AWP recently had the opportunity to ask poet and current editor Traci Brimhall some questions about Third Coast magazine.

When was Third Coast founded? And by whom? Where does the title come from? How many times a year is the journal printed? Third Coast was founded in 1995 by graduate students at Western Michigan University and is published twice a year—a spring issue and a fall issue. The state of Michigan borders four of the Great Lakes, which are often referred to as the “Third Coast.”

Does Third Coast have a slogan or tagline? We don’t have a tagline, but we do pride ourselves on being one of the few national literary journals to consistently publish in four genres—fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama.

You are currently Editor; were you Poetry Editor before this? Or Managing Editor? What do you find challenging about being an editor of a nationally recognized literary magazine while also pursuing your PhD? My first year in the program I was an Assistant Poetry Editor, and last year I was able to serve as Poetry Editor. One of my favorite things about serving as a genre editor is the opportunity to select content for the magazine. I love finding work that takes the top of my head off. This year, most of my job is administrative, and many of those challenges are the same as being a grad student—having more lofty ambitions than I have time. I have lots of plans for Third Coast and hope to see some of them come to fruition in the coming year.

I notice Third Coast recently changed its blog location, and two years ago Third Coast joined Facebook. How important do you think it is for literary magazines (especially print publications) to have an online presence these days? Does the use of social media help the magazine? Does the use of social media also help you as a professional writer? I view social media as a way to promote the excellent work we publish, as well as a way to continue to recognize the accomplishments of former contributors. It’s really exciting when a piece that appears in Third Coast is recognized with an award like a Pushcart, O. Henry Award, or Best New Poets, not to mention the excitement of a former contributor publishing a book. As a writer, I enjoy social media because I like reading about people’s good news, as well as current conversations people are having about aesthetics and writing practices. I’m also fascinated by how social media has given me an insight into people’s eating habits via posted recipes and pictures of food. Most writers seem to be gourmands.

Have you published anyone truly exciting (to you)? I was really excited to publish three poems by Roger Reeves in the Spring 2012 issue. We also recently accepted a poem by a high school student. I love being able to present strong work by writers of all ages.

Any fun facts? On the upside, I get to work in a great office filled with books and thank-you postcards from former contributors. On the downside, the only windows face an elevator bank. It makes me feel like I’m a narwhal in an aquarium when people walk by and stare.

Website: http://www.thirdcoastmagazine.com/