In my opinion, there is no formula for creating a successful collection or piece of literature. There is no checklist to follow, or plan to enact. I do, however, believe there is a unifying element that lies at the foundation of every successful project, something that connects them all. This element is belief.
My name is Madison Flynn, and I am the Executive Editor of The Lion’s Eye literary magazine, The College of New Jersey’s primary arts and literature publication. Last year, The Lion’s Eye was awarded Sigma Tau Delta’s Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award for our fall 2022 edition of the magazine, volume 51. Our mission as an organization is to provide a creative, supportive, and relaxing outlet for TCNJ student writers and artists. We produce two editions of The Lion’s Eye each semester and take exclusively student submissions of poetry, prose, art, photography, and even music. As a club, we review the anonymous submissions together every week, creating a safe space for students to take a break from the stressors of college life and enjoy art and literature with their peers that share the same passions.
The Lion’s Eye is a relatively small organization. While we receive between 150-200 submissions each semester, there are only about fifteen members of our staff. Although our club is small, our belief is big. We believe in the importance of literature and art as an outlet. We believe that our magazines are meaningful and do good for the people creating them and those who read them.
What I remember most from the creation of the fall 2022 edition of The Lion’s Eye is the strong sense of belief we had in this edition. Going to meeting after meeting each week was a joy, as I got to witness each submission be praised with such excitement and genuine care. The room was full of applause, and snaps, and laughter after reading or observing each submission, and I remember feeling a distinct sense of pride for this edition specifically—I truly believed our magazine was creating a difference for the writers and our staff. Rarely have I experienced such a sense of community and support elsewhere I could tell: the people in the room really cared about each other, and about the writing and artwork we were reviewing. And while there may not have been hundreds of people in the room, there was enough belief in the room to fill all the classrooms in the building. And that is what shone through in the final copy of volume 51.
When you truly believe in something, in the meaning or mission behind a publication or piece of literature, that belief truly shines through in a final product. And that is what I think makes a good project. True, honest belief that it will succeed or bring some good into the world. Thanks to the Sigma Tau Delta Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award, we can continue believing in our mission, recruit others to take part in it, and to continue creating.
Madison Flynn
Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award Winner, 2022-2023
Alpha Epsilon Alpha Chapter
The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ
Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award
Literary Arts Journals coordinated and supervised by Sigma Tau Delta chapters (even if they receive funding from other sources) are eligible for up to $500 for the Sigma Tau Delta Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award. Journals are accepted in both print and digital format.
Qualifications
- The journal was produced during the previous academic year.
- The journal was produced with a percentage of involvement by Sigma Tau Delta chapter members.
- The journal follows the publication guidelines of the chapter’s college or university.
- The journal contains a statement that clearly describes the involvement of the chapter in the production of the journal.
- First place recipients cannot apply the following year.
All submissions must be made by a student chapter member via the AwardSpring Online submission process.
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