“To produce a sentence, let alone a whole article, in which ‘every word is unalterable’ is a daunting quest, especially for the emerging author. To further puzzle out where such a work might spring from is even more elusive. Can we ever truly track down the source of creativity and inspiration – and is Calvino right that it is more often the ‘patient search’ over the ‘quick flash’ that brings us closer to truly expressing our ideas?”[1]
… So begins my draft editorial for this year’s edition of Exclamat!on: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Wrestling with the wording of this editorial has felt like an apt parallel for the whole experience of producing the journal itself. This blog takes you inside the process of bringing a PGR-led journal to life – a field guide, if you like, from someone still wading through the mud!
Exclamat!on began life in 2016, born from Exeter’s English, Creative Writing and Film department. Its mission was, according to its inaugural editors Sarah-Jayne Ainsworth and Teresa Sanders, ‘to create an online, open-access and innovative space in which postgraduate research and taught students can engage in current debates and interdisciplinary discussions.’[2]
Exclamat!on was ambitious from the off. Led by ever-changing editorial teams of PGR volunteers, submissions were welcomed from postgraduates at any university and the labour-intensive (but prestige-building) commitment was to double-blind peer review. Both theoretical and creative work was invited, along with critical commentaries intended to bridge the two.
The journal’s themes over the years have ranged from Identities to Borders, Boundaries and Margins; from Monsters, Monstrosities, and the (In)Humanitiesto the theme we were given for this year’s edition: Creativity, Muses, and Inspiration. The journal has become a hotbed of critical and creative writing talent, and it has built a strong track record in support for postgraduate research and professional development. But there have been plenty of hurdles along the way, and this year’s edition has lurched over many of them. Here’s how…
Getting ready to set out: recruiting a team
A recent informal poll of Exclamat!on’s previous editors revealed some sage advice. Start planning early for who will take over for next year’s edition – and promote from within where you can to retain experience. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, my team and I were parachuted in once this academic year was underway. None of us had previously worked on the journal. Whilst we are proud of what we have achieved, the cost in start-up time and loss of collective wisdom was high. So, here’s field note 1: Start building your team long before you would naturally think to do so – look for people with varied life experiences, capacity to match their enthusiasm, and a shared belief that the project is worthwhile.
Mapping the land: choosing a theme
We inherited our theme this year: Creativity, Muses, and Inspiration. As a creative writer myself, it felt enticing. There are myriad pathways to take through this territory, so I expected to draw in submissions which spoke to themes I often work with. In practice, I wonder whether some of our potential authors felt it was fascinating but too far removed from the substance of their research. However, it did produce some strong articles with creative linkages to the theme, and an edition we look forward to launching in September 2024. Field note 2: A PGR journal is a labour of love: at times it will feel more laborious than loved-up. Pick a theme that you as an editorial team will feel an enduring excitement about – it will be a lifeline when you hit obstacles along the way.
Venture back next week for Part 2 of this field guide…
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[1] The quote the editorial builds on is found in: Calvino, I. Six Memos for the Next Millennium. First Edition, Harvard University Press, 1988 48-49 with thanks for the thoughtful signpost to it from Popova, M. ‘The Art of Quickness: Italo Calvino on Digression as a Hedge Against Death and the Key to Great Writing’. The Marginalian, 4 Dec. 2014, https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/12/04/italo-calvino-six-memos-for-the-next-millennium-quickness/
[2] Editorial, ExclamatIon: An Interdisciplinary Journal Vol. 1 Issue 1 June 2017 https://english.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/facultysites/hass/englishandcreativewriting/documents/ExclamationVol1.pdf [accessed 9.7.24]
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Ruth Moore is a second-year PhD Creative Writing Student, co-editor of this blog and Editor-in-Chief 2023-4 for Exclamat!on: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Her research examines the ways in which contemporary children’s authors are using time-playful fiction, particularly in relation to telling stories out of archival silence. The creative element of her PhD project is a ‘middle grade’ children’s novel which takes place on a troubled night at the National Maritime Museum in London. Her MA in Creative Writing was at Oxford Brookes University; she also holds an MA in Applied Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has worked in theatre and in project management in higher education and the voluntary sector prior to commencing her PhD.