Progress

Here in the roger lab, the Assistant Production Editor Molly Gessford and I have been catching up before the regular class meets. We have cleared the typesetting folder and been diligently working our way through mastering our claimed poems and stories for the upcoming Spring issue of roger, an art and literary magazine. Shannon and Andrea just reorganized our office area to foster faster production and a more efficient workspace. All submissions have been read and are being moved through the process as decided by our class, our readers, and Renee. Despite broken computers and trouble with network access, we are plugging away and nearing the final presentation of roger Volume 6!

roger over.

Poetry & the Imagination

Yesterday we were privileged to have published poet Kate Colby reading from two of her most recent books of poetry: The Return of the Native and Beauport. Kate worked as an adjunct faculty professor last semester teaching poetry here at Roger Williams University and also reads submissions for roger. Kate discussed the historical influences that inspired much of her work.

In a conversation with fellow roger staff member and Creative Writing major Shannon Seamen we noted how well she read poetry and prose despite the fact that she had a cold. Shannon was especially impressed with the control she had over her voice and the connection she had with her work. Had Colby not said that it was her first time reading prose, we agreed that the audience might have never known. As each idea brought up through the prose flowed to the next, you eventually realized how far Colby’s prose had taken you.

Per the usual, Colby answered questions once she finished with her reading. Shannon was particularly interested about her response to how much research she uses in her writing. Colby responded that she researches a topic prior, absorbing everything she can on the subject and then puts the research away. Colby found that the best way to use research in her poetry was to let it get a little “fuzzy” in her head before she sat down to write. In this way her research works as a point of inspiration and she does not concern herself with fact-checking. Shannon asks: how do you use your research in your writing, and how intensely do you research your subject before sitting down to write?

In my own processing of Kate Colby’s poetry and prose reading I wondered, what makes a poetry reading the most enjoyable, besides the obvious, of course (intonation, speed of reading, etc.). From Colby’s reading I found, in my opinion at least, a pleasing poetry reading should make you want to close your eyes while the poem takes you outside of where you physically are. It reminds me of when you are little and listening to your favorite story made you imagine the world that the story was describing. Does anyone who attended the Kate Colby reading feel the same way as me? Do you ever feel this way when attending other poetry readings? Could this connection to the world of imagination be part of the reason why we enjoy hearing poetry readings? 

Poetry for Everyday Life

This past week, New York Times op-ed columnist, David Brooks broke away from his usual political commentary with an article called, “Poetry for Everyday Life,” in which he examines the use of metaphorical language. As writers, we think the world of metaphors (Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?), however, Brooks talks about the everyday metaphors that manifest without poetic intention. He says that using phrases like, “devoured a book,” instead of “read eagerly,” are meant to facilitate our comprehension, but end up giving an inaccurate and distorted understanding of what is truly being said.

As someone who loves a good metaphor, I find it strange that it is being discussed as a rudimentary method of communication. In my mind, the word has strong Aristotelian connotations, and calls to mind Robert Frost’s, “The Road Not Taken.” A metaphor comes from a profound understanding of an idea; it is something that appears abstract, but conveys an unambiguous message. Mr. Brooks writes a compelling article, but it would work just as well to say “figure of speech,” if only to protect the integrity of the metaphor.

Read David Brooks’ “Poetry for Everyday Life”

CMS: Electronic vs. Hard Copy

Not just the initials of my three given names, but also a very complex and at times overwhelming style manual: Chicago Manual of Style. As we get closer and closer to finalizing our lineup for volume VI, many of us here at roger have been spending long hours poring over the CMS manual in order to master final copies of poems and short fiction pieces. Occasionally we come across edits on each proof that lead us straight to that hardcover, $65.00 manual. We all own a copy out of good practice, but also because most of us didn’t realize that our university pays for a subscription to CMS until after we had ordered our own hefty copies of the 16th edition.

As I look over a work to be published, I feel sort of spoiled, but I like to have the best of both worlds–I prefer to sit with my laptop open, CMS site up, while I also have my hard copy sitting on the table next to me. I’m old-fashioned, and I would take a hard copy of a book over any other technology any day. But I think even I have to break down in this argument and agree that sometimes, even with an enormously helpful index, some questions about a work can remain just outside of reach. It’s nice to have the electronic version, in order to search for key words and find exactly what you’re looking for.

But how do I submit to a literary magazine?

Literary magazines are full of rich language by both upcoming and established writers. I have certainly sent out my fair share of submissions, both poetry and fiction. Trying to find the right fit for your writing style is important to consider with each submission. Writers should read publications of literary journals they are considering submitting to. This is necessary in order to establish the aesthetic of the magazine, each has a different tone, editorial, and vision.

It is also important to follow the submission guidelines closely and accurately. There are over 500 literary magazines. Some still accept hard copy submissions through snail mail while others only accept online submissions. Some have word limits for fiction, line limits for poetry. Each magazine has a different submission period (some have open submissions year round, though this is not common).

Make your cover letter stand out! Be friendly, editors read your cover letter in addition to your creative work. A cover letter should detail your submission entry/entries and include contact information. Be sure to include any previous publications in a short bio if requested. In  your cover letter, it is customary to note whether your work is a simultaneous submission. The staff at a literary magazine spends a lot of time, money, and energy reviewing submissions, if your work is accepted elsewhere it is of the upmost importance to notify the other magazines you have submitted to.

And remember, submitting to literary magazines is fun! It is an experience full of excitement, anticipation, relief, disappointment, and enthusiasm.

Poets and Writers published an article on their website considering submitting to literary magazines. Check it out here!

I Never Really Liked Philosophy…[read on]

Question: How will future generations label the over-arching intent of the literature of the present day?

If you think back to the literature of the past, we have placed most works of art into a special category: modernist, surrealist, realist, etc. Now, I realize that people have access to a much broader variety of literature today, so maybe it’s impossible to place a group of contemporary literature in one classification. However, I believe that because all people of this age experience similar changes, a large portion of literature must share one common thread. But what is this thread? I can only speculate what this “common thought” is.  I guess the only realistic speculation I can make is that many writers of today are attempting to make sense of the world. Despite all of the scientific discoveries we have uncovered, many people seem to be continually searching for answers in the simple events of everyday life. I’m not talking about the human condition. I think much of the literature of our day puts a spotlight on simple things, trying to make sense of the world. I guess maybe I am talking about the human condition. I have noticed that a fair amount of the work (fiction and poetry) we have looked at in roger is more concerned with little, seemingly insignificant things that are elevated to higher level in order to be considered with a deeper meaning. For example, Sarah Lindsay’s poem “The Common Octupus” is literally about an octupus but is about so much more than that. I won’t go on and spoil anything!

NewPages

Last class, we learned that there had been lots of traffic on NewPages. Under the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, roger, an art and literary magazine has a profile. Following our contact info, there a little blurb illustrating what we are about here at roger. The cover of Volume 5 showcases our aesthetic and volume 6 is soon forthcoming. Check out the link here. Keep clicking away on our profile to learn about our magazine and get ready for another round of submissions this summer!

Turning fiction into poetry

Earlier this week, all of us at roger got into an interesting discussion about the conversion of fiction into poetry. We all agreed that it’s a unique concept, but something we hadn’t given much thought to before. The conversation became a process of thinking out loud, as we asked ourselves whether it was laudable, or silly, or even improper.

As I reflect on the whole thing, I have decided that I love the idea of turning a story into a poem. At the risk of sounding a little trite, I believe that every poem tells a story, so if a work of fiction translates well into poetry, why not? Literature enthusiasts need not worry about one being “better” or “worse” than the other, because the two genres aren’t (and should never be) comparable in terms of quality. But that’s just my opinion!

What do you think?

NPM @ RWU (#RWU, @myrwu)

It’s National Poetry Month! Come check out RWU’s events for the month!

Poetry Daily

I love Poetry Daily because it helps me feel connected as a writer on any given day when I’m looking for a bit of inspiration. Today’s poem they posted is called “Hermit” by Gail Mazur. I really liked it…maybe you will too.