Publishing at UMass: Leila's Guide

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Photo by Jack Bertling

As a poet, I’m constantly looking for opportunities to get my writing published. This spring, I was lucky enough to get published in two different literary journals at the University of Massachusetts: The Scribe and Jabberwocky. Writing itself can be a solitary process, but I’ve found that writing experiences that allow me to connect with other writers are among the most rewarding. So, what opportunities for this are available at UMass?

The Scribe’s launch party took place on April 28, 2026. Photo by Leila Metres

The Scribe

The Scribe is a literary and arts publication sponsored by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts Student Leadership Group. The Scribe publishes two editions per year, including one digital edition in the fall semester and one print edition in the spring semester.

My poem “tidal days” was featured in The Scribe’s Spring 2026 edition.

This spring, my poem “tidal days” was featured in The Scribe. This was my third time being published by The Scribe, but my first time being in one of their print editions! There’s something really special about flipping through a book and seeing your name in print.

At The Scribe’s launch party, I spoke with Mia and Nora, editors of The Scribe (and both Honors students). They have been involved with The Scribe for three years, and they expressed that it’s a big priority for them to highlight the vast range of creatives across all majors at UMass Amherst.

“The humanities aren’t dead. They’re thriving and they’re thriving in other areas and other disciplines as well,” Mia, junior comparative literature and public health major, shared.

Nathan, a senior computer science major and studio arts minor that I spoke to, was a perfect example of this diversity in backgrounds. After finishing his computer science classes, he decided to take a creative writing class for fun, and ended up writing and publishing a piece about his gender identity.

“I actually saw a flyer for The Scribe in South College on my way to class,” Nathan said, “And I was like, well, screw it, why not?”

When they found out their poem was accepted into The Scribe, Nathan was “very stoked.” They said, “It was cool to have a piece of my work be recognized.”

Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky is the student-run literary journal of the English department. Jabberwocky publishes once a year. Their launch party was structured a bit differently from The Scribe’s, and it included a run-through of the journal with opportunities for students to come up and read their writing or talk about their art.

Jabberwocky’s launch party took place on May 5, 2026. Photos by Grace Holland

This year, my poem “the nightclub is called the church” was accepted into Jabberwocky. This was my first time being published by Jabberwocky, so I was especially excited to hear that one of my poems had made it through the review process.

My poem “the nightclub is called the church” was featured in Jabberwocky’s 2026 edition.

Mary El, one of Jabberwocky’s coeditor-in-chiefs, echoed Mia and Nora’s comments about the diversity of student submitters at UMass. She shared that this year, Jabberwocky received 303 submissions from 37 majors and six out of the ten colleges at UMass. The admin team of Jabberwocky also represents 15 majors from four of the ten colleges, including Mary El, who is a linguistics and women, gender, and sexuality studies major.

During the reading, Danny, a senior marketing and English major, captivated the crowd with his humor. Danny had three pieces published in Jabberwocky this year, but has been a fan of the journal for a long time. 

“I’ve read all the editions of Jabberwocky since I was a freshman, and I’ve always admired the really, really brilliant, really talented writers and artists,” Danny reflected on his first time submitting work to Jabberwocky. “I had expectations low but hopes high.”

He also encouraged other creatives to put themselves out there, submit their work, and just see what happens.

“I think every artist needs to try,” Danny said.

“Once each edition is printed and in our hands, I have felt such pride and fulfillment from it.” Grace, the other coeditor-in-chief and English major, shared. “I am so happy that I get to help showcase the talent of students across campus, and all of the work and time that we put into the journal’s publication is so incredibly worth it.”

Mary El and Grace have graduated after three successful years on Jabberwocky’s editorial board together.

These are just two of the many opportunities for UMass students to get their creative writing published, and both of them are available to any undergraduate student in any major. If you want to get involved, follow The Scribe and Jabberwocky on Instagram to stay updated on their future submission deadlines!