editors speak

Interview with Deb Nevins
senior Managing Editor, Weekly Reader's READ magazine

Many of our readers have asked if we'll look into any of the Weekly Reader family of magazines so KID MAGAZINE WRITERS is taking a look at READ. READ is a Language Arts magazine used in classrooms for students ages 12 - 16. Because READ isn't a magazine you can pick up at your local bookstore, many writers have never seen one. READ buys short stories and plays with word counts from 1000 - 2500 on virtually any genre of interest to middle readers and teens. They also buy nonfiction of varying length and language games. Sample copies are free with a 5x7 SASE (three first class stamps).

We're grateful to the senior managing editor of READ, Deb Nevins, for giving us more insight into this great little magazine.

KMW: You are one of the few teen magazines that invites plays. Can the plays cover any of the genre types listed in your fiction guidelines or do you most like to see specific types of plays -- historical or multi-cultural, for instance?
DN: We publish original plays, and also plays that are adapted from novels and literary classics. All of our plays are intended as "readers' theater" plays to be read aloud in the classroom, not performed. Therefore, there is no need for stage directions. We like plays with a variety of parts, so that more students can participate. Our plays run about 3,000 words. As for genre, we like a variety of genres--sci-fi, historical fiction, multi-cultural, comedy, mystery, fantasy... etc.

KMW: Does READ look for stories with a literary tone (similar to CICADA) or do you like to mix with more trendy voices and edgy styles?
DN: We are currently trying to reassess what type pf literary content would be most useful to teachers -- remember, READ is a classroom periodical, but we present a lively mix of styles, both classic, literary, and contemporary, including edgier voices, to a point, as long as they are appropriate for the middle school classroom (no profanity or vulgarity and references to sex must be mild)

KMW: READ is open to a number of different types of stories -- is there any genre you would like to see more of *right now* -- I know a lot of teen magazines find they get lots of heavy fiction but not enough humorous. How is it for READ, anything you'd like to see more of than you get?
DN: Humor is always good. Also, we need more multicultural voices. But more important than type is quality. We reject many stories because they are bland, the same old same old, trying too hard to be teen-cool-hip (like me right now) or too preachy. We want fresh, lively, superb writing. There's always room for that.

KMW: I saw that the READ web site really promotes teen writing. Would you like to see more nonfiction that promoted writing -- articles on craft, or interviews with popular YA authors?
DN: We cover that in our sister publication, "Writing". We are still discussing whether it would make sense for READ to cover material like that.

KMW: Do you buy seasonal stories and, if so, how do you handle "religious holidays?" Do you buy stories with Halloween settings? Christmas? Kwanzaa?
DN: Yes, yes, yes. We are always looking for good holiday stories, they are harder to find than you might think. Many are so schlocky! And we would like Hanukkah stories, and even a Ramadan story would be terrific. We would prefer for them to be cultural, rather than overtly religious, though we don't shy away from religious holidays completely.

KMW: I saw that you buy animal stories, would that include animal fantasy like REDWALL? Does your fantasy genre include stories that are more paranormal (mind reading, ghosts, etc) or do you prefer more high fantasy subjects?
DN: Fantasy is good, any sort, as long as it doesn't dwell too much on the demonic.

KMW: Could you describe a recent story that really typified the kind of material that you're excited to get? I really want to give readers a feel, by example, for READ's "perfect story."
DN: We just ran Richard Peck's "Three Century Woman" in our holiday issue. It is funny, well-written, features a teen, has a twist, and breaks stereotypes. We ran "The Ex-Box" by David Lubar (there's some light fantasy for you). Again, teens, mystery, unexpected and amusing twist. We ran Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian," no teen character there, so they aren't a must-have. This one deals with a totalitarian future society; we also like more thought-provoking material.

KMW: Is there a specific "style" of nonfiction that READ likes most to see? Do you like open-ended nonfiction that makes readers think? Curriculum related nonfiction? Application-heavy nonfiction? Many of our readers are nonfiction writers, how could they tempt READ?
DN: We're taking a new approach to nonfiction this year, and tying it more to the literary theme of the issue. For example, we now run an article about the author of our main story. So, our nonfiction is about literature or makes connections between our featured literature and the real world.

This page last updated on 01 November 2004