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably have chosen a different name for 50 Haikus, as "Haiku" is the plural spelling, but it's a legacy. It felt right at the time, and the writers seem to like the quirky name.

Prolific Press is a family of journals and publishing programs--most importantly, we have a great group of passionate writers that submit regularly. We keep growing year after year. It's been a great ride, and it only seems to expand. I hoped it would be like this. It's been a dream-come-true in some important ways, and I thank the writers and staff for it. I know this interview is about me, but I take only a meager portion of the credit for Prolific Press's success. Without great people and talented writers, Prolific Press would have died in the first year like the majority of companies in this business do.

2. How do you find the time and motivation to balance the demands and publishing schedules of so many journals, chapbooks, and longer books?

I have probably been asked this question more than any other. I think people fail to realize how much time they waste. Facebook, Twitter, TV, Radio, yada yada yada... we live in a culture of time-wasting mechanisms. We have invented so many ways to waste time that we are amazed when we encounter someone who seems to get things done. I get a lot done because I work hard. I also have good assistants and technologies that reflect positively upon me. What that boils down to is.... Well, let's stay on point. The question is how I find the time and motivation.

I get some of my work ethic from my father. He worked long hours and always provided financially. Growing up, I remember him playing motivational cassette tapes in the car. I recall the speaker saying, "Everyone, rich or poor, has the same number of hours in a day." You never know when life will deliver up a nugget of gold like that. I can't tell you who said it, but I can tell you that it stripped away the mystery between those who get things done and those who don't.

The motivation comes from having a passion for poems, stories, and the heroes that write them. That passion never seems to fade. I get plenty of praise and reinforcement from the writers I work with. They recognize how hard I work, and how much I care about them--and I do. I really do.

3. When reading manuscripts, what catches your eye--and your mind as a reader?

A manuscript should grab my attention right away. I don't care about who wrote it. I care about the impact it has on me. I look at the mechanics--how the writer reveals the characters, backstory, and whether they make me care about the story. I can be a little callused about manuscripts because I read so many. The same is true of the short stories and poems. It comes down to impact.

The writer should care. If they don't, I can spot that almost instantly. Not to be cliché, because it's probably used too often to make this point, but Frost said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader." I think that's very true, and if the writer doesn't have strong feelings about the offering, I can pick up on that fairly quickly.

4. Do you also pursue your own writing in addition to all the time you devote to publishing the work of other writers?

I do. I am writing a book of poems now. I don't write as often as I'd like--I don't have the extra time. But I do write, and I have some of the same concerns the writers who approach me have. I don't know where I'm going to publish when I do. I've been approached, but I don't know what the best choice is, or when. I feel these things; have these problems--I hope that makes me a better editor, too, because I know what other writers are going through.

I can't decide when my book is finished. I keep going back to fuss over the work. I have a passion and a vision for the work. I hope that when I'm ready, I can show that to others--give them something valuable. In the meantime, I help others realize their goals.

5. I admire your dedication to publishing poetry, in particular shorter poems. For those of us who share your interest in poetry, what do you think we can do to encourage others to read our own poetry, or get a press to notice our work?

That's hard. First, the poets need to deliver a worthy product, and that begins by having an audience in mind. Imagine whom you are writing for--and be specific. It's probably not enough (as an emerging poet today) to seek broad appeal like Collins, Bishop, Alexie, and Hayden. I'd suggest new poets look at icons like Olds and Neruda--they definitely have an audience in mind, and managed to climb to the top by building on political angles.

The first thing a poet needs to do is carve out some kind of readership. Not to be crass, but some poets seem to approach the whole thing like self-gratification. That's completely wrong. If you want a readership, then you must write for others--give them something of value. Poetry should make people feel something. It should make our lives better. When it is written to do that, then and only then, people will seek out your poems.

For the poet, this often means submitting to presses that have more relaxed acceptance rates, and then slowly adjusting until you find some presses that will publish you regularly. It is far more important to develop good relationships with a few stable presses than to have a thousand acknowledgements.

Readers rarely read one poem and choose to buy a poet's work. It's much better to find a platform to expose your work to readers regularly, so they come to know and trust your voice. Then they will buy, and probably buy everything you ever do.

I have built some good relationships with many writers. It's an honor to publish some of those voices. I get to watch them grow and evolve as artists. The readers seem to agree with my choices. The feedback from our publications is almost unanimously positive. Good relationships benefit everyone, the poets, our press, and most importantly, the readers.

Thanks, Glenn!

Meet Andrew Hendricks of Human Creative Content

Andrew Hendricks grew up in southern Mississippi, and he now lives in Davis, California where he manages his team at Human Creative Content where he is editor-in-chief.

In his own words: "I founded HumanCreativeContent.com to help my clients make the Internet a slightly less crappy place, one website at a time." Learn more about the ways that Human Creative Content supplies written and visual content to websites by checking out their creative services page.

1. For you as a writer and a reader, what distinguishes human-focused web content from other content that's out there?

Too many people have come to the philosophy that because you can publish instantly on the web, web content matters less. With the continuing shift to all-digital media, this is an oddly myopic view, considering there is a HUGE demand for high-quality, thoroughly edited content that is entertaining to read. Just because a story isn't printed on dead trees doesn't mean your reader wants it to be any less entertaining.

2. What would you say are some common misconceptions that small business owners have about SEO?

SEO is a process, not a thing. If someone is selling you "SEO," there's a good chance they have no idea what they're talking about, or more likely, they're hoping you don't. SEO is Search Engine Optimization--it means making your content able to be understand by Google. It doesn't mean writing nonsense, keyword-pumped articles.

The biggest misconception business owners have is thinking that getting their blogs respected by Google is the goal. That is just an aspect of getting your content seen by the viewer, and THAT is what matters. Google can tell if your link was viewed for half a second or 30 seconds, and it treats the two VERY differently.

3. Is it really so difficult to get visitors for a new website, or are people making things hard for themselves without realizing it?

People are focusing on the wrong things. I see this so often--it's not that so many of these website owners are lazy, but you can spend hours and hours trying to funnel traffic to your website, and if you have a fundamental lack of understanding regarding what type of reader you want, then you're really just talking past each other. It is hard to write web copy that doesn't sound like an infomercial or a carnival barker, even if your business is a totally legitimate one.

Getting coherent, concise copy to explain your website is the #1 most important step in even beginning to optimize your web presence and try to get viewers. You want to make sure they have something to view first.

4. What do you enjoy most about your job?

I have found the transition from freelance hustler to Editor-in-Chief very satisfying, but not for the reasons I would have thought. Now owning my own business and publishing platform, I am the first paid gig and portfolio piece for many new talented writers. Being that first leg-up is very rewarding.

5. What is your best advice when it comes to creating a website that people will want to visit again and again?

They used to say "content is king," and that's still true, but all content is not created equally. I don't mean just SEO-oriented blogspam, which has its own problems, but any good website should have content that is tailor-made to the brand and that clearly and coherently explains what the website is, who it services, and why it is a good thing that it exists. This sounds very basic, but you'd be surprised how many people skip this process entirely.

Thanks, Andrew!

Meet Video Concepts, Professional Video Editor and Fiverr Seller

Highly respected and well-known Fiverr seller VideoConcepts specializes in editing video directly from the studio. Broadcast, Company, Indie, Home Video, Branding, and more. He promises diligence at a brisk pace until the project is 100% complete. For professional video editing at affordable prices, check out this veteran Fiverr seller.

1. What is the VideoConcepts business model, in regard to your video editing services?

I treat each project as if it were my own, and work closely with my clients to ensure 100% satisfaction. When you work with someone frequently, sometimes two or three times a week, many times involving sensitive or personal information, you come to know the story behind their vision. This is the canvas I use when trying to bring those visions to life. Just as they are selective in whom they entrust with their content, I am selective with what I put my name on.

2. What is a work day like for you?

I've an obligation, not only to the VideoConcepts brand but also to Fiverr, to convey the highest level of professionalism, quality, and customer service possible. When I sit down to work, I have a game face on. It's someone's hard-earned money, and I treat that way. I don't mind long days one bit, and I'm always anxious to see what new challenge the day holds.

3. How did you first hear about Fiverr, and what are some of your favorite things about making your services available through the site?

I can't recall exactly how I ended up on Fiverr for the first time, but I do remember seeing "Buy. Sell. Have fun.", with the hillside header. It didn't take too much poking around before I realized this was going to be a movement one day, and I wanted to be part of it. At that time, however, I was very busy and simply didn't have the time join. I eventually became active and am proud to have grown alongside the Fiverr platform. In fact, I used to shape my Gig Example content around that hillside theme I mentioned, and it worked well with V1 (Fiverr's Version 1). So to answer your question, I'd say one of my favorite things about doing business through Fiverr is being able to watch it grow into the wicked powerful workhorse it is today with V3 (Version 3). I couldn't be happier with direction they're heading.

4. What are some of the most popular video editing services that you provide?

A variety of services are provided, ranging from general post-production to advanced file conversion and graphic design. In addition to the selection of core gigs most familiar to the Fiverr community, I also push myself to release at least one unique gig per year, completely original to the system. In 2012, I launched the first gig on Fiverr catering to the improvement of other sellers' gig example videos. 2015 will see the launch of Fiverr's first Shoulder Set gig. There's always something in the oven :)

5. If you could change one thing or add a new feature to Fiverr, what would it be?

As most know, the stars rating system gives both buyer and seller the opportunity to rate, and publicly displays both parties' overall experience. I personally appreciate any honest feedback, positive or negative, but I've also been fortunate enough to have built a 17-year positive reputation in general, both locally and online. Someone whose reputation is not as established may become a victim of either malicious reviews left by a competitor, a buyer new to Fiverr who innocently fiddles with the stars and unknowingly submits their rating, or the ever so common scenario in which the buyer did not take the time to properly read the gig description, resulting in an unsatisfactory experience due to confusion on their end. I've seen this happen to Level 1 Sellers and Top Rated Super Sellers alike. It's disheartening to watch a fellow seller delete a thriving gig as the only means of removing unwarranted blemishes. I'm aware there are measures in place to deter these types of ratings, but they still slip through. I'd like to see that hole plugged up somehow. I assume Fiverr is refining the rating system at this very moment.

Thanks, Video Concepts!

Meet TK McLennon, Author and Editor

TrailBlasian is a new anthology which shares the experiences of seventeen Black women who have taken the bold step to wave goodbye to their homes in North America and start new lives in East Asia. The anthology is available on Amazon and was edited by Canadian-born writer T.K. McLennon.

1. In your experience, what are some of the factors that motivate people from North America to move to Asian countries?

I would say that lack of jobs at home and financial reasons are probably the most common, but also wanderlust, appreciation for Asian culture, escapism, love/relationship, and career are among the most common reasons I've heard.

2. In addition to the teaching/education field, are there other major areas of employment that offer opportunities for English-speaking people moving to Asia?

Well, if you're American, there are several Army bases in Asia, particularly in South Korea. Of course there are expats who work for multinational for profit or not for profit organizations and also small or medium business people who do trade and whatnot.

3. Are there aspects of the expat experience that you feel are unique to Black women?

I would have to say concerns about how to maintain healthy hair and skin is a bit of a big deal. In the intro to the book, I discuss this a bit more, but also in Asia (as in other parts of the world) there is a thriving skin-bleaching industry. I found it nearly impossible in some countries to find lotions or other skincare products that did not contain some kind of whitening agent. Of course a bigger concern for many is racism/sexism, especially as it relates to your personal safety. Black women are often typecast in a few narrow stereotypes perpetuated through American media, and as expats in Asia there is a concern that we may be denied work or social opportunities due to race or sex prejudice.

4. Do you see the anthology as memoir or scholarship--or both?

Both!

5. Your book has been described as "groundbreaking." What has been the response from readers so far?

The readers have their favorites. People intensely agree or disagree with some of the writers' viewpoints. Readers can relate well with the story writers and appreciate the photos and bios that give the writers' journeys their unique context. Even people who have not read the book are intrigued by the the subject matter. It's early days since the official US launch though, and I expect there will be several ongoing panel-style and book-club-like discussions in the near future.

Thanks, TK!