Are you a creative writer or artist? If the answer is yes, then this is the perfect opportunity for you to submit your work for the chance of it being published in the 73rd edition of Ohio Northern University’s undergraduate literary magazine, Polaris.
What is Polaris?
What started as a small, 24-page booklet has evolved over the past 60 years to become a professional literary magazine. Polaris is distributed to readers across the country annually and has received national recognition on several occasions in the past few years.
Dr. Jennifer Pullen, the current advisor of Polaris and Associate Director of the Creative Writing program at Ohio Northern University, was involved in a literary magazine in both undergraduate and graduate school and continues her passion for literary publication by guiding the current generation of college students to produce their own volume of print.
“It was a great way to build community, learn more about creative writing, and at the end of the semester, have a physical object to show my family and say, look, I helped make this!” Dr. Pullen said, speaking of her own experiences in literary publications. “The sense of accomplishment was huge. I’m proud to help make a similar moment possible for ONU students.”
Dr. Pullen meets with her students once a week to discuss strategies for editing, create promotional materials, devise a production schedule, and review incoming submissions.
“Students who take part in Polaris learn a lot about running a magazine, a sense of professional accomplishment, and concrete skills,” she stated.
Involvement with Polaris allows you to obtain paid editorial positions, earn up to three credit hours (ENGL 2511: Magazine Publishing Practicum), gain professional experience and celebrate the accomplishment of completing a year-long project with your peers.
Submit Your Work
From now until February 1st, all undergraduate students can submit up to three of their creative pieces to the literary magazine. Applicants can send in work under the categories of poetry, visual art, fiction, and non-fiction. These pieces cannot have been previously published by another organization or else they will not be accepted. You can find additional guidelines and submission forms here.
One of the most exciting aspects of this opportunity is that the top two submissions for each category receive cash prizes, with first place winning $50 and second place $25.
Whether your writing gets selected for publication or not, know that it takes a tremendous amount of courage to submit your personal, creative work to an organization. No matter the outcome, Polaris advises all writers and artists to continue pursuing their passions and share their work with the world.
“I think everyone who has an interest in publishing and/or writing should join Polaris or submit their work,” says Orionna Howard, Senior Co-Editor in Chief. “It allows undergraduate students to get their work out there and learn about the publishing process.”
You are highly encouraged to submit your artwork, poetry, stories, and non-fiction to Polaris. We are looking forward to the possibility of your content being published in the magazine!
If you would like to join Polaris to become a staff member or submit one of your creative works, visit the publication’s official website to find more in-depth information.
In the words of Dr. Pullen, “Anyone who likes writing or reading, either for fun, or future professionalization, can gain a lot from joining Polaris as a club or a class, as well as submitting work.”
For updates, inspiration, and fun writing prompts, be sure to follow Polaris on Instagram (@onupolaris) and you can reach out to Dr. Jennifer Pullen for questions and additional information.
