WORD A Creative Writing Commentary

Author: ABIGAIL MITCHELL

In the past I have felt that Middlebury lacked a solid selection of literary magazines, or the ones that did exist were not extensively publicized. However, much to my gratification, the tides seem to be changing this year. Several new magazines have come out and old ones are being revamped. In an effort to make the existence of these magazines more widely known, I decided to do a survey.

Relevance is the name of a publication recently started by Austen Levihn-Coon and Ian Peach, both '07. It features a broad range of both writing and visual art. Funded by the Student Finance Committee, Relevance plans to publish full-length issues in the fall and spring term with an abbreviated issue during J-Term. The first fall issue is available only online and can be viewed at http://community.middlebury.edu/~relevance/index.htm.

Skin Deep, founded 12 years ago, is a literary publication dedicated to issues of race. It was started when a group of minority students decided that the campus needed an outlet through which the problems of racism and diversity could be addressed head-on. Since its inception, the magazine has expanded in scope to encompass overall issues of identity and diversity. Funded by CCAL, Skin Deep features essays, stories, art work, photography, poetry and other pertinent pieces of self-expression.

Published annually in prior years, Skin Deep intends to begin publishing biannually with its first issue coming up this J-Term and a second in April. Christine Coll '07, co-editor in chief of Skin Deep, speaking to the magazine's purpose said, "The function of our literary magazine on campus is to serve as a creative, thought-provoking forum that brings to light issues that are relevant to the students. As the community reads it, an exchange of ideas and opinions takes place, hopefully engendering discussion and bridging the gap between the Middlebury 'bubble' and the realities that concern us as people outside of Middlebury. Identity and diversity are such realities that are inadequately addressed here at Middlebury, which is where Skin Deep Magazine steps in."

Named after the protective and wrathful Greek goddess of Fertility and the Hunt, Artemis is a literary magazine focusing on issues of gender. In the words of its editors, Julina Rundberg, Sasha Bronner and Alison Lacivita, Artemis is "a space for women to express themselves, to share their personal stories, to address feminist issues and to promote gender awareness on campus. We have a wide variety of foci including politics, health, culture and experience, but all of them revolve around our central theme - women." Publishing biannually, Artemis welcomes contributions from all students - both male and female - of all printable media including essays, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, photography and interviews. Send submissions to jrundber@middlebury.edu before the Nov. 22 deadline.