I’m begging you, don’t let that amazing manuscript of poetry or that article stay hidden in your Drive folder forever. You worked hard on it!
If it was scribbled out on paper, I’m sure it’s got all your blood, sweat, and tears stains all over it. And if it was typed, that version history contains hours upon hours of tireless edits and revisions. All this to say: your original writing projects are meaningful, so be proud.
If you’re passionate about writing and want to showcase it to the world, but maybe have been too shy to share it or are not sure how to share it, look no further. Here are places at SJSU to get your writing published.
Poets & Writers Coalition
The Poets & Writers Coalition invites creative writers to help cultivate a connected association of artists at SJSU. Not only do they share their work within the group and help each other grow in their unique crafts, they also host a semesterly zine to showcase writers’ work to the community.
Want to play a part in it? Check out their official Instagram for more information!
Washington Square: The Magazine
This beloved university and alumni magazine explores higher education through a transformative lens. It celebrates academic achievement, university expansion, research successes, and more. Rather than focusing on the smaller, day-to-day happenings on-campus, they focus on the bigger picture at SJSU.
Check out the most recent edition of their magazine here!
Reed Magazine
Poised, polished, and professional, Reed Magazine has established an incredible history as the oldest literary magazine in California. They accept original works of poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction between the months of June through October for selective publication each year. So if you want the chance to distinguish yourself as a writer, be sure to check out their submissions page.
Access Magazine
Are you a lover of all things lifestyle? Access Magazine showcases just that. Staff writers contribute engaging articles detailing different aspects of SJSU college life.
They’re a particularly versatile magazine; one edition discusses daily campus activities, while another explores the spirit of discovery, and yet another debates today’s ins-and-outs. Regardless of the topics you tend to write about, you can always fit in at Access.
Asterisk Magazine
Asterisk Magazine is run by SJSU’s Fashion Creatives Club. They accept article and creative writing submissions during the Fall and Spring semesters, searching for submissions that align with their grungy, bold vision.
Whether you write poetry, nonfiction articles, or other forms of creative writing, definitely consider submitting your work if you want a chance to be featured in their magazine.
The Spear
The Spear tackles SJSU sports with a vibrant, fast-paced voice. Their take on sports media coverage combines standard journalistic reporting with modern graphics and dynamic commentary. Game recaps, analyses, and columns can be found on social media, on their immediate website, or while flipping through their digital magazines.
Meatspace Magazine
Meatspace is a completely student-run magazine that accepts creative writing contributions during the Summer, Fall, and Spring terms. Their focus is on returning to art created by humans, for humans, not for an algorithm or a grade. That means you can get as experimental, funny, and whimsical as you want, while collaborating with like-minded creatives over the course of a semester-long process.
Her Campus SJSU Writers Team
Now, I’m biased with this one, but it was a no-brainer to include Her Campus SJSU’s Writers Team on this list as a fantastic opportunity to get published. In particular, if you’re passionate about writing articles for an audience of college-aged women, you should consider joining at the start of each Fall and Spring semester.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but hopefully you’re starting to get an idea of the incredible publication opportunities SJSU offers its writers.
As you could probably tell, SJSU’s writing platforms are insanely diverse. So, before you decide to submit your writing, a helpful tip is to familiarize yourself with the unique tone, voice, and vision of each publication. That’s not to say you should completely change your writing style to fit someone else’s, but just know what they’re looking for.
For example, you don’t want to submit flash fiction to The Spear, or an article about parking problems to Asterisk.
And lastly, don’t stress too much about whether your writing is “good enough” to submit. You might get a ton of rejections (I definitely have, and still do), but expressing yourself and contributing to the rich body of art at SJSU is always worth it. Creation for the sake of creation is worth it.
Do you know of any other opportunities to publish writing at SJSU, or have you submitted to any of the above platforms? Let us know at @HerCampusSJSU!