Interview with Sami Jankins

WG: Sami, it is always exciting to hear about the launching new literary journal that explicitly seeks the work of writers with disabilities. Can you talk about what prompted you to begin Tiny Tim Literary Review and what you think it might provide that will differentiate it from some of the other journals?

SJ: There was sort of a myriad of things that came together that lead to Tiny Tim being founded. Before I went for my MFA, I ran a non-profit that brought arts programs to sick teens. I spent 5 years with it and it was a great experience, I just knew at the time I would have to choose between dedicating my time to graduate school or the non-profit.

I've always wanted to provide a place for individuals with disabilities or illness to have their voices heard. Even though many of my pieces have been published places, I've encountered at times that a publication would be looking for an uplifting disability story. I've known other writers who've been asked to change their narratives because it doesn't seem like something that would happen in a hospital. When really, how can a person attempt to shoehorn someone else's experience into a "more appealing" box? I wanted to provide a place where individuals didn't feel they needed to provide a narrative other than what was their truth or the truth of the character they created for a fiction piece, for example.

At the same time, through graduate school I read wonderful works by Oliver Sacks, Atul Gawande, and Paul Kalanithi. I learned things about what medical professionals experience that as a lifelong patient I never realized. I thought how wonderful it would be to produce work the combines both sides of the same coin, creating a fuller and clearer picture of the health and medical system overall.

Towards the end of my MFA program, I was the press coordinator for the Coachella Review. I was able to be a part of seeing what makes a literary review work, and realized that's exactly what I wanted to take on next. It's really just one part of what Tiny Tim is setting out to accomplish. There are other concepts in the works to accompany the literary review as well.

WG: As you know, one of the paradigms that many writers with disabilities are working against is the medical model of disability. How will you be able to incorporate the perspectives of medical professionals in a way that feels true to their experiences without reifying the medical model?

SJ: I'm looking to create a publication that shows a full picture. In the same way I'm seeking to normalize disability by providing a multitude of voices and stories on disability or illness, there is a general perception of medical professionals that I'm also looking to change. Often times, medical professionals are seen as these deity-like figures when really they're everyday people with families and problems who chose a profession that is really a losing battle – there's no way to make their patients live forever. To me, that's fascinating. Would a lawyer become a lawyer if they knew they would lose every case?

For a time, I critically analyzed how the doctor and patient relationship is portrayed in TV or film. The ill and disabled, often times, are used to having wildly inaccurate and harmful portrayals put forward. It's part of what adds to the stigma of what we go through. I recognized though that medical professionals are also portrayed rather inaccurately. No one really expects a stunning short fiction piece to come from someone in the medical field, and I'd like to prove that notion to be incorrect.

It makes me think Of Susan Sontag's quote about the kingdom of the ill and the kingdom of the well. I can't exactly choose to hand over my "kingdom of the ill" passport, but there are individuals choosing to spend their entire days as close to dual passport-ship as they can get. The purpose of including medical professionals in this review is not to have them provide commentary on someone else's disability or illness or the disabled population as a whole. They have voices with unique stories too, and I think providing an outlet for those voices that doesn't come in the format of some scientific study will be as powerful as I'm anticipating it will be.

WG: What would you tell people who ask about the kind of writing that you are looking for? Are there specific writers you currently read who you think provide good examples of the kind of work you are seeking?

SJ: It's challenging to be specific about what kind of work I'm looking for. I feel like the fact that work of writing by someone disabled or a medical professional aren't inundating the market really speaks for itself. Are there individuals who are breaking through and getting their work out there? Sure. I can definitely point to more examples because I studied non-fiction and I searched high and low for examples of disability and how medical professionals are portrayed in screenwriting, but there just aren't a lot of notable examples. I'm currently on a production team for a documentary about invisible illness called Invisible: The Film and I spent days trying to find TV shows or any piece of literature that happened to mention Fibromyalgia, a more known condition, and it just wasn't out there. Basically I want the work that's not being taken in.

I want authentic unique voices. Some people can capture humor well where there usually wouldn't be. Others can create fictional characters that give the reader a visceral reaction. I hope above all else to create a publication where people feel moved and pulled out of their own lives for a moment. There won't be a gorgeous poem in juxtaposition to an article on how cherry juice can cure everything that's wrong with you. I can promise that. I'm also not looking for writing that seeks to make the reader feel more comfortable in their own lives because at least they aren't the writer or the character. That's the entire reason we're called Tiny Tim. It's extremely tongue-in-cheek. There has to be a greater takeaway than a flat one-note character or narrator whose sole purpose is to overcome and be brave. There is plenty of that to go around. That's not to say a fiction or nonfiction piece about running a marathon very well couldn't be in Tiny Tim Literary Review, but there would have to be more to it than someone with a disability running a marathon.

There are writers out there whose work I respect and thoroughly enjoy that I could point to, but I go back to what I mentioned with unique voices. I'd rather people submit work they feel is the best representation of what they can do than try to write according to what they think I'd like based on my taste.

WG: For readers not familiar with disability literature, can you explain why you chose to call your journal, Tiny Tim Literary Review?

SJ: The name came from having workshop sessions in graduate school at UCR where I completed my MFA. Characters that are seen over and over again tend to be given specific labels as a shorthand - tropes. For example, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl or the Unlikely Hero. Other examples could be the odd couple or the will-they-or-won't-they romantic scenario. They're situations or characters that most people can understand without a longhand description. he trope that got under my skin rather quickly was the Inspirational Cripple. The purpose of this character, or really the lack there of purpose, is to make the reader or viewer feel a bit better about themselves. This character inspires the grumpy old man like Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol or somehow reminds the protagonist that they are not fully taking advantage of their life. The character is only a tool to inspire or create sympathy. They never develop further in the storyline, they never evolve. If it's a quest story, a disabled character shouldn't just be thrown into the story because they make more challenges for the protagonist who can't leave their friend behind out of love. The disabled character should be absolutely necessary to the quest, and that's why the character was written in. As shorthand, I began referring to any time I saw an instance where an Inspirational Cripple was being used as "Tiny Timi-ng" in reference to the most well known example of this. My graduate lecture was even entitled How Not to Tiny Tim a Character.

I have heard a few instances of frustrations from writer friends that they would receive critiques out in the literary world that their story would be better with an inspirational angle or a way to show that they somehow were brave. When really, we're all just people. Disabled people aren't tools for inspiration. Medical professionals aren't meant to be lifted up on some unattainable pedestal. We all have flaws and faults. We've learned and grown from it or maybe we haven't. I guess to call it Tiny Tim was a means to subvert the trope and dismantle what society has come to expect from stereotypes.

WG: What has the process of creating the journal been like for your? When do you anticipate putting out the first issue?

SJ: I feel like I've been in preparation for years to put together this journal. With my background in non-profit work, I know how to oversee projects. I know what it's like to be the person submitting the essay and waiting forever to hear back. I've received a lot of positive feedback from people who are just excited to read what comes from this. It's daunting going through the process of deciding what is going to go in the review. I've been the person who has had their work rejected, and I never want to discourage someone from submitting again or just continuing their journey in exploring their voice. I think that's extremely important. Our first issue along with our website will be launching in December. I hope that readers feel positively about the end result and that the review continues to evolve to fit the message and needs of the literary community.I hope the excitement stays and that people find enjoyment in reading it.

WG: How can writers that are interested in submitting to the Tiny Tim Literary Review do so? Do you have any specific does or don'ts advice for them?

SJ: I'm not certain if this would fall under advice, but I've received numerous inquiries asking if this specific condition makes them disabled enough or if this certain mental health issue qualifies. I think it's important to clarify that a literary review is not judge and jury as to what is ill or disabled enough. If a writer feels like they have a voice to contribute to this conversation, then please do. Also, don't be afraid to try some things that are unconventional. Often times we get used to how standard essays are set up, we get used to how short fiction is supposed to look, or how a poem generally reads. I'm not a stickler for convention. I like there to be fun with forms if a piece calls for it. I specifically put "and other forms" in the type of work we accept. I realize that writing is evolving into these bigger pieces incorporating photos or having a multimedia edge to them, and I definitely do not want to limit the exciting variance of creative work by individuals who wish to submit something.

WG: Wordgathering and the other journals that are part of the Disability Literature Consortium are excited to know that another journal with its own particular personality is going to be available to writers with disabilities. As we close this interview, is there anything else you would like to add that we might not have covered?

SJ: As I mentioned before, Tiny Tim Literary Review will be a multitude of parts with the actual review being our first step in a much bigger concept. Over time, we'd like to hold writing workshops for individuals with health issues, disabilities, and for medical professionals as well. I truly believe that the best way to empower these communities is through stories. I wrote my first essay that was ever published from a hospital bed, and I hope that these workshops will help others find their voice. I'm also looking into book drives for hospitals that are interested in having patient libraries, even if they are smaller ones. I can tell you that anyone who has spent a great deal of time in a hospital knows that it can be isolating, even with all of the technology we have now. I would escape through reading and stories. I see this as another form of empowerment, another outlet available. Captivate people with literature, teach them that they have a voice and story worth creating and sharing, and hopefully they'll decide to submit something to Tiny Tim Literary Review. Our website is still in progress, but interested writers can join us on our Facebook page .