photo by Alex Pattinson
interviews & craft essays
Double Exposure: A Craft Essay on Sonnets and Skinny-Dipping by Manny Blacksher
I am devoted to modern and contemporary sonnets. There’s no other form I know that invites both intimately small and exorbitant subjects to fit into the same few lines with a handful of precious words.
When the Numbers Stop Working: A Craft Essay on “Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Soul” by Jennifer Freya Helgeson
“Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Soul” grew out of living in the space between those two truths: the usefulness of measurement and the impossibility of measuring what matters most.
Death is the Dismount: Stuart Watson's Debut Poetry Collection
Stuart Watson's debut collection, Death is the Dismount (The Poetry Box Publishers, July 2026), is the work of a writer who has spent decades writing across contexts and genres…
“I was alone, with myself, a stranger.” A Review of Eva Figes’s Nelly’s Version by Savannah Anderson
Part surrealist mystery, part feminist odyssey, Nelly’s Version explores the complicated nature of identity and fate, as well as the implacable pressure of our social programming.
Our Nominations for the Best of the Net Anthology 2027
This year, the editorial team at Abraxas Review nominated twelve exceptional pieces for inclusion in the annual Best of the Net anthology.
Against Craft: A Craft Essay by Poet E. M. Oliver
Craft is just about the worst thing you can do to a poem.
Five Questions for Savannah Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, Abraxas Review
When I am selecting pieces for Abraxas Review, there are a few qualities that capture my attention right away—candor, intellectual curiosity, and neo-Romantic themes.
Adjusting the Aperture: A Craft Essay on “Turkish Fortunes” by F.T. Rose
Steeped in the innocence and self-focus that is characteristic of children, I naturally assumed that I must be the cause of my parents’ suffering.
From Starry Skies to Prickly Pear Fries: An Essay on Craft and Memory by Ben Starr
It’s true, you can go to the “Cowboy Club Bar and Grille” in Sedona, Arizona and order prickly pear cactus fries.
Ambiguity of Identity in “Pure Pursuit,” a Love Story without Love by Maxine West
When I set out to write Pure Pursuit, my main objective was to write a romantic story without romance and a love story without any love.
J. Maxwell on “Drinking in Montreal”
Like most of my poetry and short stories, I had not set out to write about what eventually formulated on the page. But unintended threads often turn out to be the ones most worth following.
Noticing What I Notice: A Craft Essay by A. Fetters
I’ve always been a fast reader, apt to gulp pages whole. But engaging in this practice of copywork—with a gaze like my children’s, eagerly soaking up every brushstroke—forces me to slow down.