If you’re an FSU student, chances are you might’ve heard of the Southeast Review. Maybe you saw a post on social media, walked by the office in the Williams Building, or know someone who interned for the magazine — but what is the Southeast Review?
What you need to know
In short, the Southeast Review (SER) is a national literary magazine housed at FSU, established in 1979. The magazine publishes emerging writers as well as established writers, featuring diverse voices within the pages of SER. The magazine is mainly run by graduate students at FSU with an editorial team of over 60 members who read and review submissions.
“FSU allows us office space and helps us with mailing. Congress of Graduate Students (COGs), specifically, has been financially generous to us in recent years. This allows us the ability to do more, such as running our Gadsden program,” said Heather Truett, SER’s Editor-in-Chief.
The magazine publishes art, fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, interviews, young adult, and book reviews. SER publishes biannually, the most recent being Vol. 43.2, which can be found online.
SER is also more than just a magazine. Every year, they host workshops, fundraisers, and even offer internships for undergraduate students at FSU.
Events and Fundraisers
Every semester, SER hosts fundraisers and workshops to bring together its community on and off campus. Their events are free and open to everyone, whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student at FSU.
In the fall, the magazine hosts their annual fall fundraiser to raise money to publish the magazine. The magazine has an online edition and a print issue, so it’s available to readers in any format, whether you prefer reading online or holding a physical copy of the magazine in your hands. The fundraiser allows SER to continue its operations, which include offering a print version for readers.
“There are still people who prefer to hold a book in their hands, and we publish in print for them. We don’t think it’s better or worse than digital, because each has its perks. Literary magazines are important because they offer a place to try new ideas and styles, as both writers and readers, and they gather a diverse community among their pages,” said Truett.
This past fall, the fundraiser was Hocus-Pocus themed, raising over $1,100. There were games, refreshments, auctions, readings, a costume contest, and so much more. While the fall is still a long way away, make sure to keep an eye on the magazine’s Instagram and other social media to stay up-to-date!
This year, SER will also be doing a summer fundraiser — Writer’s Regimen! Writer’s Regimen is a structured writing program that runs from June 1 through June 30. Writers will be sent daily emails with unique writing prompts, exclusive craft essays and readings by SER contributors, special entry into a writing contest, and more. This program is open to all FSU and non-FSU students, and if you’re interested, you can find more information on the SER website.
Besides fundraisers, the magazine also puts on other events for the FSU community. In the spring, SER hosts its spring workshop as a part of the Jerome Stern Reading Series. This year, the magazine will be hosting Leila Chatti. Leila Chatti is a Tunisian-American poet and author. Her publications include her debut collection, Deluge, as well as several chapbooks and her most recent release, Wildness Before Something Sublime.
Leila Chatti will be visiting FSU on March 31. At 3 p.m., she’ll be doing a workshop in the Williams Common Room, and then later that evening, she’ll be doing a reading at the Bark at 8 p.m. Whether or not you’re a creative writer, attending the workshop and reading will still be a valuable experience. It’s a great way to support Chatti as she visits FSU and SER!
Internship Opportunities
Even though SER is run by graduate students at FSU, there are still opportunities for undergraduate students to intern with the magazine. The magazine offers internships every Fall and Spring semester, giving students experience with the behind-the-scenes of what it takes to run a literary magazine. It also allows interns to meet the team in charge of the magazine and form connections in the English department and from all across campus.
“I’m grateful for all of the people I’ve met and worked with at SER in the last few years. It’s given me a home and allowed me new avenues of growth,” said Truett.
This semester, I started interning with SER, and it’s been one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had at FSU. As an intern, responsibilities include reading submissions to the magazine, running social media accounts, and much more. No matter what you’re interested in — whether it’s creative writing, publishing, or creating content for social media — this internship has something for you.
Not only do we learn about the behind-the-scenes of publishing, but I’ve also honed professional skills like interviewing, crafting elevator pitches for potential employers, and writing professional emails. The internship teaches you more than just what it takes to run a literary magazine; you also learn practical skills that will help you succeed in your career.
“Being an intern for SER has allowed me to touch multiple parts of the literary world at the same time. I’ve enjoyed the responsibility of having an equal voice in the magazine, even though I’m an undergraduate student. I’ve also received so many opportunities for growth by the guidance of those who run the publication,” said Jase Jeralds, a fellow intern at SER.
If you’re an English student interested in learning more about how to intern for SER and how to apply, make sure to keep an eye on course registration. Applications open up before each semester, and it’s run through ENC 4942, a course that English students can enroll in to receive credit for an internship. Acceptance is on an application process, so if you’re an undergraduate student interested in applying, you can send your resume and cover letter to Truett.
To stay up-to-date on everything related to SER, make sure to follow their Instagram, as well as their other social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, BlueSky, Facebook, and LinkedIn, which can be found on their Linktree. They also publish a monthly newsletter that includes upcoming events, contributor spotlights, sneak peeks of Writer’s Regimen, and more.
Whether you’re a graduate student, an intern, or you’re just now finding out about the magazine for the first time, make sure to take advantage of the opportunities and events that Southeast Review offers to its community!
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