Issue 6 Launch: A Note from the Managing Editor

One of my favorite Simpsons Episodes involves Bart, Homer and Lisa watching a TV program called “When Buildings Collapse.” The entire point of the program is to see building after building fall down, but during the show Homer comments “I didn’t think it was going to fall over.”

I now use that phrase when it seems like something is never ever going to happen: a car making a slow left turn, a waiter taking too long bringing food. “I didn’t think it was going to fall over.”

And I have to admit that phrase has applied to each of our six issues of Superstition Review.

Every semester I gather 15-20 undergraduate student interns with varying levels of experience. I put them through “lit mag boot camp,” and within a few weeks they are corresponding with authors, reading and rating submissions, designing advertisements, creating blog posts, gathering bios and headshots, editing endless web pages, organizing readings on and off campus. And maybe most importantly, they are learning how REAL deadlines work in the field of publishing. Like, if your building doesn’t fall over NOW the next building can’t go up.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I do this all online. Our work is done through Blackboard, Google Docs and Submishmash.

We take about 14 weeks to put together each of the issues, which we publish in December and May. By the time the end of the semester rolls around, I’m never quite sure that the building is going to fall over.

But thanks to the support of my Dean Fred Corey, my Department Head Ian Moulton, my faculty advisors Claire Lauer, Kristin Lacroix, Judith Van, Mark Haunschild, Rebecca Byrkit, and Sherry Rankins-Robertson; and also to my endlessly brave and diligent and kind students, we now have six pretty impressive buildings under our belts.

After each issue is published and I get a good deep breath, I get to enjoy what my students have accomplished. In this Issue alone we feature work from (and interviews with) 66 artists, poets and writers from all over the nation. I hope you will make a cup of tea, grab your laptop or iPad, and enjoy the hard work of my talented students and our esteemed contributors.

Sincerely,

Patricia Colleen Murphy

Managing Editor, Superstition Review

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11 thoughts on “Issue 6 Launch: A Note from the Managing Editor

  • December 2, 2010 at 1:35 pm
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    It is truly exciting to see how the 14 weeks of work have come together in the end product of Issue 6. What an amazing group of contributors, yet again. Congratulations, and thank you.

  • January 25, 2011 at 6:53 pm
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    I think the Simpson’s quote you’ve used is very interesting because of the context in which it has been placed.

    In the Simpsons episode, the context of the episode is the inevitability of destruction; for Superstition Review, it is about the inevitability of creation.

    The interns and managers work together each term and the work culminates into the successful creation of an issue of Superstition Review.

    Food for thought.

  • January 25, 2011 at 7:19 pm
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    It is certainly enlightening to see “behind the scenes” of a literary magazine. The intense processes required to make every issue a success are certainly note-worthy.

  • January 25, 2011 at 8:10 pm
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    I love that Superstition Review allows students to get such a hands on experience and education to how literary magazines are run. My experience here and everything I will learn will help me in the near future with my career; I have already learned so much. I can’t wait to see the end result!

  • January 25, 2011 at 9:51 pm
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    Nothing is more satisfying than working so hard on a publication and then being able to sit back, flip (or click) through its pages, and know that you are a part of what made that happen. I can’t wait for our “good deep breath” after Issue 7!

  • January 25, 2011 at 10:45 pm
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    I like how the phrase, “I didn’t think it was going to fall over” has found itself into your life and the examples you give of that.

    It was interesting to read the other comments and see what other people thought. I really like Maleri’s post about the magazine being “the inevitability of creation” even though the quote “I didn’t think it was going to fall over” puts things in the light of destruction. But I really like your idea of comparing the building to a deadline and how each step is absolutely necessary in order for the next one to work.

    So far this experience of “lit mag boot camp” has been exhilarating and I look forward to being able to grab that cup of tea, take a deep breath and view the final product.

  • January 25, 2011 at 11:18 pm
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    I love being able to see exactly where we’re starting and exactly where we’re heading through this post. Though I absolutely cannot wait to reach that end point and see what we’ve truly accomplished together, I think I may be even more excited to take that journey to get there. On our way to the seventh very impressive building!

  • January 26, 2011 at 1:32 am
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    I really love how this magazine starts from scratch each semester and is a crash course into the world of publishing. It’s a lot to do and it seems so seamless in print. Right as I start a story or a painting I think, “this is SO not going to happen”. But somehow it does and it will. I can’t wait to see the end results of all of sections and realize we SO made it happen!

  • January 26, 2011 at 9:50 am
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    Time for another great issue of The Superstition Review. I am excited for issue 7 🙂

  • January 26, 2011 at 10:06 am
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    I think it’s great that the Superstition Review is totally intern run. That kind of “lit mag boot camp” experience is really valuable. Here’s looking forward to Issue 7!

  • January 29, 2011 at 2:36 pm
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    Cheers to the beginning of a new issue! I can’t wait to see all the hard work pay off. This project has already proved to be a rewarding and challenging experience; I’m so glad to be a part of it 🙂

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