Nate Pritts

Photo of Nate with his wife Rhonda

Nate Pritts is the editor of the online journal H_NGM_N & was born in Syracuse, NY, in 1974. He has his MFA in poetry from Warren Wilson College and his Ph.D. in Creative Writing and British Romanticism from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. His first book, Sensational Spectacular, was published by BlazeVOX in 2007 and his second book, Honorary Astronaut, is forthcoming from Ghost Road Press in 2008. His work has appeared in numerous journals, both print and online. He lives with his family in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He works in advertising.

more about Nate: http://www.h-ngm-n.com/nate-pritts/

Go here to read “Some Notes About H_NGM_N” from #6.

Publication Questions:

1) What projects are you currently on? (Include issue #s, books, chapbooks, broadsides, special projects, print and web).

I’m putting the finishing touches on H_NGM_N #7, actively soliciting work for an all EP H_NGM_N #8, reading the open submissions for H_NGM_N #9, & laying out a new chapbook (by Julia Cohen). In my own writing, my first full length book just came out (SENSATIONAL SPECTACULAR) so I’m spending some time promoting that; I also have two chapbooks coming out in the next 6-8 months and my second full length book should be out in the fall of 2008 (HONORARY ASTRONAUT) so I’m doing lots of revisiting & revising.

2) What has been your biggest challenge as a poetry publisher/editor?

I would have to say that the biggest challenge is learning my limitations.

I hope this doesn’t sound too precious or disingenuous but there is a lot of good work out there. I’d like to publish a lot of it – several H_NGM_N B_ _KS chapbook projects came out of submissions to the magazine; I remember being blown away by Brad Liening’s submission, and Robert Krut’s, & I just emailed them & asked if they had a chapbook ms ready for me to look at. So the sort of daunting part of this is my certainty that almost every person who submits to H_NGM_N has an ms sitting on their desktop & sometimes the one or five poems I read make me want to read the whole thing & then I want to share that whole thing with lots of other people. But to do it right, and to still have some time to myself, I can’t publish everything I’d like to – chapbooks, but in the magazine too. Parallel to this is my confusion over the fact that not everyone has started a literary magazine or chapbook press, which would help take some of the pressure off me.

3) Do you regret any paths you have followed as a publisher/editor?

No.

Actually, it’s probably kind of arrogant to say something like “No - I don’t regret anything I’ve done,” because it suggests that I haven’t done anything wrong.

Maybe a better answer is to say that I’m not sure I think like this.

4) Name one poet who has not appeared in your publication which you would love to have included and why.

I’m not sure I think like this, either.

5) Who is the designer of your web site and how much input do you have in the design of the web site and the other design elements including covers for books, etc.?

H_NGM_N wasn’t always an online journal & my ability to bring it online & keep it there is the direct result of hooking up with Eric Appleby, webmaster flash for H_NGM_N. Eric is part of the management team for Forklift, Ohio, a great print mag, as well as veteran of many bands and a retired poet, but is also an actual citizen, making his way as an IT guy. How he finds time for all he finds time for is unbelievable. His band 7 Speed Vortex just released a new cd. Eric has created the look & feel of H_NGM_N, though I know we’ve talked about it together several times. Still, I think it’s pretty much him.

H_NGM_N B_ _KS are a different story. The first few chapbooks had no cover image – it was just a house design that I settled on trying to emulate old paperbacks from the 60’s where there would be no images at all. Matt Hart’s chap, SONNET, has a cover because he had an idea for one when I accepted the ms. After that, the cover designs have been in collaboration with the poet. Robert Krut sent me some possibilities for his cover & we ended up selecting 3; Evan Commander sent his in & I loved its strangeness so we went with it. Right now, we’re getting ready to release a chapbook by Julia Cohen called “Who Could Forget the Sensational First Evening of the Night.” She just this morning sent me a cover possibility & I think it’s perfect. So I guess the answer to your question is that I’m involved from a decision making standpoint but not from a roll-up-your-sleeves standpoint.

6) What recognitions have you received as a publisher/editor?

What kind of recognitions are there to get? Is there an award show?

The magazine has been reviewed a few places at certain times; when it first started, we got mentions in Exquisite Corpse and in an anthology of experimental southern writing.

H_NGM_N gets many hits & lots of people email me to say they liked a certain poem, or a certain feature, or a certain issue. Or, best of all, people submit poems to the magazine which lets me know that they want to see their work in it – which is the highest recognition/honor we could hope to achieve.

7) Where do you see your publication/editing in 5 years?

There will probably be just more of the same. I’m pretty happy with what is going on with H_NGM_N. #7 should be out soon & #8 will be an all EP issue. We might do more things like that – themed issues or features. But the model is in place & I don’t see myself messing with it too much.

8) What are some of your other interests?

9) What is your favorite poem as of today and why?

I didn’t realize this was going to be so involved. To give a real answer, I’d have to re-read every poem I’ve ever read and tell you what my favorite one is today, under the assumption that if I re-read all the same poems tomorrow, then the answer would be different.

Instead, I’ll just refer you to answers #3 & 4.

10) Recommend a poetry book, blog or web site to our audience (not from one of your press) and why.

Uh…It’s hard for me to do this kind of thing. That’s why I like being an editor. I “recommend” work all the time through what I publish.

However, I’m going to assume the designation “poetry” doesn’t carry through your entire list – therefore, rather than interpreting your question as directly asking for a poetry book, poetry blog, or poetry website, I’m going to pretend you mean poetry book, or any blog, or any website.

So, I’d say you should go check out the World Café archive at NPR:

WorldCafe.NPR.org

You can search through an immense database of interviews and live performances and listen to the show every day. If H_NGM_N could be a radio show, it would be World Café. Which would make me David Dye. And that would be great.

11) What is the most exciting aspect of being a poetry publisher/editor?

Interacting with people.

12) Leave us with a recipe for poetry.

I could answer by referring you to previous answers #3, 4 & 9. However:

Write a poem just like any poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Adjust as necessary.