New Lit on the Block :: Sucker
Sucker Literary Magazine is an annual PDF and Kindle publication for young adults produced by Senior Editor/Founder Hannah Goodman, Art, Layout, and Design Executive Editor Alyssa Gaudreau, and Copy Editor Bouvier Servillas.
Goodman’s initial searches for exclusively young adult lit mags did not yield the kind of literature she was looking for, so she started Sucker to fill this void. In Sucker, she tells us, readers can find “edgy, compelling, new YA literature that both teens and adults can enjoy.” Goodman expands on their concept of edgy: “This means we do not avoid sex, drugs, complicated friendships and relationships with parents. It also means that we don’t want to preach to teens about those subjects. That being said, it’s not just about the subject. It’s also about language and voice: authentic sounding characters and a narrative voice that reflects the tone of the story.”
Sucker editors also hope that writers will see the publication as “something different” from other YA venues: “Not just ‘please no more vampires.’ If you love writing about vampires, then put him on a skateboard and have him crash into a human teenage guy. Maybe they fight and maybe the vampire loses. Maybe they become great friends. Maybe they fall in love.”
Sucker is also a different venue for writers in that the editors will be on the lookout for “raw talent that just needs a smidge of guidance.” Goodman explains: “Our staff readers fill out detailed feedback sheets to decide if the pieces should be accepted or rejected. Pieces that readers feel are close to being ‘there’ are critiqued and sent back to our senior editor.” From there, they will “invite the writer to be mentored for a draft or two.”
Contributors to the first issue of Sucker include: R F Brown, Claudia Classon, Shelli Cornelison, Candy Fite, Sarah Hannah Gómez, Hannah R. Goodman, Paul Heinz, Natalia Jaster, Josh Prokopy, James Silberstein, Mima Tipper, and Aida Zilelian.
Like so many new publications, Goodman’s plans for the future of the publication is simply to continue producing quality issues. She hopes to see the publication available as a print-on-demand version as well.
Sucker is currently open for submissions until May 1 via e-mail. Full guidelines on listed on the site.
