Fiction wishlist from Fiction Editor, Daniel DeRock
Dear readers,
As I begin my first submission period as fiction editor for Reservoir Road, I’m eager to read any story that conforms to the Reservoir Road philosophy and submission guidelines. There are very few limits. That said, here are some topics and themes that I would love to see in the fiction queue:
Stories about painful experiences that we, or our fictional characters, don’t usually feel entitled to complain about. Experiences we convince ourselves don’t constitute real pain, real trauma, because it always could be worse—but that nonetheless nearly break us.
Stories that deal with neurodivergence and the damage brought on by a world not designed for you. For writers hesitant to share those experiences (even through fiction), it might help to know that I have inattentive ADHD. Personally, I find it too painful to write about. I know there are many writers braver than me. (And our EIC is autistic and has ADHD, too!)
Stories that play with the boundaries between fiction genres but remain rooted, however loosely, in what we might call the real world. Alternatively, “realism” so raw that it feels like genre fiction.
I’m sure my vision for the fiction section will evolve over time. I can’t wait to see what you submit.
Best,