Superstition Review, an online literary magazine created at the Polytechnic campus, is looking for interns interested in building their skills in the field of publishing.
The magazine, which began from a 2006 proposal by English professor Managing Editor Patricia Colleen Murphy, is now preparing for its third issue this spring.
Launched in April 2008, the magazine publishes art, poetry, nonfiction, interviews and fiction. The magazine is published every spring and fall semester, and all of the work is completed by student interns. Students apply for the internship, which qualifies as a three-credit English course.
Though the credit is a benefit, the real advantage is learning about publishing by doing — students get hands-on experience that prepares them for the real world, Murphy said.
Murphy, who teaches fiction, nonfiction and poetry in the Humanities and Arts department, said the idea of the magazine came when she joined the faculty of the Polytechnic campus.
“I wanted to teach students about contemporary literature by having them build something,” she said.
The creation of the student-run online magazine gives students publishing skills they learn hands on.
“I like to think that having the magazine run by students gives us a more open-minded publication than we might otherwise have,” creative writing junior Rebekah Richgels said.
Murphy, who has taught 47 online courses at ASU, said that part of her interest in an online-only magazine came from her teaching experience.
“By teaching mostly online I learned how to be a better communicator, and I wanted my students to learn that as well,” she said.
Murphy said she is also deeply committed to sustainability, and the paperless format of this magazine fits that vision.
Every aspect of the magazine is managed online. Though there are optional meetings throughout the semester, as well as a reading series, students can complete all of their work remotely. Murphy said she believes this gives students skills that will be vital to them as the rest of the world goes digital.
“Superstition Review is a great opportunity because this is the trend in the field,” she said.
The number of submissions from solicited authors grew from 5 percent in spring 2008 to 59 percent in fall 2008. As more people learn about Superstition Review and its work from national authors, the magazine will continue to grow, Murphy said.
In fact, editors have noticed that notable authors are impressed with the quality of the magazine, and they are also happy to support the education of undergraduate students, Murphy said.
“We have experienced such kindness from authors,” she said.
The authors, many of them creative writing professors from across the country, want to be a part of the magazine because it is a learning tool for students, Murphy said.
Superstition Review has published established writers such as Jim Daniels, Denise Duhamel, Brian Doyle and Bob Hicok. Issue 3 will feature work from Sherman Alexie, Diane Holloway and Michael S. Harper, and interviews with T.C. Boyle, Mary Sojourner, David Baker and Barbara Hamby.
Authors are solicited and can choose to submit their writings to the magazine.
Print journalism senior Carter Nacke said that from start to finish, students have worked on every portion of the journal.
“Be it an author correspondence, planning a reading or writing a grant proposal, a student is involved,” he said. “It’s really rare to find an internship with such hands-on experience.”
Murphy said one goal of Superstition Review is to establish a national presence as a quality literary and arts publication. But the main goal is to give students a hands-on way to learn skills.
“If you start a new literary magazine, you need to have a reason, and Superstition Review has a strong purpose,” Murphy said.
Reach the reporter kellie.parisek@asu.edu.
