Jill Odom
Sports Editor
The Rubicon and The Creative Writing Guild have united to host a writing workshop for students on Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 4-5 p.m. in Room 267 Smith Hall.
Students are encouraged to bring whatever pieces they want to work on from creative fiction to poetry to non-fiction.
The writing workshop will begin with English professor Michael Orlofsky speaking to students about how they can improve their writing.
After Orlofsky’s short talk, Rubicon and Creative Writing Guild members will pair up to look at students’ work. Students are asked to bring two printed copies of whatever piece they want looked at.
The purpose of the workshop is not fixing grammar or mechanics, but rather looking at content, appropriateness, and clarity in the work. Students who do have a lot of surface errors will be redirected to the Writing Center in Eldridge Hall.
“The workshop is not for professionals,” said editor-in-chief of The Rubicon Naomi Perez, a senior English major from Enterprise.
“You’re not meant to come to this workshop bringing in polished work. I encourage students to come because they’re sharing their works with fellow writers and so we are just as vulnerable as they are. This is supposed to be an exchange of ideas in a non-confrontational, non-judgmental way.”
The workshop is for any student who wants to have his or her work looked at, not just those wishing to submit to The Rubicon.
“We have been advertising it, and I, in my correspondence, have been encouraging those who do come that once they get some feedback on their work and revise that they submit it to The Rubicon,” said Perez.
The deadline for submissions to The Rubicon is Friday, Feb. 28. Students can submit up to three works of their choice.
“Coming to the workshop is no guarantee of being published, but rather it’s kind of a chance to share your work and get general feedback before submitting it,” Perez said.
The Rubicon is spotlighting veterans in this semester’s issue. Due to this focus, veterans get priority when it comes down to whose story gets published.
“What we’re trying to do is give veterans a voice to talk about whatever they want talk about,” Perez said. “If they want to talk about their experience as a veteran, that’s fine. If they just want to talk about their experience in general, that’s fine. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a war poem or a war short story.”
Possible future spotlights include local high school students’ works and Troy University alumni.
The Rubicon is a small publication and publishes no more than 10 pieces per genre.
The Rubicon’s launch is tentatively set for April 28, but may change to another day in late April or early May. The event will take place in Troy this year.
There will be readings by faculty and students, along with performances by instrumental and vocal groups.
Students who wish to support The Rubicon should attend the launch and other events, read The Rubicon, follow it on social media, and simply spread awareness of it by word of mouth.
“The more interest we get, usually the bigger our staff,” Perez said. “The more people who care about The Rubicon the more it can grow.”
