Job Description for Touchstone English Editors
Listed below are duties expected of each year’s English editors for the Touchstone literary journal.
This list has been generated in order to a) provide definition and direction for the editors as they take
over the magazine in the fall; b) assist in the faculty adivsor’s recruitment of editors for the following
year; and c) serve as a basis for a fair and informed interview process.
- Attend all meetings of the Publications Board, serving as an active,
articulate and responsible representative of Touchstone.
- Throughout the year, clearly and responsibly share duties with any
Assistant or Co-editors.
- Begin in the fall by actively distributing any remaining copies of the previous
year’s issue of Touchstone. In the past, this distribution has been accomplished
by the placing of stacks of Touchstone around campus. This is one effective method,
but the editor should work to promote the journal by arranging visits by Touchstone
writers to sections of English 104, or other relevant courses, and to develop creative new
methods of distributing the magazine.
- Also, in the fall: return any remaining submissions from the previous year, and
generally place the files and paperwork of the publication in working order.
- Work closely with the Art Editor and Graphic Designer to create a schedule of goals
and deadlines resulting in the spring publication of Touchstone (no later than 2 weeks prior to the end of spring term).
- Along with the Art Editor, generate the Touchstone budget proposal
and present it to the Student Government Association in an informed,
professional, and persuasive manner.
- Organize and actively promote on- and/or off-campus readings involving writers
whose work is, or may be, appearing in Touchstone. Use all such occasions as
an opportunity to generate interest in the magazine, and to be a thoughtful and enthusiastic
ambassador, representing Touchstone to the Viterbo community and the larger community in
the local and regional arts. In the past, such events have included open mics and writing groups,
but each year’s editors is encouraged to develop new activities.
- Actively solicit writing submissions from the student body. This includes the announcement
of submission deadlines (the distribution of fliers around campus) but may also include posting
an advertisement in Lumen and, if possible, visiting writing classes in order to introduce the
magazine to students and invite them to submit.
- Optional: recruit and hire a panel of student readers to assist in the process of selecting
the best written work for inclusion in Touchstone.
- Work with the Publications Board to make conscious and conscientious decisions about which
work will be included in Touchstone. Such decisions should be based on the editor’s efforts to
produce the best possible issue of Touchstone for the Viterbo community.
- Notify all writers whose work will be published in the magazine and return the work of all those
whose writing was not selected, including a note of thanks for their interest in the magazine.
- Work with the Graphic Designer to prepare the manuscript for printing and web publication.
This process includes making decisions about organizing the manuscript, transferring all submissions
into a single electronic file (usually in Microsoft Word), and, painstakingly copy-editing the manuscript.
- Work with the art editors and faculty advisors to organize the Touchstone release party,
in conjunction with the opening of the Art Department’s all-student show.
- Personally distribute copies of Touchstone both on and off campus.
- Make sure copies of the issue are mailed to the short list of organizations who
archive each year’s issue of Touchstone.
- Throughout the editor’s year, he or she should be an active and enthusiastic
sponsor of Touchstone, helping to further its visibility in the Viterbo community and
taking a personal interest in producing a Touchstone issue of the highest quality.
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