Madeleine Gertsen, Features editor
@mgertsencourant
Most kids only sit down to write when they’ve got an English essay due the next day. However, for the staff of the Spectator magazine, the writing never stops. Senior Sarah Owen, editor of Spectator, often finds herself drafting poems, vignettes, and short stories for the publication. “It gives me an opportunity to work on my writing and hear feedback outside of school assignments,” Sarah said. “Spectator really helps me grow as a writer by exposing me to different ideas and perspectives.”
In addition to writing independently, as editor, Sarah helps run weekly meetings with her co-editors Ted O’Rourke and Jenny Levine. “I decided that I wanted to be an editor because I felt that Spectator was a club where I could really be a part of the leadership and where I could take charge and organize the meetings,” Sarah said.
At these meetings, Sarah, Ted, and Jenny work with magazine members to revise these submissions and select pieces to put in the May magazine publication. “I gain a sense of admiration for people who submit,” senior Sarah Owen said. “There is a lot of talent and creativity in our student body that we don’t always get a chance to see on a regular basis.”
Along with revealing hidden talents, submitting work can also show courage. “For those who come to the meetings, there is often an interest in poetry, writing or artwork,” Sarah said. “I think there is also a draw in the camaraderie and atmosphere that Spectator has.”
Not only does Spectator try to promote a safe environment for students to submit works for publication, but also for students who wish to share their opinions and stories within those works. “Previous editors were great at creating an environment that made everyone feel comfortable sharing and discussing their opinions,” Ted said. “I wanted the opportunity to do the same for others and have a larger role in creating this awesome magazine.”
Creating an open environment allows Spectator members to extract the most value from reading submissions. “My favorite piece in the past was a poem about an owl because it was both serious and a little light-hearted,” Sarah said. “I also really liked a poem that followed the progression of life because it really made me think about what life means and what I can expect from it.”
Comme Ça, another student-run magazine, also accepts submissions of poetry, narrative writing, or opinion pieces for their online publication. “In general, literary magazines are just a chance for reflection and a chance to express yourself and express your passions,” editor, senior Emma Patch said. “People are passionate about a range of ideas such as music, photos, and poetry. They contribute because it’s an outlet; it’s for themselves or their peers rather than their teachers.”
Unlike Spectator, Comme Ça emphasizes a different theme each month to guide the poetry, artwork and writing. Another distinction between the magazines is the photoshoots which Comme Ça holds, which have been inspired by popular magazines such as Rookie Magazine. “Most people come to the photo shoot, which is a big part of what Comme Ça does because it’s fashion photography,” Emma said. “We have a distinct focus on photography and artwork that isn’t as present in other literary magazines.”
Sophomore Matthew De Palo participated in Comme Ça his freshman year because he wanted to be a fashion blogger. After experiencing how photoshoots worked and how student submissions were pursued, he decided to collaborate with fellow sophomore Leila Koocheck to create his own online magazine, Maleil, which had more than 3,000 views within the first two days of its publication. “I like having my own magazine because I enjoy allowing people to see my art,” Matthew said. “It’s become a social pull; it’s a way for people to look at my form of art and Leila’s form of art.”
Like Comme Ça, Maleil has emphasizes fashion through their photoshoots. “We try to make our magazine relatable and have that one thing that people can identify with,” he said. “Even if you wouldn’t wear the clothes in it, we still want it to be something that you’d want to look at.”
While Spectator, Comme Ça, and Maleil all have different focuses, they all aim to promote students’ creative expression. “I know everyone has their own story and if you’re sharing it with me, thank you so much because you’re also sharing it with the student body,” Emma said. And that’s really a brave thing to do.”
