Indie Editors Series: Sean West
“Poetry zaps me in the gut. It shocks my system and makes me feel alive. I love all kinds of writing and expression, but nothing scratches that itch like poetry. I also feel well-versed (pardon the pun) in writing, editing and curating poetry. It comes naturally to me, unlike other forms of writing, which feel like more of a creative stretch.”
Caught our poetry recs list recently? Looking for a cool outlet to read some more homegrown Aussie poet talent? Or maybe you’ve got a verse or two you want to find a good home for?
Look no further than Blue Bottle Journal! This delightful little press focuses exclusively on shining a bright light on emerging and established poets, and I had the pleasure of catching up with the equally delightful human behind it all, Sean West.
Sean shared with me the story behind Blue Bottle Journal, his thoughts on the editing process, what he wishes submitters would do more (and less) of, and why indie publishing platforms are definitely here to stay.
Let’s start with an obvious one - can you share more about yourself, your work as a writer and editor, and how you got started in the industry?
Absolutely, happy to share some insight! I owe so much of who I am as a creative person to poetry slams and indie zines. I got my start in the arts community through volunteering and then working for Ruckus Slam Brisbane since 2017.
Having consumed hundreds of slam poems from artists of every imaginable background has been a wonderful extended empathy exercise. I'd be a very different person without slam and spoken word. Likewise, I started out in publishing by getting poems picked up here and there in my friend's local zines during a real heyday for Brisbane indie publishing from about 2016-2019.
Some zines I especially loved were Ibis, The Tundish Review, Pastel, Gulp! and Concrescence. I cherish the earnestness and play I explored in those very early poems. Editing came later for me.
What inspired you to start Blue Bottle Journal (and what’s the story behind the great name!)?
I love being asked this question about our superhero/villain origin story. Those zines I loved so much and built such a strong community around were fading away even before the global pandemic hit.
In Brisbane, collective print zines began to lay dormant or go into a period of hibernation in 2019. Individuals were making their own personal stuff, but something snapped, and the community changed quickly. I felt an immense sense of guilt and loss that my fellow emerging poets wouldn't have the same platform for publishing pathways as I had when I started in community zines, so I saw the community was transitioning online and decided to take action with Blue Bottle Journal.
A great deal of the work I write centres around the ocean due to my grandfather's death at sea long before I was ever born. I also love jellyfish, adore a bit of alliteration, and the name stuck...kinda like a dead jelly on your foot at the beach
I love that Blue Bottle Journal exists to showcase some incredible emerging poets. Why did you choose to focus on publishing poetry exclusively?
Poetry zaps me in the gut. It shocks my system and makes me feel alive. I love all kinds of writing and expression, but nothing scratches that itch like poetry. I also feel well-versed (pardon the pun) in writing, editing and curating poetry. It comes naturally to me, unlike other forms of writing, which feel like more of a creative stretch.
From a logistical viewpoint, I also find it much easier and quicker to consume and reply to poetry submissions than I would larger or more dense writing forms, and it looks nice up online having smaller blocks of text than giant chunks of prose or non-fiction.
Blue Bottle favours speed and brevity. I think that's contributed greatly to our success because you can read poems quickly yet the good ones are so potent, they stay with you long after.
As a writer and editor, there are lots of ways the two processes overlap, but I often find that many writers find editing their own work a really daunting process. What advice would you share with emerging writers to help with this?
I like writing, but I love editing. Sarah Holland-Batt taught me so much through my undergrad days, particularly a fine sensibility for subtler rhyme schemes and rhymes that float under the radar and can't be picked up properly unless read aloud in spoken word. I can't just throw these down on the page but find great pleasure in mining for the sweet little relationships between similar-sounding words.
So my first advice on poetry editing would be to go with that, and have the patience to wait and mull over poems for months and years. Poems age like gorgeous cheeses or wines if you let them.
I've never found editing to be daunting. If you feel that way, break it down and push through it. Let go of your ego, sever your proximity to the work by getting fresh eyes from a colleague or just take some extended time away from the work, and you'll come back ruthless as ever to edit at your best.
If you're in a university degree, start putting yourself and your work out there, start getting feedback and edit as a form of ritual. Now I put on my curated music playlist and go into a sort of editing trance, and it can be hard to break out of it, which is fun and so beneficial for the work.
The gap between submitting work to a press and waiting on a response can sometimes feel shrouded in mystery, which I think deters many writers from submitting their work more. What are some of the misconceptions you come up against as an editor?
I totally get that it can be a deterrent for new poets. It's part of why I set Blue Bottle up as a journal that always provides personalised (and fairly quick) editorial feedback, no matter the outcome of the submission.
If you've got the time and aren't flooded by thousands of submissions, this is your responsibility as an indie editor and publisher, as a duty of care to emerging poets. Generic rejections damage the community, and you always want to feel like you're giving your supporters a way forward.
So editors who care about their submitters are definitely out there. We exist and see you and cherish the trust and faith you put in our baby journals. We also love to play around a lot more than most people might think. If I see enough potential in a submission, I will work with the poet to flesh out or condense the poem.
As a follow-on, what do you wish more people did more (or perhaps less) of during the submission/editing process?
I've been pretty lucky in my work at Blue Bottle Journal. I have rarely had poor experiences with submitters or the general public, so more of that good stuff would be lovely.
Maybe more personal replies back to my emails would be great too? It's honestly so lovely to hear from poets who have never had personal feedback on their work, or they're shocked I've even properly read them. Literary journals can be so robotic and apathetic, so I'd love more of that back-and-forth kindness and elevating each other's voices and visions for the work.
Less Calibri font would be lovely too. Times New Roman or Garamond FTW.
We’re seeing a lot of small indie publications growing in popularity across the Aus Lit Scene - Blue Bottle Journal included! - what role do you think these play in fostering creativity?
Yeah, I'm stoked with where the community is and where it's going. The traditional gatekeepers and their power structures are falling into the minority in the Aust Lit Scene, and I couldn't be happier to see it happen.
And it's not just something that's happening organically; we're tearing that shit down and holding dangerous people to account. Small indie publications are thriving, especially online, as I think of my friends at Swim Meet Lit Mag, #EnbyLife Journal, Authora Australis, Urinal Mag, Sunday Drawing Club and many others.
I think the gatekeepers of the past know they're outnumbered, and their time is up. Creativity belongs to everyone from all backgrounds, as it always should and hopefully always will. Indie journals are vital in the fight for our artistic freedom.
Do you have any personal philosophies on creativity that underpin your own work?
I love that old chestnut of "the hungry student." I always want to be a student of my craft, seeking out workshops, new events, and wonderful peers and consuming poetry almost spiritually, in whatever vein or avenue I come across it. So I always want to keep feeding that hunger, never quite feeling satiated, on the hunt for the next exciting thing.
I also think "patience is everything" is just so important for someone like me. As an emerging poet, self-doubt and imposter syndrome can be atrocious, so practising patience and kindness in the face of rejection and defeat is pivotal to my creative pursuits.
The really good stuff takes years of work to chip away at, and the time it takes adds a feeling of polish and accomplishment.
And lastly, how can readers engage with Blue Bottle Journal - are you currently accepting submissions?
We're opening our submissions again from May 1st until the end of May. I'm proud of our bi-monthly submissions window, where Blue Bottle accepts subs for one whole month, then is closed the next and so on, on and off. It helps me to avoid burnout and keeps me excited about the process.
I try to produce as many in-person collaborations as possible, and I love paying poets for events when I have slim funding available.
If you or someone you know would like to chat about collaborating with Blue Bottle in one way or another, feel free to shoot me an email, and I'd be happy to hear from you.
Thank you for this amazing interview!
Blue Bottle is a Meanjin-based online journal hungry for poetry that stings long after the first read. Their ever-evolving catalogue of over 100 poems showcases emerging voices from all over the national poetry community and abroad. Blue Bottle Journal hopes to elevate marginalised voices, including people of colour, queer, emerging, older and disabled poets. They are invested in work that is emotional rather than esoteric, for poems that pulse, writhe, and stick to your skin. A key focus of their catalogue has been the natural world, animals and land through eco-critical frameworks.
Sean West is an Autistic poet, support worker, and workshop facilitator based in Meanjin. His debut chapbook is Gutless Wonder (Queensland Poetry, 2023). He is the founding editor of Blue Bottle Journal and works for Ruckus Slam. Find more about him at callmemariah.com.
Instagram @bluebottlejournal
Elaine Chennatt is a writer, educator and psychology student currently residing in nipaluna. She has a special interest in bibliotherapy (how we use literature to make sense of our lives) and is endlessly curious about the creative philosophies of others. She lives with her husband and two bossy dachshunds on the not-so-sunny side of the river (IYKYK). Find her online at wordswithelaine.com
