If you are feeling creative and want to showcase your work to the entire Goshen College community, “Red Cents” is offering the opportunity. Submissions are open through March 8.

 

Going into its 14th year of publication, “Red Cents” is the campus literary arts journal that “showcases student writing, visual art and graphic design,” according to its webpage.

 

The journal was proposed by Rosanna Nafziger Henderson ’06 in 2004 and first published in 2005 through Pinchpenny Press, a publishing imprint of Goshen College.

 

Each year, Ann Hostetler, professor of English, guides an editorial board in the selection and editing procedures of the journal.

 

Elsa Lantz, a senior and one of two 2018-19 Horswell Fellows, a managerial fellowship through the English department, is this year’s editor of “Red Cents.”

 

“Last year, I worked on the board as a literary editor, so I have some experience with the magazine and know how the process works,” said Lantz. “I’m also involved because I enjoy getting to see the magazine come together. It’s exciting seeing all the submissions that come in.”

 

Siana Emery, a junior and the other 2018-19 Horswell Fellow, was the design editor of the journal last year. While she won’t be involved with the publication process this time around, she knows she will submit.

 

“I do plan on submitting some of my creative writing,” said Emery. “It’s a good opportunity to share my work.”

 

Red Cents is no stranger to accolades, having won six awards from the Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) in 2018.

 

Two of those six ICPA awards went to senior Christi Sessa for their contribution to the Short Poem category as well as Madeline Gerig Shelly ’17 and sophomore Laura Miller in the Best Form Poem category.

 

Jessica Baldanzi, professor of English, admires the amount of commitment put into the annual literary journal.

 

“I love how the students make it their own every year,” said Baldanzi. “Each year, it’s different but always an impressive representation of the range of student artistic voices on campus.”

 

Lantz agrees.

 

“It’s awesome to see how much talent there is in our campus community,” she said.

 

As someone who actively volunteered to edit “Red Cents,” Lantz acknowledges that the selection process is tricky because some pieces are not chosen, but it is still rewarding overall.

 

“There won’t be many opportunities outside of campus to get things published so easily,” said Lantz. “It can be hard to get work published in magazines in ‘the real world.’ Aside from this being a potential outlet for success, students should submit their work because they’re proud of what they’ve created and want to share it with the campus.”

 

Emery encourages all students to step outside of their comfort zones and take a chance, even if they are not sure about submitting work.

 

“No matter what your area of study is, you should submit to ‘Red Cents,’” she said. “You have ideas that are worth being shared.”

 

The “Red Cents” board is currently looking for original poetry (under 50 lines), flash fiction (500-word limit), short stories (1500-word limit), play scenes, comics, photography and art.

 

All submissions must be received by March 8 and sent to elsakl@goshen.edu.