Start The Presses: Harvard Published Itself

So you wanna be a writer? If not, skip to the next paragraph--don't read this one! If so, please continue. Does it seem as if all your fellow aspiring poets and writers are on their way to literary stardom, while you still churn out poetry that belongs in your eighth grade writing workshop class? Or worse yet, your creative genius doesn't conform to what those mainstream people can tolerate. Fear not! Those talented and creative Harvard kids run/start up so many different publications, focusing on anything and everything and whatever might fall in between that you'd have to try really hard to not find the forum you're looking for. While we can't help you with your prose or verse, we can help you find inspiration and figure out where you want to be read. And you know what they always tell you in the admissions office propaganda--if it doesn't exist, you can start it yourself! (And that is actually very true, as demonstrated by some of the recently-founded publications listed below.) Please proceed directly to our literary listings below. Whatever you do, do NOT read the next paragraph.

Leave it to all those suffering literary souls on campus to labor away over their novels and sonnets. All you have to do is find what you like to read, and ignore what you don't. Now pay attention: in addition to the focus-specific publications (in which the content in every issue relates to the theme or idea), we have web-based publications (some pretty awesome ones, at that), and some types of literary magazines unique to Harvard. If Harvard truly had any smart people, there would be one central location where you could pick up a copy of all these goodies. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for them to be door-dropped or run around trying to find them, like I did. Guess maybe we're not all that intelligent, but we sure do write some fine fiction. Now read it, please. Some of it might even inspire you to write; then you'd have to go back and read the first paragraph, wouldn't you?

The Harvard Advocate

Quarterly; one special issue, Spring 2000

Next Deadline: December 8

Contact: see website, www.hcs.harvard.edu/~advocate

Harvard's oldest and most prestigious literary publication, the Advocate is always a reliable place to look for on-campus talent. Although the Advocate plays an active role in fostering Harvard's artistic community, text is still its primary focus. A special Black Arts issue, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the founding of Harvard's Afro-American Studies Department will supplement the usual four issues per year, which includes the popular Annual Contest Issue in the spring. For "The Last Issue," a look at beginnings, endings, new starts and redemption, to be published in December, submissions will still be considered based on quality, but with an eye to how well work fits this theme. The Advocate publishes fiction, poetry, art, and photography, as well as an increasingly healthy features section. Writers must be enrolled in a degree program at Harvard in order to submit. Consult the Advocate website for submission details.

The Gamut

Annual

Deadline: December (before winter break)

Contact: Michelle Rhee (mrhee@fas)

Harvard's only all-poetry review, The Gamut's goal is to provide "an open poetic forum" for the enormous amount of poetry that is submited to Harvard's student publications. Poetry of any length, style or form is welcome; there is no specific focus on content. Translations are also published. The openess of the review process produces a collection remarkable for its variety and quality of style and substance. The Gamut accepts work from the Harvard undergrads, grad students, and faculty. Submissions are accepted at the Woodberry Poetry Room or via email (mrhee@fas).

Diversity & Distinction

Quarterly

Next Deadline: December 17

Contact: Brandon Walston (walston@fas)

Although Diversity & Distinction is weighted towards features and articles about identity, pluralism and diversity at and beyond Harvard, its Mosaic section is dedicated to a variety of fiction, poetry and art. Submissions do not need to meet any specific criteria in order to be published; the D&D Mosaic section is intended to be less formal than some of the other student literary forums, and there is the added bonus of the magazine's well-designed format and glossy cover, which makes Diversity and Distinction more likely to catch your reader's eye. Drop off submissions at the D&D office, the Woodberry Poetry Room in Lamont Library, or contact literary editor Brandon Walston.

Icon Magazine

Deadline: rolling

www.iconmagazine.com

Contact: Parul Singh (singh2@fas)

A full new issue appears on the web every quarter, but content is rolling and a new piece is added weekly. Icon Magazine celebrates the power of storytelling and the interactive possibilities possible on the Internet. The magazine contains everything from simple text to a few interactive multimedia presentations, and the staff of Icon is eager to teach and train aspiring webmasters and curious beginners in the ways of web design. While the magazine currently contains mostly traditional pieces, it seems to be leaning in the direction of hypertext literature and net art, giving it the potential to become Harvard's most cutting-edge publication. Contact Icon with your own ideas or just a willingness to learn; at least check out the website.

Dissent

Deadline: rolling

www.dissent.com

Contact: Dorian Berger (dberger@fas)

Dissent calls itself "the" literary magazine of Harvard; found only on the web, a new issue of all new content appears around the 7th of every month. Dissent features short stories, poetry, personal stories and nonfiction. Although Dissent does not currently publish much that couldn't be printed on paper, it does have the advantage of the accessibility of the Internet. Work can be submitted via the Dissent website.

Yisei

Biannual

Next Deadline: March

Contact: Halla Yang (hyang@fas)

As a publication dedicated to the voices of Koreans at Harvard, much of the work submitted to Yisei usually focuses on the Korean-American experience, especially that of the second generation. The editors encourage writers to submit fiction, poetry and personal essays, as well as art work that may speak to the Korean community at Harvard and beyond. Yisei also publishes interviews, features and solicited articles on the particular theme of each issue. Email Halla Yang to submit, drop off submissions at the Woodberry Poetry Room, or send work via Yisei's website at www.hcs.harvard.edu/~yisei.

Zalacain

Biannual

Next Deadlines: December, March

Contact: zalacain@hcs.harvard.edu

One of Harvard's newest student publications, Zalacain attempts to provide a deeper cultural and literary perspective on the Hispanic and Latin American experience with opinion pieces, news articles and literary contributions. Zalacain accepts fiction, poetry and essays in English, Spanish, Portugese and indigenous languages as well. The editorial board will consider submissions in other languages, as long as they are pertinent to the magazine. The magazine also publishes photographs. Submit at the Woodberry Poetry Room or email zalacain@hcs.harvard.edu

L'albatros

Biannual

Next Deadline: December 1

Contact: Marcelline Block (block@fas)

L'albatros is another new publication at Harvard. First published last year, it is a forum for the French-speaking community at Harvard. The magazine hopes to demonstrate the diversity of Harvard's French students and the possibilities of French poetry, fiction and essays. L'albatros also accepts photography and art. Submit at the Woodberry Poetry Room, the Romance Languages Department or email either block@fas or Kimberly Pope at pope@fas. Submissions accepted from students of all schools of the University.

Lighthouse

Biannual

Next Deadline: February (tentative)

Contact: Mina Xu (minaxu@fas)

Lighthouse is dedicated to exploring issues that affect women; each issue has a theme, such as Women and Faith, or Women and Violence. In the past, Lighthouse consisted mostly of features and articles on women's issues, but lately the magazine's has shifted its focus to include more poetry, prose, art and photography. Submissions are considered on the basis of their relevance to the issue's theme, but the guidelines are flexible and open to interpretation. To submit, drop off material at the Woodberry Poetry Room or contact Mina Xu.

Harvard Review

Biannual

Contact: Stratis Haviaras

Tucked away in the Woodberry Poetry Room of Lamont Library is the office of Stratis Haviaras, editor of The Harvard Review. The Review is not a student publication; instead, it competes on a national level with the over 3000 other literary reviews published in the country. The work represented in the magazine is intended for a national and international audience, and there are no limits as to who may contribute. Their next issue, to be published in the spring of 2000, is themed "Metamorphoses." Work submitted for that issue will be judged in light of its relevance to that theme. Past issues have focused on people such as Seamus Heaney and Elizabeth Bishop and ideas such as love and pleasure. A very professional and polished publication, The Harvard Review has existed in its current incarnation only since the spring of 1992. Dream about getting published here, and in the mean time, just read it.