Blog | Polyphony Lit

Jul 29, 20206 min read

Daily Struggles of a Nitpicky Editor

By Julia Zacharski, Zoha Arif, Yong-Yu Huang, and Grace Zhang Your grandmother may have told you that perfection is like honey on a...

Jul 29, 20207 min read

Editing a Piece in a Style/Genre You're Unfamiliar With

By Hannah Ramsey, Daniel Boyko, Kate Jeong, and Suhanee Mitragotri Introduction Billy Lombardo has forwarded you the submission "xxx” by...

Jun 29, 20207 min read

Focus! Keeping Writing Focused

By Zoha Arif I have some exotic, discombobulating thoughts when I’m brushing my teeth. Some mornings, I’ll be applying a generous swab of...

Jun 29, 20204 min read

Q&A - What's your favorite line you've ever written?

By Giancarlo Riccobon, Daniel Boyko, and Yong-Yu Huang Giancarlo Riccobon My favorite line comes from the first draft of a short story...

Jun 29, 20208 min read

Efficiently Editing Really Long/Short Pieces

By Daniel Boyko, Yong-Yu Huang, and Lara Katz Billy Lombardo has forwarded you the submission "xxx” by [blind]. Please visit...

Jun 9, 20207 min read

Editing a Piece You Hate

By Daniel Boyko and Zoha Arif So, you’re in the mood for something spicy. Something extravagant, a piece in which the English language...

Jun 9, 20206 min read

Pieces That Excel in Some Areas But Not Others

By Daniel Boyko, Sally Park, and Nishka Dalmia So, a submission magically appears on your Submission Manager, and you’re prepared for the...

Jun 9, 20205 min read

Poet Submits Piece Containing Every Literary Device

By Zoha Arif They say that Einstein birthed the theory of relativity in the mystic dungeon of a Swiss Patent Office. They say that Isaac...

Jun 9, 20204 min read

Q&A - How has your editorial process evolved?

By Daniel Boyko and Lara Katz Lara Katz: Before I started editing for Polyphony, I didn't have an editorial process. When I completed...

Jun 9, 20206 min read

Tell, Don’t Show (That’s Right, You Heard Me)

By Giancarlo Riccobon Okay, maybe a more accurate title would be, “Show, Don’t Tell, Except for When You Need To Tell.” But that’s not as...

Apr 28, 20205 min read

Editing a Piece That Seems Really Personal

By Daniel Boyko, Yong-Yu Huang, and Zoha Arif March 24, 2020. A wild Tuesday. Scattered rain. Afternoon: mildly cloudy. I wish for the...

Apr 28, 20206 min read

The Nature of Editorial Feedback

By Anya Chabria and Daniel Boyko If you work for Polyphony Lit, you’re more than familiar with this message from Billy: “With Polyphony...

Apr 28, 20207 min read

What it Takes to Move a Reader to Tears Without Chopping Onions

By Zoha Arif Kids, behold Master Sensei, the CEO and Founder of the Fortune 500 Onion Ninja Industries. Master Sensei has been prosperous...

Apr 28, 20205 min read

Avoiding Clichés

By Daniel Boyko and Maya Nalawade Ignorance is bliss. Better safe than sorry. Play your cards right. A fish out of water. What do all of...

Apr 28, 20204 min read

Q&A - How important is understanding a piece's meaning to you?

By Hannah Ramsey and Daniel Boyko Hannah Ramsey: I know that whenever I’m editing a submission, whether it be a very personal nonfiction...

Mar 30, 20202 min read

Movie Review: The Kindergarten Teacher (2018, Maggie Gyllenhaal):What to do with a gifted child poet

By Maya Nalawade The Kindergarten Teacher, a 2018 film starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, brings up an essential question for any parent,...

Mar 26, 20204 min read

Q&A - Why should people join Polyphony?

By Daniel Boyko, Hannah Ramsey, Yong-Yu Huang, and Lara Katz Yong-Yu Huang: Polyphony gives you the chance not only to read brilliant...

Mar 26, 20203 min read

Formatting Commentary Is Like Making a Mug… No, Seriously

By Pauline Paranikas and Yong-Yu Huang Polyphony commentary is almost like a clay mug. There are many different styles and ways to make...

Mar 26, 20206 min read

Editing a Famous Poem With Polyphony Guidelines

By Zoha Arif I ate a popsicle today -- blue raspberry, thank you for asking -- on the school bus because I felt like it even though, in...

Mar 24, 20203 min read

Writing for the Quarantine

So… Life is weird right now. If you’re like us, school has been cancelled and you’re sitting at home working through whatever online...