Poets, Artists at KPU Get Insider Tips from Editors of Pulp Magazine

Pulp Magazine, KPU’s on-campus arts and literary publication, has started holding workshops to help polish submissions from emerging writers.

“It stemmed from the bio making workshop,” says Chelsea Franz, the managing editor of Pulp and head of the workshop initiative. “We just realized that some people who might want to be publishing had not yet had a formal experience to try and write a professional bio.”

The bio writing workshop took place on Jan. 29 in the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society office, Arbutus 3710, on KPU’s Surrey campus. Students who attended the event walked away with knowledge about how to portray themselves as artists through an interesting but brief description of their work and identity.

“Just sound like you,” Franz suggests. “[Bios] aren’t too hard to write if you just stop thinking about them [and] just tell people what they need to know.”

Writing a bio may not seem like an important part of the submission process, but they’re published alongside an artist’s work. Those few words are all that the reader has to get to know you or to sympathise with your perspective. A redundant or unprofessional bio may also give editors a reason to reject your submission, whereas a thoughtful, well-written bio can contribute to the professionalism of a submission significantly.

Franz explains that some artists don’t know how to articulate themselves using the written word, which she says is understandable, but warrants reaching out for assistance.

Pulp’s workshops are open to anyone who wishes to attend, whether or not they’re a KPU student.

“We are happy to have anyone who is willing to come,” says Franz. “We are looking to expand outside of the KPU community and hopefully we’ll have issues that are inclusive of more work than just Kwantlen students.”

The literary workshop on Feb. 4 was also highlighted by Vancouver Writers Festival as part of its email newsletter, so attendance to that event in particular could include people from outside of the KPU community as well as students.

Pulp accepts submissions for poetry, prose, short stories, and visual art. They proudly pay their contributors for the work that they publish.

“Submitting to magazines is super intimidating, especially for the emerging writer, which is our target demographic,” says Franz, adding that creating the workshops was an effort to make that process more inviting.

“Before the submission period ends, they can workshop their story or poem or whatever piece of writing they have they can get it ready to be publishable,” she says.

The deadline to submit to Pulp’s next issue is Feb. 11. Check out the magazine’s website for more information.