The Waldorf Literary Review Prepares to Release Volume 11

Past volumes of the Waldorf Literary Review in Forest City. Photo by Diana Humble

By Diana Humble

As the spring submission deadline approaches, the Waldorf Literary Review’s staff are hard at work preparing the biggest and best volume yet.

With only 10 prior volumes, the Waldorf Literary Review (WLR) is still a young journal, but its staff are determined to make exponential growth with each volume. Head designer Shannon Clark notes that this year’s staff is “taking a lot more time to evaluate each of the pieces submitted.” Unlike prior crops of recruits, this year the staff are making considerable efforts to read each piece blind. Not having names or identifying details in submissions keeps any personal biases from creeping into the decision making process, and produces a more honest reflection of the campus’ best work.

Editor Jon Happel says that “since we are a rotating staff, the team dynamic is different every year, but there’s always an underlying passion to produce the best journal possible.” Tim Bascom, WLR adviser, calls this bunch the most boisterous one yet.

This year’s WLR is being edited by Donnica Keeling, Myriah Hacker, Happel and Diana Humble, with Clark as their designer. “Having this many people on the staff makes it more difficult to fit everyone’s ideas into the same book, but we’ve been able to make it work thus far,” Clark adds. With their spring deadline fast approaching, these five have been hard at work getting things in order. The editors must filter submissions into their respective categories (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, photography and visual art) before reading and analyzing each piece’s strengths and weaknesses. After that, the designer is tasked with arranging all of the accepted submissions into a visually pleasing booklet.

“I’m excited to see how it all comes together, and watch our vision come to life,” Happel concludes.

The Waldorf Literary Review’s spring submission deadline is February 12. All submissions should be sent to their email at waldorfliteraryreview@gmail.com. The final booklet will be unveiled at their release party on April 30.