Sturgeon's Law

To get on this particular list, here's what a journal has to do:

• Consistently print work I like.
• Accept simultaneous submissions.
• Respond relatively quickly to submissions.
• Have a fairly high profile.

When all four happen at once, this list comes together. (Note that some journals that have been on this list in the past, like 32 Poems and The National Poetry Review, aren't there now only because I've already gotten in and am not so inclined to bother them.)

1. Mid-American Review. They do it all: good poetry, fast and frequently personalized responses, and acclaim without making me feel like they're inaccessible to my work.

2. Gulf Coast. Would probably be #1 for the sheer size, production quality, and goodness of work, but their response time has been somewhat inconsistent for me.

3. AGNI. I love the combined online/print publishing, and I feel like I'm getting closer there.

4. Cimarron Review. Unfortunately, it turns out that the closer you get, the longer they keep your poems. Other than that, spiffy.

5. Pleiades. Great journal. They might be higher except I have yet to get anything but a form rejection from them.

6. The Southern Review. Hoping to follow up the acceptance of that poem that had already been committed elsewhere with an acceptance of something available.

7. CutBank. A resurgent journal that's on the edgier side at this point, but where I think some of my poems would work well. E-mail submission through the blog is nice too.

8. Rattle. In my estimation, they have the most catholic/eclectic tastes of any journal on this list, which suits me fine. Bonus points for the supoib website redesign.

9. Shenandoah. Honestly, I may just be keeping them on here because I got that one note from them (and because they're so damn prestigious).

10. Sycamore Review. Nice mix of stuff, though right now I wish it were a little more poetry heavy. I like the blog, too.

11. Cincinnati Review. For a relatively new and small journal, they seem to have a pretty major cash reserve.

12. West Branch. Another place that seems to be on the way up. Helpful replies, too.

13. Notre Dame Review. A newcomer to the list--I enjoy a lot of their quirky pieces.

This leaves out the many fine non-simultaneous journals that respond fast (e.g. Field), places I love but that respond a little too slow (hello, Crazyhorse), outlets that seem promising but where I don't have enough personal submission experience yet (Redivider), and places that meet the basic criteria but that have some little quirks that eliminate them (like Chelsea, who has twice, 12+ months apart and with another submission there in between, replied that they're all full of work and not considering submissions--just PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE!)