Iowa State’s Sketch magazine — a literary journal that publishes students’ poetry, prose, lyrics, artwork and other creative works — is an excellent way for students to get their names in print, said Sue Tatro, executive director of Sketch.

Over the 30-year life of the magazine, it has published over 6,000 short stories, 12,000 poems and 6,000 works of art by students, said Barbara Haas, the advisor of Sketch. “Some of the students [who have had their works published in Sketch) have gone on to be professional] writers,” Haas added.

Linda Morganstein, a temporary instructor and 1989 graduate of ISU in creative writing, agreed. “The first couple of things that I had had published were in Sketch,” she said. “It was nice to see my name in print, a boost to keep going.”

Steve Pett, an associate professor in English and the previous advisor of Sketch, said it is “one of the best student-run magazines I have been around.

“It serves as an important incentive for the students to put a little more into their work.”

Pett said it is “very, very hard” for students to get published. He said a friend of his who runs a small magazine receives over 1,200 works each year, but only publishes about 30 to 40.

“It is a pretty crowded arena,” Pett said.

Sketch magazine is funded by the Student Union Board. Collegiate literary journals are “fairly common things, but we are lucky to have good funding from SUB. That helps us produce such a good publication,” Tatro said.

Sketch magazine hopes to have two editions this year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Submissions for the fall edition must be received by Oct. 31.

Both ISU graduate and undergraduate student works are welcomed and appreciated, Tatro said.

“I wouldn’t want to scare people away by saying we are discerning, but we do publish good things,” Tatro said.

To submit works, students may e-mail Tatro at: [email protected], or leave their works in the Sketch drop box in the English Department mail room.

The Sketch editorial staff will then read the works and decide which qualify for publication.

Students interested in joining the editorial or support staff for Sketch may contact Tatro at 294-2180 or the faculty advisor for Sketch, Barbara Haas, at 294-1966.