Professional and Student Literary Editors Discuss How To Get Published

On Wednesday night, students had a chance to hear authors and editors talk about their experiences with the publication process. Author Robin Black shared her experience of having a short story turned down, only to have another journal pick the story up and praise it later. The lesson for Black: persistence matters. Rejection isn’t about whether we’re a “good” writer; it’s about finding a good fit.

Tia Parisi, editor of Villanova literary magazine Ellipsis, spoke about assuming that every move an author makes is intentional and the need to break down barriers between author and editor, as well as our assumptions about whether we have something valuable to contribute to a literary journal. 

The editor Travis Kurowski reminded the audience that there are a lot of ways to see our name in print—from blogs to journals. The goal of publishing, Kurowski suggested, is to create publics, places of community where literature can be celebrated and shared.

Pictured (left to right): Dr. Adrienne Perry, Travis Kurowski, and Tia Parisi.