In one form or another, Minnesota State University has published a literary magazine for many years.
Previous titles have included Medicine Jug, The Muse and Minnesota River Review. Known as the Blue Earth Review since 2003, the magazine recently released Volume VI, a more professional, polished, 119-page collection of prose, poetry and artwork featuring a fresh layout and a new logo. After losing its funding last year, it’s something of a miracle that the current edition of the Review came out at all.
“Last spring the Student Allocation Committee decided that the Blue Earth Review didn’t serve enough students,” said managing editor Bronson Lemer, who also is Currents clerk at The Free Press.
As a result of that decision, funding for the literary magazine evaporated.
Lemer admits that he can’t quite fathom why the committee opted not to fund the publication.
“It really is a learning tool for students. So many students benefit from working on the magazine,” he said. “They’re able to get hands-on experience with editing, layout design, and photography, all experiences they’ll be able to use later on in their careers.”
Lemer also believes that in addition to being a good opportunity for students, a literary magazine such as the Blue Earth Review gives both local and national writers another publishing possibility to explore and is an excellent way to promote MSU to potential creative writing students.
A third-year creative writing student in the Master of Fine Arts Program, Lemer is well acquainted with what students want in a writing program.
“We all have our own styles and tastes, but as long as it’s good writing, that’s our goal,” he said.
Faced with the daunting task of putting out a quality magazine without the funding the staff expected, Lemer and his team of editors went to work. By using funds left over from the previous year as well as donations, they were able to produce a high quality magazine brimming with excellent writing. Included in the current issue is an interview with nationally known poet Gary Soto, as well as poems that Soto wrote specifically for the magazine.
“One of our editors is a fan of Soto’s,” Lemer said. “He contacted him and got him to agree to an interview.”
One of the major factors in improving the overall look of the magazine happened after Lemer and his staff joined forces with a mass communication class. The class came up with design ideas that helped “take us to a new level,” Lemer said.“We knew we were at a place where we could all move up.”
Such innovative thinking was all part of Lemer’s managing style. He began the year with hopes of taking the Blue Earth Review beyond southern Minnesota to a more national level.
With well-placed advertisements in several writing publications, Lemer more than reached his goal. Over the past year he’s seen submissions come in not only from local writers but also from such far flung places as California, the Deep South and Europe.
“The more people who know about us, the better,” Lemer firmly states.
Unfortunately, funding for the upcoming school year has again been denied by the Student Allocation Committee, a decision that Lemer is currently appealing. But even without university funding, he remains upbeat about the future of the Blue Earth Review.
“I’m optimistic that grants and donations will be able to support the magazine in the future,” he said. “We have big plans for it. I’m sure it will go on.”
As Lemer’s tenure as managing editor comes to an end and he prepares to hand over the reigns to fellow staff member Ande Davis, he has nothing but good words to say about his time on the magazine.
“I have really enjoyed it,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s something I’ve always been interested in.”
Davis plans to continue with Lemer’s vision while adding a few goals of his own.
“I want to revamp the Web site and make it more unique and user friendly,” he said. “I’m really proud of the current magazine and want to continue with the consistency we have right now.”
For more Free Press news, go to http://www.mankatofreepress.com/
Email this article | Permanent link | Topstories news | Topstories news archives
Minnesota State
University, Mankato
Mankato, MN 56001
1-800-722-0544
© 2005-2013 Minnesota State University, Mankato. Minnesota State University, Mankato is a member of
Minnesota State Colleges & Universities system and an affirmative action/equal opportunity university.
