Publishing & Editing
Careers in the publishing industry are on the rise—and Roanoke College’s concentration in publishing and editing can help you gain entry to this growing field. As one of the first programs of its kind in the region, this concentration offers a mix of real-world learning and academic explorations that can place you at the forefront of your competition for jobs or graduate school.
In addition to taking coursework in publishing, editing, business administration, English, creative writing, or art, you have the opportunity to meet publishing professionals, earn credit by serving on the editorial staff of the nationally renowned literary journal Roanoke Review, or apply for an off-campus publishing internship. Other hands-on experiences include working for the student newspaper, the Brackety-Ack, and the student literary magazine, On Concept’s Edge.
Faculty members are actively involved in publishing/editing communities and can connect you to opportunities in the field. Roanoke’s low student-to-teacher ratio also ensures that every student gets individualized attention and guidance.
We offer a concentration in publishing and editing.
“Roanoke Review was such an enriching part of my life! I learned so much about the publishing industry, how to manage a staff, and how to get my work as a writer out there. My poems got better, and a lot more of them got published once I learned what editors were looking for. ”
Emily Degn ‘22
Work on a renowned publication
Roanoke Review, a national publication of literary fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, and art, was founded in 1967 by Roanoke College student Edward A. Tedeschi and professor Henry Taylor, who went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 1986. For over half a century, the Review has established itself as a home for new and established authors writing in both traditional and experimental forms.
Roanoke Review has a student staff of about 20 people, including managing editors, social media managers, events coordinators, interviewers, and acquisition editors. Students from any academic discipline are eligible to work at the Review—and all students who serve on the staff earn course credit.
Student staff members of Roanoke Review have gone on to careers in publishing, editing, event planning, and social media management. The training and real-world experiences you gain by working on a renowned publication not only make great additions to your resume, but they also allow you to face the challenges of the job market with confidence in your own skills.
For information about joining the staff of Roanoke Review through Roanoke College’s internship program, contact Mary Crockett Hill, mchill@roanoke.edu.
Lauren Harrison '07, is one of youngest reporters at Newsday
A documentary project as part of an independent study at Roanoke helped Lauren Harrison uncover her passion for storytelling. Video camera in hand, she followed her family's ancestry trail to many places, including West Virginia, Pulaski and Appomattox. She found gravesites, scoured birth and death records and even uncovered a church founded by one of her ancestors. With encouragement from her advisor, English professor Dr. Virginia Stewart, Harrison applied for graduate school at Columbia University's School of Journalism. She won a full tuition scholarship.
After graduating from Columbia, she worked as a reporter at the Chicago Tribune through a two-year residency program. She joined the staff at Newsday, one of the 20 largest circulation newspapers in the United States, in 2010 as a features reporter covering arts, culture and entertainment in Long Island, N.Y.
Sample Course Offerings:
- CRWR 215: Poetry
- CRWR 215: Creative Writing Fiction
- CRWR 317: Advanced Creative Writing: Screenwriting
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A very creative campus
On Concept's Edge
Roanoke College's literary magazine is entirely student run. The staff selects submissions for print and handles layout and printer selection. On Concept's Edge is printed in the spring semester and is packed to the brim with good writing.
Brackety-Ack
Roanoke College's much beloved weekly newspaper is known for its weird name and its insightful, hard-nosed approach to life on campus. Students handle everything at Brackety-Ack, from writing, photography and editing, to opinion polling, layout and web design.
The Roanoke Review
An annual national journal which publishes poetry, short fiction and nonfiction every spring. Established in 1967 by Henry Taylor, a past Roanoke College English professor and Pulitzer Prize winner, the Review is staffed by current students and faculty.
Visiting Writers
Students meet Pulitzer Prize winners, best-selling authors, eminent scholars and prominent journalists. Through direct exposure to these writers, students gain a greater understanding of the discipline and more confidence in their own writing.