Down to Earthwords
Jarrett Hothan - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Arts/mp3s
As the Iowa City rumor mill turns incessantly, word gets around. Supposedly Spiderman and "Freaks and Geeks" eye-candy actor James Franco recently visited the UI to explore finishing his education, only to allegedly (and foolishly) enroll in UCLA's creative writing program. Although it's hard to compete with LA's towering glitz, today's release of the 28th installment of Earthwords, the UI's undergraduate literary review, proves that the most captivating and creative collegiate writing scene has a 319 area code.
"We have quite an abundance of 'writerly' role models as undergraduates in Iowa City. The proximity of the famous Writers' Workshop creates a trickle-down effect," said Earthwords Editor-in-Chief Kinzy Janssen, a UI senior majoring in English. "We get inspired. I think it's equally wonderful, though, to be inspired by our peers."
Founded in 1980, Earthwords provides a voice to the never-asleep, never-satisfied UI student writing community. The periodical has constantly evolved since, changing with the times and tastes of the student culture.
"Students can always send their stuff to other magazines, but I think it's really satisfying to have a publication that is grounded in a certain school," Janssen said. "We can say, 'We made this,' and the 'we' feels really close to home."
The selection process for Earthwords content begins in the fall, with the submission deadline usually falling in early November. Student writers contribute their favorite works, then leave their creation's fate in the hands of the edition's editorial board. The selection process is completely blind - no authors' names are revealed to the staff until choices are completed. The board members divide into groups to specifically narrow down on a certain genre of contributions, which range from plays to poetry.
"The entire staff then reads all the pieces that make it into the second round, no matter what the genre, and we hold a long and arduous meeting in which opinions are thrown around with wild abandon," Janssen joked. "Actually, it's pretty organized. There's pizza. Not a lot of raised voices."
One piece to be featured in this year's edition is "Redhorse Revelry," by Nick Compton, a UI junior majoring in political science and communications. Compton, who also has worked at the DI as a sports reporter and columnist, draws on personal nostalgia for his writing.
"It's about fishing for a type of fish called a redhorse with my father when I was younger," he said. "Redhorse only run once a year, and fishing for them always had an almost religious quality. The story tries to capture some of that sentiment."
Earthwords isn't confined to only art of the literary variety. The publication is rounded out with visual treats from students as well.
"It contains everything from photography to poetry and prose," Compton said. "It's a perfect channel for writers and others who don't have the clips or experience to be published in other publications, but whose outstanding work speaks for itself."
E-mail DI reporter Jarrett Hothan at:
jarrett-hothan@uiowa.edu
"We have quite an abundance of 'writerly' role models as undergraduates in Iowa City. The proximity of the famous Writers' Workshop creates a trickle-down effect," said Earthwords Editor-in-Chief Kinzy Janssen, a UI senior majoring in English. "We get inspired. I think it's equally wonderful, though, to be inspired by our peers."
Founded in 1980, Earthwords provides a voice to the never-asleep, never-satisfied UI student writing community. The periodical has constantly evolved since, changing with the times and tastes of the student culture.
"Students can always send their stuff to other magazines, but I think it's really satisfying to have a publication that is grounded in a certain school," Janssen said. "We can say, 'We made this,' and the 'we' feels really close to home."
The selection process for Earthwords content begins in the fall, with the submission deadline usually falling in early November. Student writers contribute their favorite works, then leave their creation's fate in the hands of the edition's editorial board. The selection process is completely blind - no authors' names are revealed to the staff until choices are completed. The board members divide into groups to specifically narrow down on a certain genre of contributions, which range from plays to poetry.
"The entire staff then reads all the pieces that make it into the second round, no matter what the genre, and we hold a long and arduous meeting in which opinions are thrown around with wild abandon," Janssen joked. "Actually, it's pretty organized. There's pizza. Not a lot of raised voices."
One piece to be featured in this year's edition is "Redhorse Revelry," by Nick Compton, a UI junior majoring in political science and communications. Compton, who also has worked at the DI as a sports reporter and columnist, draws on personal nostalgia for his writing.
"It's about fishing for a type of fish called a redhorse with my father when I was younger," he said. "Redhorse only run once a year, and fishing for them always had an almost religious quality. The story tries to capture some of that sentiment."
Earthwords isn't confined to only art of the literary variety. The publication is rounded out with visual treats from students as well.
"It contains everything from photography to poetry and prose," Compton said. "It's a perfect channel for writers and others who don't have the clips or experience to be published in other publications, but whose outstanding work speaks for itself."
E-mail DI reporter Jarrett Hothan at:
jarrett-hothan@uiowa.edu
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