Preface MacQ-28: April 2025 MacQ-27: March 2025 MacQ-26: January 2025

2024 Stats: Issues 21 thru 25 2023 Stats: Issues 16 thru 20 2022 Stats: Issues 11 thru 15 2021 Stats: Issues 6 thru 10 2020 Stats: Issues 1 thru 5

Preface:

Re the usage of “new” and “reprints” in these stats: New works are those that are previously uncurated. That is, those which have not appeared in any curated collection, whether in print or online—such as anthologies, books, chapbooks, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc. In other words, MacQueen’s Quinterly is the first curator of the works.

Reprints are works that were previously curated. As publisher of MacQ, I solicit reprints on a limited basis by contacting authors and artists directly. When publishing reprints, I also include a note to credit the previous curator or publishing venue.

This concept of curation “leaves open the ability to self-publish on social media or blogs or message boards. It allows the work to be shared on podcasts and open mics,” as Rattle editor Timothy Green writes in Uncurated: The Case for a New Term of Art (Lit Mag News, 16 March 2023). “Tweet your poems and flash fiction. Tag the person it was written for on Facebook. Workshop stories online. Blog chapters from your novel-in-progress. This is how a literary culture thrives.”

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MacQ-28 (published April 2025):

1. Content: The total of 127 pieces published in Issue 28 includes 101 written works and 26 visual artworks. Of the 101 written works, only one has been published previously.

Of the 26 visual artworks, 12 are published here for the first time anywhere: a collaborative shahai by Richard Doyle and Michael Pfundner, a collaborative shahai by Darlene O’Dell and Arthur Rothstein, three shahai and a drawing by Darlene O’Dell, and six visual poems by Kendall Johnson.

2. Submissions: were processed for two issues combined, 27 and 28. A total of 1200 pieces were considered, including written, visual art, and hybrids, representing 87 submissions: 69 of which were processed through two categories in Submittable, “New to MacQ” (35) and “Solicited Mss.” (34), with the remaining 18 submissions received via Facebook, Instagram, or email.

A total of 228 pieces were selected for publication across Issues 27 and 28, which is 19% of the total number considered.

Overall, MacQ’s acceptance rate averages just below 20 percent. The highest rate was 29% in the first issue and the lowest was 8.6% for the Cheribun Challenge in Issue 12. (Discounting the Challenge, Issue 12’s acceptance rate was 21.5 percent.)

3. VIDA Stats: MacQ-28 contains works by a total of 59 contributors: 30 women (51%) and 29 men (49%).

Of the 59 contributors, 22 (or ~37%) are “new to MacQ”—that is, their works do not appear previously in MacQueen’s Quinterly nor in KYSO Flash, MacQ’s predecessor. Of the 22 “new” contributors, 13 are women (59%) and 9 are men (41%).

VIDA: Women in Literary Arts

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MacQ-27 (published March 2025):

1. Content: The total of 101 pieces published in Issue 27 includes 81 written works and 20 visual artworks. Of the 81 written works, 80 are new, aka previously uncurated.

Of the 20 visual artworks, nine are previously uncurated: a collaborative shahai by Gerrie Paino and Gary S. Rosin, as well as six paintings and two photo composites by Kendall Johnson.

2. Submissions: were processed for two issues combined, 27 and 28. A total of 1200 pieces were considered, including written, visual art, and hybrids, representing 87 submissions: 69 of which were processed through two categories in Submittable, “New to MacQ” (35) and “Solicited Mss.” (34), with the remaining 18 submissions received via Facebook, Instagram, or email.

A total of 228 pieces were selected for publication across Issues 27 and 28, which is 19% of the total number considered.

Overall, MacQ’s acceptance rate averages just below 20 percent. The highest rate was 29% in the first issue and the lowest was 8.6% for the Cheribun Challenge in Issue 12. (Discounting the Challenge, Issue 12’s acceptance rate was 21.5 percent.)

3. VIDA Stats: MacQ-27 contains works by a total of 51 contributors: 26 women (51%) and 25 men (49%).

Of the 51 contributors, 22 (or ~43%) are “new to MacQ”—that is, their works do not appear previously in MacQueen’s Quinterly nor in KYSO Flash, MacQ’s predecessor. Of the 22 “new” contributors, 11 are women (50%) and 11 are men (50%).

VIDA: Women in Literary Arts

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MacQ-26 (published January 2025):

1. Content: The total of 109 pieces published in Issue 26 includes 77 written works and 32 visual artworks. Of the 77 written works, 76 are new, aka previously uncurated.

2. Submissions: 607 works were considered, representing a total of 53 submissions, and 109 pieces were selected for publication, which is 18% of the total number considered.

Overall, MacQ’s acceptance rate averages just below 20 percent. The highest rate was 29% in the first issue and the lowest was 8.6% for the Cheribun Challenge in Issue 12. (Discounting the Challenge, Issue 12’s acceptance rate was 21.5 percent.)

3. VIDA Stats: MacQ-26 contains works by a total of 48 contributors: 19 women (40%) and 29 men (60%).

Of the 48 contributors, 21 (or 44%) are “new to MacQ”—that is, their works do not appear previously in MacQueen’s Quinterly nor in KYSO Flash, MacQ’s predecessor. Of the 21 “new” contributors, 8 are women (39%) and 13 are men (61%).

Spanning the first 22 issues of MacQ, the number of “new” contributors published therein averages ~35 percent, ranging from a low of 18% here in MacQ-26 (January 2025) to a high of 58% in Issue 10 (October 2021).

With MacQ, as it was with KYSO Flash, my goal as publisher is to balance the overall ratio of women to men authors and artists whenever possible—which has happened only twice: Issue 14 of MacQ contains works by 70 contributors, exactly half of whom are women. And Issue 7 of KYSO Flash contains works by 32 contributors, 16 of whom are women.

Across 26 issues of MacQ, the number of women authors and artists published therein averages 52.6 percent, ranging from a low of 40% in Issues 1 (January 2020) and 26 (January 2025) to a high of 62.5% in Issue 12 (March 2022).

(Across 12 issues of KYSO Flash, from Fall 2014 thru Summer 2019, the number of women published therein averages 52 percent, ranging from a low of 44% in Issue 3 [Spring 2015] to a high of 59% in Issue 11 [Spring 2019]. For additional KYSO Flash data, see Historical VIDA stats.)

VIDA: Women in Literary Arts

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Historical VIDA Stats for KYSO Flash:

With MacQueen’s Quinterly, as it was with KYSO Flash, our publisher’s goal is to balance the ratio of women to men authors and artists whenever possible—which has happened twice now: Issue 14 of MacQ contains works by 70 contributors, exactly half of whom are women, and Issue 7 of KYSO Flash contains works by 32 contributors, 16 of whom are women.

However, in each of 12 issues, from Fall 2014 thru Summer 2019, KYSO Flash consistently published a minimum of 44% women authors and artists. Fifty-nine percent was the highest percentage of women published, which occurred in Issue 11, Spring 2019.

Details about each of those issues follow below.

		Issue		Total Contributors		Women		Men		Non-binary
1		KF-12 2019		74		43 (58.5%)		30 (40%)		1 (1.5%)
2		KF-11 2019		71		42 (59%)		29 (41%)		N/A
3		KF-10 2018		44		24 (54%)		20 (46%)		N/A
4		KF-9 2018		56		27 (48%)		29 (52%)		N/A
		Issue		Total Contributors		Women		Men		Non-binary
5		KF-8 2017		65		32 (49%)		33 (51%)		N/A
6		KF-7 2017		32		16 (50%)		16 (50%)		N/A
7		KF-6 2016		75		43 (57%)		32 (43%)		N/A
8		KF-5 2016		52		24 (46%)		28 (54%)		N/A
		Issue		Total Contributors		Women		Men		Non-binary
9		KF-4 2015		41		21 (51%)		20 (49%)		N/A
10		KF-3 2015		46		20 (44%)		26 (56%)		N/A
11		KF-2 2015		58		26 (45%)		32 (55%)		N/A
12		KF-1 2014		53		28 (53%)		25 (47%)		N/A

1. Issue 12, aka KF-12 (Summer 2019), contains works by a total of 74 contributors: 43 women (58.5%), 1 non-binary person (1.5%), and 30 men (40%).
   
   Of the total in KF-12, 30 contributors (40%) are new to KYSO Flash. Of the new contributors, 16 are women and one identifies as non-binary.
   
   
2. KF-11 (Spring 2019) contains works by a total of 71 contributors: 42 women (59%) and 29 men (41%). Of the total, 34 contributors (or 48%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
3. KF-10 (Fall 2018) contains works by a total of 44 contributors: 24 women (54%) and 20 men (46%). Of the total, 18 contributors (or 41%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
4. KF-9 (Spring 2018) contains works by a total of 56 contributors: 27 women (48%) and 29 men (52%). Of the total, 22 contributors (or 39%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
5. KF-8 (August 2017) contains works by a total of 65 contributors: 32 women (49%) and 33 men (51%). Of the total, 37 contributors (or 57%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
6. KF-7 (Spring 2017) contains works by a total of 32 contributors: 16 women (50%) and 16 men (50%). Of the total, 12 contributors (or 37.5%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
7. KF-6 (Fall 2016) contains works by 75 contributors: 43 women (57%) and 32 men (43%). Of the total, 49 contributors (or 65%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
8. KF-5 (Spring 2016) contains works by 52 contributors: 24 women (46%) and 28 men (54%). Of the total, 34 contributors (or 65%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
9. KF-4 (Fall 2015) contains works by 41 authors and artists: 21 women (51%) and 20 men (49%). Of the total, 27 contributors (or 66%) are new to KYSO Flash.
   
   
10. KF-3 (Spring 2015) contains works by 46 authors and artists: 20 women (44%) and 26 men (56%). Of the total, 27 contributors (or 59%) are new to KYSO Flash.
    
    
11. KF-2 (Winter 2015) contains works by 58 authors and artists: 26 women (45%) and 32 men (55%). Of the total, 52 contributors (or 90%) are new to KYSO Flash.
    
    
12. KF-1 (Fall 2014) contains works by 53 authors and artists: 28 women (53%) and 25 men (47%).