Students Invited to Contribute to The Bluestone Review
Photograph provided by Rampage student writer Savannah Taylor.
Another spring is approaching, and with it another publication of The Bluestone Review, our university’s literary magazine. Students are welcome to submit creative works such as stories, plays, creative nonfiction, poetry, photography, art, songs, and other such works. Works can be submitted to the review by emailing bluestone@bluefield.edu or visiting BU’s website until the deadline of March 1.
The Bluestone Review serves as a creative outlet for not only the local community but even contributors across the country. In addition to this, the Review is also an opportunity for Bluefield University’s own students to gain experience in editing and organizing manuscripts with a focus on both literary and visual elements, including graphic design. The Bluestone Review also serves as an English internship, where students can earn up to three hours of credit, or a student can simply join as a volunteer team member.
In fact, the biggest goal for the review, according to Dr. Irene Rieger, faculty member overseeing the review, is to give students who work on the review valuable experience and education.
“My biggest goal is always to give our students the best education and experience I possibly can,” Dr. Rieger said. “The Bluestone is their baby. They make all the decisions about accepting or declining submissions, layout, cover art, etc. Some students work on the Bluestone for three or four years straight, and they grow through this process.”
Not only does Dr. Rieger say it is the biggest goal of the Review, but her own joy in advising for the publication.
“The best part about advising for Bluestone is watching my students grow in skill and confidence through the process,” Dr. Rieger said.
Confidence is a common theme throughout the Review; just ask Liberty Wolf, one of the students who works on the Review.
“I think that having a creative outlet such as The Bluestone Review is important because it gives students an opportunity to put their work out there,” Wolf said, “which could in turn give them a confidence boost when seeing their poems, short stories, etc. on paper with other amazing works.”
Finally, Dr. Rieger urges students to take part in the valuable experience of submitting to the Review.
“To those who are on the fence about submitting or collaborating in other ways, I would say that they have nothing to lose,” Dr. Rieger said. “Stephen King says the only way to become a better writer is by reading and writing; there’s no shortcut. I think the same thing is true of publication; there are some things we can only really learn by attempting to do them. If you have always secretly harbored a desire to see your creative work in print, now is your opportunity!”
In addition to releasing a hard copy print edition of the publication, of which contributors will receive a copy, The Bluestone Review will also have a reception on campus later this spring, where contributors are welcome to share their work.
Students who wish to become involved in the Review this year or in the future may contact Dr. Rieger at irieger@bluefield.edu