Pitt students run in-house literary magazines

Deadlines are fast approaching for two of Pitt’s three student-run literary magazines.

Hot… Deadlines are fast approaching for two of Pitt’s three student-run literary magazines.

Hot Metal Bridge, an online publication run by graduate students, will accept submissions until March 14, while the Collision Literary Magazine, a magazine that runs non-fiction pieces in poetry and prose, will stop accepting pieces Friday. Three Rivers Review, run by a group of undergraduate students who to publish pieces by the Pitt community, accepts applications from September through January of each school year.

The following is a brief look at each publication and how it works.

Hot Metal Bridge

Hot Metal Bridge magazine publishes twice annually, once in the fall and again in the spring. The magazine is published online and is geared toward graduate students. The magazine features an eclectic range of styles and literary niches.

“We look for works that are surprising — we don’t look for a particular aesthetic, just thoughtful works that have a shape to them,” co-editor-in-chief Robyn Jodlowski said.

Jodlowski also said the magazine doesn’t put limits on the pieces’ topics — controversial or not. She said that bringing out topics that start a conversation is always a good thing.

She also believes that a campus literary magazine provides an important creative outlet for students.

“It’s crazy important — I mean it’s something you can share with people outside of the University instead of being an isolated experience,” Jodlowski said.

Anyone can submit an entry for the magazine; works by authors such as Russell Banks, Tom Perrotta, Maxine Hong Kingston and Dan Chaon have all been featured in the magazine at some point. As a whole, the magazine searches for great pieces by from across the spectrum.

Information about submissions to Hot Metal Bridge can be found on the magazine’s website, hotmetalbridge.org.

Collision Literary Magazine

Collision Literary Magazine exclusively publishes creative nonfiction prose and poetry. Collision publishes personal essays and narratives, travel pieces, profiles, poems, art and photography by undergraduate students. It publishes an issue each semester and accepts submissions from undergraduates all over the world.

“We look for pieces that exhibit a strong voice — a depiction of well-crafted contemporary young adult voice,” senior editor Alicia Salvadeo said. “We’re open to anything as long as it’s done with a creative eye.”

Unlike some other publications, Collision offers rejected authors the opportunity to receive feedback about their work in an effort to help them grow as writers.

Collision remains dedicated to exhibiting the voice of undergraduate students across the world and helping writers hone their craft.

The magazine offers cash prizes for first through third place submissions. Information about submissions and prizes can be found on the magazine’s website, collision.honorscollege.pitt.edu

Three Rivers Review

Formerly known as Thirst, Three Rivers Review is the project of undergraduates who wanted to publish literature soley from the Pitt community. As the years passed, the magazine grew into a larger, award-winning publication.

The magazine’s website describes its goal as accepting “the best” student literature. Last year, the magazine won the national Associated Writing Program Award for best content. The first issue under the tenure of former editor Joel Coggins received the 2010 National Program Directors’ Prize.

“I looked at some of the magazines that had won the award and I knew we were, at the very least, on that level,” Coggins said.

Coggins, who now works for University of Pittsburgh Press, called his time working at Three Rivers Review the best part of his Pitt experience. He said having an abundance of literary magazines on a college campus is important, especially for writing majors who’d like to gain exposure.

Jeff Oaks, the faculty adviser to the magazine, said that many of the students he’s worked with move on to careers in publishing and writing.

The magazine also publishes interviews with established authors. Coggins attributes this mostly to luck and said the Three Rivers Review’s age and awards might also play a role.

All three magazines are available through the Honors College and accept submissions through their respective websites.