Creating an Undergraduate Literary Journal: A Production Guide for Students and Faculty

University literary journals allow students to create their own venue for learning, have a hands-on part of their development in real-world skills, and strive towards professional achievement. But producing an undergraduate literary magazine requires commitment, funding, and knowledge of the industry. This practical guide assists students and faculty in choosing a workable structure for setting up, and then successfully running, their own literary publication. Whether the journal is print or online, in-house or international, Creating an Undergraduate Literary Journalis a step-by-step handbook, walking the reader through the process of literary journal production. Chapters focus on: defining the journal; the financial logistics; editing the journal; distribution; and what could come next for a student writer-editor after graduation.

The first book of its kind to offer instruction directly to those running university-based literary magazines, this book includes insights from former editors, advisers, students and features an extensive list of active student-run literary magazines key literary organizations for writers/editors who serve literary publications. From Audrey Colombe, faculty adviser on the award-winning Glass Mountainmagazine from the University of Houston, this is a text for both newcomers and those more informed on the production process to help them navigate through a successful publishing experience.

Audrey Colombe is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Houston. She is faulty adviser for Glass Mountain Magazine, the undergraduate literary magazine at the University of Houston. Her essays, fiction and critical work have appeared in AWP’s Writer’s Chronicle, Puerto de sol, Main Street Rag and Alaska Quarterly.