Words & Images, the annual literary and art magazine from USM has opened its submission period for the 2005 issue. From now until Dec. 31, the staff will be accepting submissions of previously unpublished prose, poetry, and prints of artwork for the new edition.
Words & Images is in its 24th year and headed by publishing director Victor Wyatt, a senior English major with women’s studies, education, and creative writing minors. Wyatt came on as publishing director in September, which is traditionally late, but he and his staff are prepared for an exciting edition.
“We are anticipating as many submissions as last year,” said Wyatt, comparing this year to last year’s record of nearly 400 submissions. “Already we have 65 poetry submissions, 15 fiction, and 15 submissions for the contests.”
The Stephen Dunn Poetry Award and the Andre Dubus Short Fiction Award are the awards for two contests Words & Images is holding for the second year in a row as ways to increase the amount of submissions and recognize superior writing. To be considered for the contest, people submitting their work must also include a $12 reading fee. The award recipients will receive special recognition in the 2005 edition, a congratulatory nod at the release event in the spring, as well as a monetary prize.
Last year Words & Images went national, accepting submissions from outside of New England. They also experienced record sales with distribution through local bookstores such as Casco Bay Books, and national distribution. The award deadlines are also advertised in national publications such as The Writers Chronicle, and on their Web site www.wordsandimages.org.
Wyatt credits much of the current successes of Words & Images to former publishing director Robin Talbot, who graduated last spring. “She was a one-woman show,” he said. Wyatt and his staff, including poetry editors Keith Foster and Ezra Koch, Literary Editor Tony Luchini, and associate publishing directors Brian Farrell and Sandra Rivard (who is also the public relations director and last year’s student commencement speaker), office manager and submissions director James Whitten, returning production designer Mark Ford and part-time office manager Sarah Scelding anticipate a strong year, with a major goal to make the magazine more accessible to students and others.
“My biggest fear for Words & Images was that it was too removed from the face of the student,” Wyatt said. “We want to de-artify our image. We don’t want just high-brow aesthetics. We want a looser, person-on-the-street feel. … Our priority is to the students.” This plan combines well with the notable, yet as of yet top-secret, prospects for the interviews for the volume. Last year’s featured Mystic River author Dennish Lehane, artist William Pope L. and poet Adrienne Rich. Wyatt feels that the combination of “de-artifying” and keeping a high standard for quality will make the magazine more accessable, enjoyable, less pretentious, yet still literary.
New to the 2005 edition will be a multi-page spread of a featured notable artist. Although it is hard to determine a central theme for the edition before all the submissions have been read, the Words & Images staff plan the art section to combine art with words, truly integrating words and images.
Fundraising plans have already begun for an event with WMPG in January. The event will combine musical acts with spoken-word and/or performance art.
Words & Images Submission Criteria
Deadline: Dec. 31
FICTION and POETRY:
Authors are limited to a total of three submissions. All submissions must be previously unpublished. Please make sure that your name appears only on the first page of each double-spaced manuscript.
ART:
Submissions will be accepted in three forms:
Photographic Print: minimum of 5×7 and maximum of 8×10
35mm slides
Digital File: We will accept images on CD. For optimum reproducibility, the file must be at least 300 dpi, in CMYK color, and in. tiff format, with the greater dimension being equal to approximately 7.5 inches.
FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS:
A personal information sheet must be attached, and should contain the following information: Title of work, your name, address, phone, e-mail, the name and location of the institution with which you are affiliated (if appropriate), and a short biography of approximately 50 words (written in the third person). Work unaccompanied by this information will not be reviewed.
Submissions of previously unpublished prose of 20 pages or less, poetry of 10 pages or less, and prints of artwork can be sent via mail to Words & Images, 11 Baxter Blvd., PO Box 9300, Portland, ME 04104-9300. They may also be dropped off to the Words & Images office at 11 Baxter Blvd. Remember to include a $12 reading fee in the form of a check made out to Words & Images if you are interested for consideration for one of the awards.