Sometimes we publish stories with alternative structure, but the traditional is preferred. It's been argued that there are no longer any original stories. We believe there may no longer be original plots. Original treatments of the basic plots yield the kind of stories we want. A writer doesn't have to invent a new genre to publish a story with us.
Upbeat writing is preferable to downbeat, although sometimes the latter is warranted.
But it's generally more enjoyable to read about positive material than it is to read about the depressing. The reader should take this into consideration in crafting his or her fiction. In a general sense, we discourage the use of obscene language, or racial or ethnic epithets, in submitted fiction. At the same time, we recognize that sometimes this language is necessary as part of a story. We advise the writer to use this language sparingly, if at all.