Sweat the Small Stuff: It's All Important
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A Handbook for Editors of Affiliates, Assemblies and Two-Year College Journals

 

 

 

Olivia Pass and Carol Jago
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


March 2001

 

National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Rd., Urbana, IL 61801

800-369-6283

www.ncte.org

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:     A special thanks to Millie Davis, NCTE Director of Affiliate and Member Services, for tenaciously encouraging, editing, and otherwise seeing this handbook through publication.  Also, a big thanks to Bill Bridges, former editor of the New Mexico English Journal, and Jackie Jackson, former Subscription Editor and Associate Editor for Fiction Louisiana English Journal, who kindly helped with the editing.  Judy Pula’s initial concept of the project when she was Maryland English Journal editor and her addition of letters and other addenda are also greatly appreciated as are the editorial guidance of John Hagaman, editor Kentucky English Bulletin; Ulrich H. Hardt, editor Oregon English Journal; and Margaret Chambers, NCTE Managing Editor for Journals. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Carol Jago has been the editor of California English for five years, and Olivia Pass has been the editor of Louisiana English Journal for eight years. Carol teaches English at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California, and also directs the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA.  She served as director of NCTE’s Commission on Literature from 1994-1997 and currently serves on NCTE’s Secondary Section.  Olivia teaches in the Department of Languages and Literature and serves as the Director of General Studies at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.  She served as the Region 6 Representative on NCTE’s Standing Committee on Affiliates from 1994-1997 and she currently serves as Co-President of the Louisiana Council of Teachers of English.  Carol and Olivia were asked by NCTE to write this handbook in order to help people who are editing affiliate journals or would like to do so in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Editors’ Note:  Sections written by Carol Jago are designated by the initials C.J. written after them; those written by Olivia Pass are designated with the initials O.P.

 

 

 

Sweat the Small Stuff:  It’s All Important

Table of Contents

 

Conceptualizing                                                                                                                                2

Beginnings                                                                                                                                          3

Submissions:  Ask and Ye Shall Receive                                                                                   4                             

Reaching Out to Writers                                                                                                                 5

Calls for Manuscripts                                                                                                                      6

Submission Guidelines                                                                                                                   8

Style                                                                                                                                                       8

Artwork/Photography/Paper/Bindings/Covers                                                                 8            

Staff Organization:  Getting Talented People to Help                                                            10

So How Long Does It Take to Produce an Issue?                                                                    12

So Who Pays the Bills? – Journal Funding and Costs                                                           14

Assume Nothing When You Prepare for Publication                                                            16

Author Photography                                                                                                                        17

Author Bios                                                                                                                                         17

Laying Out the Printed Text                                                                                                          18

Pointers for Using Art in the Journal                                                                                          18

What About Copyrighting?                                                                                                           19

Getting an ISSN                                                                                                                                 20

Getting the Journal to the Readers                                                                                               20

Marketing                                                                                                                                            21

Citations                                                                                                                                              21

(Items below located via links on Web page)

Resources

                Call for Submissions                                                                                                        22

                Response to Call for Submissions Guidelines from Submitter                            24

                Letter of Solicitation for Submission                                                                           25

                Submission Acknowledgement to Submitter                                                            26

                Cover Letter to Reviewers: Accompanies Submission Review Form                 27

Individual Submission Review Form                                                                         28

                Article Evaluation Chart                                                                                                 29

                Note to Nudge Reviewers to Return Manuscripts ASAP                                     30

                Regret Letter to Submitter                                                                                               31

                Congratulations Letter to Submitter                                                                            32

                Consent to Publish/Copyright Agreement for Submitter                                     33

                Editor’s Request for Final Minor Revisions from Submitter                                35

                Consent to Publish Student Work Form                                                                     36

                Interview Consent Form                                                                                                  37

                Photograph Release Form for Adult                                                                            39

                Photograph Release Form for Student                                                                        40

                Grant Application                                                                                                            41

                NCTE Information Exchange Agreement                                                                  47

                Information on Submission of Journal for National Recognition                      48

                Affiliate Journal Award Application                                                                          50          

                Memo on Obtaining 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status                                                  52

                Article on Advertising in Journals and 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Statu                 53

                Letter of Solicitation for Advertising                                                                           54

                Advertising Contract                                                                                                       55

                Affiliate/Assembly Lending Library Request                                                          56

                Information on and Request for Publications Directory                                       57

 

Conceptualizing

According to the book Journal Publishing by Gillian Page, Robert Campbell, and Jack Meadows, “the typical reason for publishing journals [in the past] was because groups of enthusiasts wished to record and circulate information concerning their work and activities” (2).   Today many affiliates, assemblies, and TYCA regionals of the National Council of Teachers of English wish to offer their membership pedagogical articles, poetry, prose, drama, and/or non-fiction which would aid their members in their classrooms and help connect them more intimately with the areas in which they work.  Although some journals offer only pedagogical articles, others feel that it is important to include the creative writing of some of the best writers in their state or region.  Such decisions belong to the editor and the editorial board for the publication.  The editor is “responsible for the selection and preparation of material for publication” (Page, Campbell and Meadows, 33); therefore, it is that person’s responsibility to create a journal that aids the affiliate’s mission and objectives.  Although the editor should be an active member of the affiliate’s board and should be open to suggestions from the board, the editor and the journal’s editorial board must have the authority to make decisions regarding theme, content, etc.  A journal published by committee is usually doomed to failure.  Any new editor should devise a written editorial policy with which he/she and the affiliate board and journal’s editorial board can live and work happily.  The editor and board should sign a contract noting this agreement, since board composition often changes and new board members may not understand the operation of the journal.

 

Anyone embarking on the task of creating a new journal should examine many copies of journals similar to that which they have in mind and truly note the good qualities of the best of these.  What sort of journal would be appropriate for the membership of the affiliate?  How would this journal be funded?  How often would it be published?  How long will it be and what will the content be?  There are many, many questions that a potential editor must examine and answer before soliciting manuscripts for the first publication.   If possible, talk to a journal editor who has a journal that is admired and respected and ask that editor all the questions pertinent to beginning a new publication.

 

An additional consideration for journal publication today is the electronic journal.  Perhaps an online journal would best serve the needs of the membership of the affiliate. A potential editor should look at examples of online journals and talk to people who have the expertise (if the editor doesn’t) of getting the journal online.

 

After deciding upon a format and having an idea as to when the first issue will be ready to submit to the printer and how long this issue will be, the editor must ask for bids from possible printers.  The work that the printer has completed must be examined and the turn-around time established in advance.  If turned in on disk camera-ready, how long will it take the printer to get the editor a copy to check for errors?  Also, the editor should find out whether or not a great deal of editing at this point will result in additional charges.  The editor and printer should sign a contract that clearly states the turn-around time and the way in which the printer will deal with errors that are clearly his/hers, not the editor’s (giving the editor a significant discount, reprinting the journals, or what).  The editor should sign off on a draft of the journal that is considered acceptable to him/her, acknowledging his responsibility for any errors he/she missed in the copy.

 

Desktop Publishing has truly revolutionized the world of journal publishing.  Anyone with a computer, laser printer, and photocopier can construct a journal.  “Relatively inexpensive packages consisting of software, a laser printer and a standard micro-computer, enable the user to produce pages that look professionally typeset” (Page, Campbell, and Meadows, 91).  Camera-ready copy can be produced by such and given to a printer in hard copy and disk.  Equipment should be investigated thoroughly before an affiliate puts out the money to purchase such equipment.                                                                                                                                    O.P.

 
 
Beginnings

Every journal editor must have a clear vision, a concept that he/she, as the publication’s visual creator and content manager, wishes to fulfill to represent the aims of the organization through the journal.  Otherwise, the journal will turn out to be a hodgepodge of ideas and submissions that have no focus or any real purpose.

 

An editor is “responsible for the selection and preparation of material for publication” (Page, Campbell, and Meadow, 33); therefore, all editors must decide what “personality” they wish to create for this publication.  One of the best ways to clarify your vision is to look at many journals that are already in publication and think about what you like most about them.  What style and content do you want to see for your journal?  Also, talk to other journal editors.  Most are eager and willing to share what they have learned and will give you warnings about problems, which you may encounter.  See Resources for request form.

 

The first thing any new journal editor must do is to clarify the vision for the publication by asking him/herself and the journal’s editorial board many questions. 

 

q        What is the vision for this publication? 

q       What is the current policy governing this publication?

q       If there is no policy regarding the journal, what policy should be created in order to govern it? 

q       What is the purpose for having this journal—or how do I wish to change this journal that has been published for years to meet the needs of today? 

q       Is it to have pedagogical articles?      

q       Is it to have poetry and fiction? 

q       Will it have book reviews? 

q       Student work? 

q       Is it to contain all these things? 

q       Will it be refereed or not?  If so, by whom?

q       What is the budget to be? 

q       From what source(s) will that money come? 

q       What size is the journal to be:  8 ½" x 11”, 6” x 8 ½”, or another? 

q       How many pages? 

q       What quality of paper is to be used for the journal? 

q       How will it be bound?

q       How many copies are to be produced? 

q       How often will the journal be published—once a year, twice a year, four times a year, every other month? 

q       Will artwork be included?  If so, what kind?  Will it be in black-and-white or color or both?  Where will the artwork come from? 

 

When I became editor of Louisiana English Journal, I reinvented an already-in-progress journal, adding “New Series” after the title to divorce my issues from the preceding and to prepare the readers for changes in size, format, and content.  I also talked with Nell Jones, who was then editor of the New Mexico English Journal, and asked her as many questions about publishing a journal as I could think of at the time.  As I interrogated Nell concerning her editorial experiences, one of the most important pieces of information I got from her was a story about when she was ill, yet had to get an issue of the journal published.   When she was in the hospital with pneumonia, she was afraid that her journal was not going to be published because no articles had been submitted.  So, from her hospital room, she called some of the most prominent authors from New Mexico and, through their generosity and her hard work, had one of her best issues of the journal.  The Louisiana Council of Teachers of English had just published a literary map when I had this discussion with Nell, so I decided that our first journal would have work by as many of the contemporary authors who are featured on the map as I could possibly get.   Almost every single author whom I asked allowed me to print his/her work in this issue of the journal, which featured the work of two Pulitzer Prize winners, Shirley Ann Grau and Robert Olen Butler, as well as the work of John Ed Bradley, Pinkie Gordon Lane, David Madden, and James Wilcox.  The issue also featured pedagogical articles which discussed the writing of those authors along with that of other Louisiana authors—Ernest Gaines, Truman Capote, Kate Chopin, Harnett Kane, and Walker Percy.    What a thrill it was for me to correspond with contemporary Louisiana authors and receive their short stories, poems, and excerpts from novels, which I printed in the journal for our entire membership, as well as other readers, to enjoy.  Thank goodness, our creative artists are wonderfully generous with their creations!

 

Of course, when the next editor takes the helm of The Louisiana English Journal, I certainly expect that person to change the publication according to his/her vision, not to maintain mine.  Every publication, along with the mark of the organization it represents, must bear the personality and vision of its editor, and that particular imprint should drive and keep the publication healthy.  Without the creativity involved in the personal choices the editor is able to make, the journal would be mostly drudgework.   Furthermore, it is impossible to create a solid publication by committee or board.  Just as too many cooks can ruin a soup, too many voices will ruin the publication.  However, it is imperative that the editor responds to needs of the affiliate and, through the journal’s editorial board, receive input and guidance.   But final decisions regarding format, content and theme must be those of the editor, considering, of course, the budget within which the editor must work.  Being able to conceive an idea for a publication and bring it to life is one of the greatest joys any editor can have.  It makes the hours and hours of letter writing, communicating with the editorial board and writers, interconnecting all the various aspects of the journal, organizing for bulk mail, worrying about making ends meet, writing grants, etc. worthwhile.                                                                                               O.P.

 

 

Submissions:   Ask and Ye Shall Receive

You must be careful NOT to commit to publishing whatever is submitted.  All submissions will not be up to the guidelines and standards of the publication.  Editors should carry business cards with them wherever they go and be on the lookout for possible publishable articles.

 

College teachers receive rewards via tenure and promotion for their submissions which get published in refereed journals; therefore, most submissions will come from this group.  However, if the affiliate wishes to have submissions from elementary and secondary teachers, extra effort must be put forth in order to receive articles from these groups.  The more articles submitted, the stronger the publication will be.

 

If poetry and fiction are to be printed, along with pedagogical articles, an editor in charge of getting these submissions would be helpful.  It is helpful for this editor to be a poet or fiction writer or both.                                                                                                                                                             O.P.

 

Reaching Out to Writers

Many new journal editors approach the solicitation of articles with a “field of dreams” attitude:  build it and they will come; circulate a call for manuscripts and they will write. These hard-working editors take great care crafting themes for teachers to address and invest considerable money in copying, yet all too often their mailbox remains empty.

 

To attract quality manuscripts for your journal, you must seek writers out. As soon as I have a focus for an issue of California English in mind, I immediately begin to make a list of people I know who have interesting things to say about this subject.  I ask friends, Writing Project directors, California Association of Teachers of English board members, and anyone else I can think of for suggestions of possible contributors. I then contact these individuals and ask if they would write on the topic. No one has turned me down yet.   Some editors find it helpful to review programs from the NCTE annual meetings or the CCCC Convention to identify potential contributors.  See Resources for sample solicitation letter.

 

When Alfie Kohn, author of Punished by Rewards, said he didn’t have time, I asked him if he would agree to a phone interview. When I read an outstanding short essay by Nadine Gordimer for a censorship issue of the magazine, I wrote to her editor for permission to reprint without payment. When a friend left the high school classroom to embark on the long and winding road to a Ph.D. in Latina literature, I asked her to write about her decision for the many teachers who ponder pursuing such a dream. Every one of these writers said, “Yes,” and thanked me for asking.

 

Wherever I go—to conferences, meetings, wherever teachers gather—I always have in the back of my head my latest call for manuscripts. If the subject I have chosen is a burning issue in English education, the conversation often turns in this direction, and I find it the most natural thing in the world to suggest to a new friend that he or she write up what we have been talking about for California English. I always have cards with my contact information on hand.  Some editors have found it helpful to set up a table at the state conference with samples of past journals and calls for manuscripts.

 

What doesn’t seem to work is simply inviting teachers to send in whatever they happen to be writing. Somehow this request is too generic for busy teachers to translate into action. I have visited many teacher researcher groups begging them to send me their papers, whatever the subject, but rarely receive a response. Direct appeals for a specific article addressing a defined subject seem to work best.

 

Classroom teachers receive little or no professional reward for publishing. As a result, even those who would like to write are seldom able to set aside professional time to put hands to keyboard, so far too many of the powerful teaching ideas never get past the classroom door simply for lack of time to get them down on paper. Try to search out teachers employing novel practices and ask them to describe their work. It often helps novice writers to show them a copy of your journal both as an incentive (imagine your name here!) and as a guide to the tone and length you expect.

 

You may be thinking that this kind of outreach was never part of your job description as journal editor. I’m sure it wasn’t. But it is the best way to insure that you have a selection of articles to choose from when the time comes to put your magazine together. My strongest issues have been the ones where I was deluged with submissions and had to make some very difficult decisions about which pieces to include, which to request permission to shorten, and which pieces to reject.

 

You may find that first-time writers you encouraged and published feel confident enough to submit a second piece on their own. They begin checking out your Call for Manuscripts to see if something there calls to them to reply. It is an extraordinary feeling to know you have helped a colleague grow as a writer. You might also want to consider inviting a keen new writer to become a columnist. The benefit for an editor is that you have one page of the magazine assuredly filled each issue. The benefit for the writer is that he or she develops a long-term relationship with readers. In California English I have included columns on political/legislative issues and on California writers. Other columns I have seen editors employ include: practical classroom ideas, teachers’ creative writing, student work, new teachers’ issues, humor in the classroom, guest authors. You might also think about offering a column to a teacher you know who is a terrific stylist. Imagine if you had discovered a writer like Susan Ohanian in your midst and were the first to offer her a forum!                                                       

C.J.

 

Calls for Manuscripts

When I took on the job as editor of California English, I spent a lot of time talking with anyone whose ear I could borrow about the kind of topics I should include in a Call for Manuscripts.  Some journals are totally un-themed while others combine themed articles with generic ones.  Stephen Krashen suggested I forget about themes altogether. “You don’t need them, Carol. I mean, when did you ever see a doctor’s journal focusing on the pancreas?” He had a point. But I decided that even if the journal didn’t need a theme to attract submissions, I needed a focus in order to conceive of each issue as a slightly separate entity.   I also had the idea that in some cases copies of a journal might become a kind of reader for teachers on a particular topic. Were I able to persuade writers from various points of view to submit articles, the journal could provide a forum for the exploration of ideas, which members of CATE could participate in without ever leaving their armchairs. This was my editor’s dream.

                Inevitably, the calls for manuscript worked best when the topic was controversial. “Protocols of Reading,” “Talking About Tracking,” and “A National Booklist?” all attracted a broad range of articles, which invited readers to make up their own minds about where they stand on the issue. In each case I got on the phone and asked key thinkers—Jeannie Oakes, Sheridan Blau, Jim Strickland, Ken Goodman, Bill Honig—to submit articles on their area of expertise.   Here is what those three calls for manuscripts looked like:

 

“Protocols of Reading”

Taking the view that “all the world’s a text,” Robert Scholes had written that “Reading, while it may be a kind of action, is not the whole of the action but a part of it, remaining incomplete unless and until it is absorbed and transformed in the thoughts and deeds of readers.” What is reading and what ought it to be? How do you help your students to read the word and the world? What role has reading played in your own life?

 

“Talking about Tracking”

In pursuit of equity for all students, many schools have dismantled their tracking systems. How has your English department responded to the controversy over ability grouping? Have new configurations made a difference for teachers, for curriculum, for children? What questions about tracking have surfaced since Jeanne Oakes first brought the issue into focus?

 

“A  National Book List?”

Many who read the NCTE/IRA Standards for Language Arts wonder about the absence of recommended readings. Should we as a profession create a supplementary document listing books we believe students should read? Arthur Applebee’s research demonstrates that there is, in fact, a short list of books commonly taught in this country. Would the creation of our own list help to bring new works into classrooms? Do you see inherent dangers in the creation of a national list?

               

On occasion you may find that you receive an article out of the blue, which stimulates a whole call for manuscripts. The issue on tracking began with a piece that was sent to me by a teacher angry at how a student of hers had been ill-served by his placement in a heterogeneous classroom.

 

The call for manuscripts that attracted more submissions than any other was the following one on poetry:

 

“Speaking Poetry”

Whose poetry do your students copy into their journals? Which books do they borrow and omit to return? How do you "teach" poetry? What are the principles that guide you? How do you help students to write their own poetry? Have you found magical models that always work? Whose poetry do you read for pleasure and always pass on to your students?

 

I never could have imagined that these seven questions would result in forty essays, but they did. A few of the submissions were feeble re-workings of papers that had been submitted in a graduate class, but most were fresh and exciting explorations about the place of poetry in a teacher’s life. Choosing from among them was both a joy and a nightmare. I intend to repeat this call for manuscripts.

 

One mistake I made in the selection process for this poetry issue was to accept a few manuscripts with the caveat that though I did not have room for them now, I would publish them later. But later never came. Inevitably future issues filled up with essays particular to their own theme, and I was unable to find space for the “left-over” poetry articles. It felt awful to write back to these teachers and tell them that I had changed my mind.

 

A place to start when looking for ideas about Calls for Manuscripts is in the “Future Issues” section of other affiliates’ journals. I don’t know anyone who is possessive about such things. The NCTE Information Exchange is an agreement that permits the member publications to republish each other’s articles. See Resources for a copy of this document. NCTE affiliate, assembly, and TYCA editors also periodically receive copies of current and past Calls for Manuscripts from journals across the country.  Calls for Manuscripts can also be sent out, not only through NCTE, but through the organizations’ newsletter, on the organization‘s web site, and to each college and university in the state.  You can also post on the web site: www.english.upenn.edu/CFP/.   See also the NCTE site: http://www.ncte.org/about/over/nty/man                                                                                     

C.J.

 

 

Submission Guidelines

Editors must be sure to stipulate quite succinctly the guidelines by which they wish submitters to their publication to abide.  The following list gives the basics according to Journal Publishing by Page, Campbell, and Meadows:

 

 

Also be sure to ask for return postage and an addressed envelope with which to return the proofs or to send a rejection letter.                                                                                                                   

O.P.

 

Style

The editor and the editorial board should come to terms with decisions regarding the accepted language for the publications.  Decisions should be made regarding the following (as well as others):  apostrophe or an apostrophe and an s after a one-syllable word ending in s to form possessives; choice of singular pronouns:  use of he/she or just he or just she or what; whether or not periods will be used with abbreviations such as M.A.; whether or not to capitalize the word Black when used for race; use of MLA or another format; whether to use titles such as Dr., Mr., or Ms.; the need for uniformity with non-sexist language; use of formal, standard English—no clichés or slang; whether or not to include a comma before the conjunction with a series, etc.   The journal’s editorial board must be in agreement with such language decisions and knowledgeable about them all.                                                                                                                 

O.P.

 

Artwork/Photographs/Paper/Bindings/Covers

First of all, the editor needs to decide whether or not artwork and/or photographs will be used in the journal and whether these will be in color or black-and-white. Remember, color comes with a higher cost; therefore, the affiliate’s budget for the journal will possibly dictate some of this.  Furthermore, the editor must come to terms with how the pictures and/or artwork will be acquired.  Some printers prefer the artwork to be on slides while others prefer prints.  (Caution:  The editor should be careful to examine the quality of photographic reproduction since there is much variety in the quality of reproduction.)  The editor must also decide whether he/she will be responsible for getting the pictures and/or artwork or will assign this task to someone else.  Of course, the artwork/photographs should complement the content; therefore, whoever is responsible for these must be knowledgeable about the theme of each issue.

 

Quality of paper must also be considered.  The editor should examine different weights and textures, always being aware of the cost of these, before deciding upon the paper to be used for the publication. The printer will ask you what weight the paper in the journal should be.  The editor needs to consider the different weights available, looking at and examining closely whether or not there is bleed-through (copy from one side can be seen on the other) and the variations of color of white/ivory.

 

Furthermore, there is a range of bindings for the journal.  Sewn is the most expensive and is not offered by all printers.  “Unsewn ‘perfect’ binding with the fold cut off and the edges glued is around 30 per cent less expensive” (Page, Campbell, and Meadows 111).    Saddle stitch binding holds the journal together by means of staples, which can be used for slim issues (Page, Campbell, and Meadows, 112).  It is important for the editor to examine copies of journals with the various bindings that can be provided by the printer and note the different costs of each before deciding upon a binding for the publication.                                                                               

O.P.

 

The appearance of a journal can be greatly enhanced by artwork. California English is a 32-page publication (8.5”x 11”) with 8 pages of color, so I am in the enviable position of being able to reproduce professional artwork without distortion. Typically I feature one artist per magazine and attempt to match the artist’s style or themes with the focus of the journal.  If carefully chosen, the artwork provides a subtext to the writing.  I am not at all sure that readers see the same connections I do between the text and artwork, but it gives me enormous creative pleasure to compose in this way. 

 

A cover that immediately identifies itself for readers is a state map or logo.  Highlighting the themes on the cover may motivate some readers to open the cover.

 

It has not been at all difficult finding artists willing to have their work featured. I began by approaching the art teachers at my high school and then tapped their friends who were professional artists. Whenever I hear that a colleague has a wife, son, or long-lost uncle who is an artist, I ask them to have their relative send me slides.  Mark Zemelman, whose artwork appeared in the “Talking about Tracking” issue, is the son of Steve Zemelman, director of the Illinois Writing Project.

 

Though we have no budget to pay artists, no one has yet turned down the chance to have their work showcased in this manner.  I do provide the artist with extra copies of the journal for their own portfolio or distribution.  I have opted for artwork over photography in California English partly because I feel ours is not a particularly photogenic profession.  Pictures of students reading or of teachers gathered happily at a conference just don’t seem to add much to the aesthetic quality of the journal.

 

Typically artists I contact send me about a dozen slides of their work from which I then choose for the cover and accompanying illustrations (usually five to six).  The cost of having these slides put on disk runs about $40 an issue. I always include a short biographical piece on the artist, a photograph of the artist, and occasionally an artist’s statement.

 

I must say that finding artists to feature—visiting their studios, learning about their work—has been an unexpected pleasure for me as editor.                                                                               

C.J.

 

               

Louisiana English Journal (LEJ) is an 88-page journal that comes out twice a year.  The cover is color on glossy paper, but the inside has black-and-white non-glossy art reproductions.  I chose the 8.5 x 11” format, like NCTE’s English Journal.  To me, it is a comfortable size—easy to carry and easy to read.  The artwork has been both paintings and photography, but, like Carol Jago, I prefer art over photographs of classrooms and teachers.

 

I have asked the artists who are among the best-known Louisiana artists and photographers to allow me to use their work in LEJ—Floyd Sonnier; George Rodrigue; C.C. Lockwood; Philip Gould; Elemore Morgan, Sr.; and Frances Pavy.  None of these people asked for a penny (nor were they paid one), and all seemed delighted to share their work in an attractive publication (attractive primarily because of these talented artists).   For allowing me to publish their beautiful art, they received a few copies of the journal to keep and to share with others.  I also devote the inside of the front cover to the artist—a picture and a short biography, and an address by which readers can purchase their work.

 

In order to get some of Louisiana’s best known artists, I often watch for notices of artists who are appearing at book signings at book stores or for shows of their work and ask them in person (it’s harder to turn down someone in person than on the telephone).   I also go to their galleries as well. I like to talk with people personally when possible and to show them past issues of the journal, so these visual people can see what will happen to their work.  Usually, I simply ask an artist whose work, I think, will enhance the theme of a particular issue to send me six to ten slides or photographs of the work.  Then I fit his/her work within the journal.  See Resources for sample artwork permission form.

 

By means of a Louisiana Division of the Arts Grant, two issues of Louisiana English Journal were enhanced and had their theme underscored by the photographs of a professional photographer/university art professor who was assigned to make artful photographs on Technical Writing and on Food and Literature.  He was paid with grant money for this work (about $100 per photograph).   However, for these issues the photographer/art professor was given an assignment:  1) photograph things that look technical—patterns of wheels, gears, electrical parts, etc. and 2) photograph things that bring to mind food and literature.  He delivered some very interesting photographs.  In the technical writing issue the cover shows a man in a lab coat using a computer on a desk in front of an industrial plant; within the issue there are photographs of words projected on a man’s body, the inner workings of a computer, jumbled electronic parts, a computer lab that has twenty-five computer screens saying “Technical Writing” and a neon outline of a man in the back of the room.   I have especially enjoyed having an art professor take a literary idea and come back with images of it for the journal.  The issues are more provocative because of this.  However, without the grant, I would have not felt that I could have afforded the luxury of assigning an artist to create artwork to fit a particular issue.  See Resources for sample of photography permission form.

 

I have also had LEJ readers submit photographs.  I especially enjoy involving as many people as possible.  Some editors take advantage of the clip art available to journalism schools and newspapers that may be used without copyright infringement.                                                

O.P.

 

 

Staff Organization:  Getting Talented People to Help

 

Once the decisions regarding format, language, artwork, and content have been made, the staff needs to be organized and deadlines must be set.  The editor should once again examine many journals and note the differences among the staffs.  Usually, it is best to have one person in charge: co-editors could find it difficult to divide and separate tasks, causing problems for the staff as well as the two editors.  Editorial assistants, copy editors, review editors, poetry editors, etc. must be decided upon.   

 

               

When I started editing Louisiana English Journal in 1992, I structured the staff with an Editor (who would oversee the entire publication), an Associate Editor (who would help with subscriptions, bulk mail, and some of the other organizational chores), an Editorial Board (three people who would referee all submissions to the journal), and a Copy Editor (who would carefully proofread the journal in its entirety).  All of those staff members, except for the Associate Editor, have remained on board, doing almost exactly what they did eight years ago—twice a year for little praise and no profit—just a mutual goal and love of the language, the profession, and Louisiana.  In addition to those staff members, I have added several staff members to take over some of the work that I primarily handled in the beginning but also additional elements which were added to the journal over the years.  These people are all volunteers who primarily do the work from their homes, and none receives any benefits other that the joy each gets from working on a publication.  (I feed them at my house for a brainstorming session for each issue, but that’s about the only “perk” they get.)  The entire current LEJ staff is as follows: