One of the greatest challenges for any writer is to find an outlet for his or her work.

With limited options, this challenge often escalates into frustration.

Four Iowa State English graduate students understood the need for a creative outlet and took the initiative to tap the market in Ames. The result is “Knotgrass.”

“[Knotgrass] is an online creative journal that focuses on publishing the creative work in any genre,” Ander Monson, founding editor, said. “It is our attempt to fill a creative gap in the ISU community. There is not much as far as creative student publications.”

Monson, who edited and built a Web site for a literary journal last year, wanted to create a similar project for ISU. To avoid the high costs of publishing, Monson decided online was the path to follow.

Joining Monson in his efforts are Mary Ann Hudson (poetry editor), Carolyn J. Kelly and Sarah Squire (fiction editor). The publication is financed by a focus grant, GSB and assistance from “The Writers’ Bloc,” another student-run publication.

Although all of the editors are graduate students in the English department, they don’t consider “Knotgrass” linked to the department.

“We are trying to cross the boards and to tear down the ivory tower,” Monson said. “A lot of student literary publications don’t do that.”

In order to “cross the boards,” “Knotgrass” editors seek a variety of topics and accept submissions from all ISU students.

“We are always accepting submissions in any creative medium,” according to the “Knotgrass” Web site. “This includes ‘typical’ literary genres (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction) as well as interdisciplinary, electronic (hypertext poetry or fiction, for instance) and visual work (art, photography — slides only, please).”

“[Submissions] are chosen on the creative merits of work,” Monson said. “We want to publish people who have never been published before. It can be a very daunting task, but we would like to see this become a real alternative for publication.”

Submissions for “Knotgrass” are accepted in three ways: mail (Knotgrass, c/o Ander Monson, 227 N. Russell, Ames, IA 50010), through a drop-off box (206 Ross Hall) and e-mail ([email protected]).

The editors of “Knotgrass” also request that writers include a brief submission about themselves and a self-addressed stamped envelope for those who want their slides and manuscripts returned.

“Knotgrass” can be found at www.public.iastate.edu/~stu_org/Bloc/knotgrass and will be updated in three weeks.