Ask Our (Brand New) Editors: Christian Palmer

What first drew you to NANO Fiction?

I have been interested in NANO Fiction since the beginning, almost, in 2006. I wrote a story about the journal before the first edition went to print for The Daily Cougar, the student newspaper at the University of Houston, where Kirby Johnson and I went to school. I was attracted to the idea of super short stories because I was in school at the time and, naturally, I was reading a lot of stuff that wasn’t so short. I liked the basic premise of the journal. I felt that the stories in it could hold my attention. In addition to that, a mutual friend of ours was involved, so I took notice for that reason.

Who are the writers (flash fiction or otherwise) that you most admire?

I always say my favorite writer is Ernest Hemingway. At times, his writing was very to the point, as his background was journalism. Of course, his style wasn’t always the same. He did write that very famous six-word short story. Otherwise, Cormac McCarthy and David Sedaris come to mind.

If you had nothing to do with reading/writing, what would you be doing?

I would love to get into graphic design. In fact, I might go back to school to do that at some point. It’s not too far off from writing, in that it’s creative and that you almost have to have an innate talent for it.

When it comes to submissions, what are you looking for?

The two things that strike me first. Does the author use words, grammar and syntax correctly for the most part? And is the format interesting? Of course, the format doesn’t have to be interesting to be good. I just take note if it is interesting. I’m more likely to be seduced by a piece that’s set up a little differently. I’m not a fan of rambling or writing that I feel is overly indulgent. I can appreciate creativity, but you have to make sense, at the very least. Is it obvious that I come from an editing background?

What does your perfect day look like?