For any avid writer or artist interested in having their work published, listen up- the Desert Vista Literary Magazine is looking for material ranging from poetry to drawings to even one act plays.

Entitled “What the Thunder Said”, this digital magazine is in its 14th year of publication and strives to showcase the many talents of Desert Vista’s own students. It is supported by the Creative Writing teacher Katherine Seeck, but it is run by a group of students in the Literary Magazine club to ensure that this student-run publication remains exactly that.

The publication’s website can be found on the Desert Vista Home Page, under the side tab labeled Thunder Media. There will be two online publications this year. Submissions are currently being accepted, with the final deadline being Nov. 13. For full submission guidelines and requirements, refer to the publication’s website, under the submit tab on the header, or contact Mrs. Seeck at [email protected].

The first issue will be heavily focused on poetry, as that is the current focus in Creative Writing, but students may also submit fiction writing, nonfiction writing, artwork, photography, as well as even pictures of 3D objects such as ceramics..

This club is responsible for approving entries that are submitted anonymously online, which ensures a lack of bias when they vote on the pieces. “The literary magazine club will determine ‘Does this work?’, ‘Is this the kind of audience we want?’, ‘Is this the style we want?’” Mrs. Seeck said. The students who maintain leadership roles in the club include Editor in Chief Rachel Gorelik, Fiction Editor Alyson Small, Art/Photo Editor Kaelyn Gavin, Poetry Editor Carsten Wieck, and Layout Editor Samantha Kszywienski.

As writing is both a creative and emotional outlet for many students, there are no strict constraints or guidelines surrounding subject matter. “We want all different voices to be heard in the magazine,” she commented. “I think they [the Literary Magazine club] have actually done a really good job so far of deciding what pieces are up to standard, but as far as topics it’s pretty open.”