"As a creative writing program, we have an investment in the future of our students and getting their work before the public," David Milofsky, Director of the Creative Writing Program, said. "Right now, it is very difficult for new and young writers to get published."
New Voices does more than just provide an opportunity for student publication. The anthology is also being used in introductory literature (E140) and creative writing classes (E210), along with more traditional material.
"We wanted a vehicle to suggest to students that literature is still being written, that it is a living process, not simply an historical artifact," Pattie Cowell, Department chair, said.
Andrew Love, a graduate teaching assistant who uses New Voices in his E210 class, agreed with Cantrell. He said the anthology makes writers accessible to his students. "Too often students see writers as these high on the hill inaccessible intellects that move in atmospheres and orbits that they could never aspire to," Love said. "This is simply not the case, and having living breathing writers there in front of them reminds them that human beings wrote all these stories."
One of Love's students, Deborah Sattler, said New Voices has made the writing process more real and available to her, especially after reading Kevin Foskin's story, "Secret Agent Man." "I was delighted to find Foskin's name on a door during my wanderings here in Eddy," Sattler said. "I poked my head in to tell him how much I had enjoyed his story. I am sure he appreciated the input."
Not only does New Voices help undergraduates in the classroom, it also helps the financially troubled Greyrock Review, the undergraduate literary magazine. According to Milofsky, part of the profits made from the volume's sales will support the Greyrock. Any additional profits will be used for student fellowships and scholarships.
Professor Richard Henze said the idea for New Voices actually came about in early September 1993 when he was talking to a student about raising funds for the Greyrock. Henze said he spoke to both Milofsky and Cowell about the idea, and they were enthusiastic and willing to take on the project. He said they realized how beneficial such a book could be for the students. "We couldn't imagine a different kind of text that would accomplish these benefits as well as this one," Henze said.
To publish the anthology, Milofsky, Henze, and Cowell formed the Center for Literary Publishing. Cowell became the publisher, Milofsky became the general editor, and Henze became executive editor. They sent out a letter calling for manuscripts to as many current and former students that could be found. A couple hundred manuscripts were received. Then, the editorial board -- Carol Cantrell, Ann Gogela, Theresa Bokros Sandelin, and Bill Tremblay -- chose which poems and short stories to publish. Finally, the book was typeset by students -- Kevin Foskin, Caitlin Hamilton, and Erik Simon -- giving them experience in book production.
"It went from a conversation to a book in less than six months," Milofsky said.
New Voices is also quickly finding an audience beyond CSU. Milofsky said it has sold well at the Stone Lion Bookstore in Fort Collins, and the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver is very interested. He said the Tattered wants to do a reading and a signing of the anthology.
"It has been very well received by those who have seen it, not just by people here, but all over the country," Milofsky said.
The Center for Literary Publishing plans to publish a second volume, New Voices: The Essay this summer. Both the fiction and nonfiction volumes will be updated every few years.
New Voices could be the first of its kind, a landmark publication. "I'm not sure, but I don't think there's another writing program in America that has ever done anything like this for its students," Milofsky said.