In 2015, I worked with the chair of English & Comparative Literature Department, Joanna Brooks, to develop a “Creative Publishing & Editing” minor. I expanded the “practical publishing” course I’d been teaching into two distinct semester-long experiential education courses. The Creative Editing & Publishing Minor–and now, the companion certificate for English majors–offer students the opportunity to gain skills in both print and digital publishing, to develop literary “bylines,” and to utilize high-impact educational practices to deepen their understanding of the evolving publishing industry.

In the fall semesters, students work in editorial boards to create digital literary reviews centered around a genre or theme. Editors review current books in their selected genre, write event reviews and editorials, and interview literary professionals. Editors also run social media platforms for their literary reviews, study and implement SEO strategies, and play host to an array of publishing industry professionals, including editors, artists, and agents, through the PI Publishing Salons Series.

Check out these literary reviews to get a sense of the possibilities!

Pressbox Journal                            Sculpt: A Literary Journal of Young Adult Fiction

Demitasse Journal of Literary Shorts                  Phenom Literary Review

The B Side: Where the Auditory Meets the Literary      The Bridge Fantasy Journal

In the spring semesters, students work in editorial boards to create print & digital anthologies. Editors utilize the archives of Poetry International, Fiction International, and pacificREVIEW to create themed chapbooks. The digital editions are available as free downloads from the Poetry International Store.  Check them out!