College Literary Journals

[Crothian]

I imagine with the wide variety of people we have here a few of you must have been involved in something like this. I've just become one of the editors for ours and am looking for advice helpful hints and lay out cheats. I don't have to worry about funding, that's another person's problem. I'm looking for just something that worked, what didn't worked, how you got submissions, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Mark]

I imagine with the wide variety of people we have here a few of you must have been involved in something like this. I've just become one of the editors for ours and am looking for advice helpful hints and lay out cheats. I don't have to worry about funding, that's another person's problem. I'm looking for just something that worked, what didn't worked, how you got submissions, etc.

Thanks!

What layout program and version are you using?

 

[Jack7]

Cro, a lot will depend upon what your specific editorial duties entail.

For instance, will you be solely responsible for layout, formatting, typeset, etc? For your section only?

Will it include graphics and illustrations? Only text?

Will it be entirely a paper publication, partially electronic (as in will there by an accompanying or redacted electronic version), only an electronic version, et?

What are you hoping to achieve? How much space do you have to work with?
How much freedom do you have regarding submission selection?
Will their be space for advertising? How many issues are planned?
How many copies per run do you plan to produce?
How many can you reliably expect to sell? What would you like to see in profit, if that is possible?
Is this an expandable effort? Do you plan to make it professional, or is this a hobby-literary production?
What is your target audience and what would they like to read and/or see?

Is the effort theme-based, open, literary, popular, poetic, genre-based, a mixture of types?

My advice is to ask yourself questions regarding every aspect of the publication that you will directly or indirectly control, or at least influence, and then start establishing efficient and suitable answers for each question. This will give you a basis from which to proceed. Know exactly what your duties are (and what everyone else's duties are up-front), and I would not overlook studying models that you admire (other publications) to gain some idea of what is possible, and of what you might desire to produce. Of course funding will directly determine what is actually possible, but within that general framework you should be free to experiment and evolve.

Of course nothing beats real world experience, so you will improve as you gain familiarity with what is required from the position and the enterprise.

My best advice though is ask yourself pertinent questions regarding your project and then develop an operating (and advertising and marketing, if appropriate) plan. This will save you much by way of trial and error, and resources squandered.

Good luck and Godspeed.

 

[Crothian]

What layout program and version are you using?

MS office unless someone has a good (free) suggestion for something better.

 

[Crothian]

For instance, will you be solely responsible for layout, formatting, typeset, etc? For your section only?

No, one person will lay out the whole thing. If we can come up with a good template and style quickly we are thinking that will help speed up the funding since we'll be able to show the higher ups we are working and have accomplished stuff.

Will it include graphics and illustrations? Only text?

We are hoping to get art from students to include, so there will be art.

Will it be entirely a paper publication, partially electronic (as in will there by an accompanying or redacted electronic version), only an electronic version, et?

If the funding comes through it will be print. We want to also have an electronic version available as well and to start archiving the journal on line that way.

What are you hoping to achieve? How much space do you have to work with?
How much freedom do you have regarding submission selection?
Will their be space for advertising? How many issues are planned?
How many copies per run do you plan to produce?
How many can you reliably expect to sell? What would you like to see in profit, if that is possible?
Is this an expandable effort? Do you plan to make it professional, or is this a hobby-literary production?
What is your target audience and what would they like to read and/or see?

We want to showcase the writing and artistic ability of the people who go to the college. I don't know how long it will be but more then likely around 50 pages. We are looking for submission of art, poetry, short fiction. More then likely nothing over 1500 words. But this is not set in stone and it will really depend on what gets submitted. No advertisement unless we are told there is no funding from the college. I have no idea how many copies they will produce, the college has its own printing department. It is going to be free to students and people at the College. We want this to look and be as professional as we can make it. The audience is the students and we fully understand that probably 95% of them have zero interest in this.

Is the effort theme-based, open, literary, popular, poetic, genre-based, a mixture of types?

It is pretty open. We want to encourage the students to submit what they want to submit.

Good luck and Godspeed.

Thanks!!

 

[Jack7]

The audience is the students and we fully understand that probably 95% of them have zero interest in this.

That will depend on how well you can sell interest in the effort. Much will depend on how well you know your audience. You might think about things to generate interest, such as including club information, hobby sections, maybe an on-going on-campus mystery, or a set of stories set on-campus, booth displays, perhaps circulating it to other literary magazine publishers, getting endorsements, etc.

You're really limited only by your cleverness and craft when it comes to selling interest.

I'd say, know your audience, and exploit what interests them.

Again, good luck.