Students interested in pursuing creative writing and creative writing publication may take the ENGL 290P English Practicum. This practicum course is designed to give students experience in all aspects of publishing a magazine of literary and visual arts through close involvement with Pioneer Pen (student literary magazine), Number One (magazine for VSCC and the community at large), and other off-campus literary publications.
Pioneer Pen
Pioneer Pen is published annually each spring. Students interested in being featured in the newest edition of Pioneer Pen should submit art, photography, poetry, fiction, song lyrics, plays, monologues, excerpts from longer creative works, cartoons, short films, recordings of original songs to Jennifer McMillion - jennifer.mcmillion@volstate.edu or Suzanne Previte - suzanne.previte@volstate.edu by the publication deadline.
All entries should include contact information, a brief biography, as well as the title and medium for the work. Creative writing should be submitted in a .docx file format. Works of art should be submitted as a high-resolution .jpg. All submissions are automatically considered for the John MacDougall Award for Literary Excellence or the Fusion Art and Design Award.
Students interested in volunteering as an editor or taking Pioneer Pen as a 1, 2, or 3 credit hour practicum/humanities elective class should contact the Humanities Division Office at 615-230-3200 or email Jennifer McMillion - jennifer.mcmillion@volstate.edu or Suzanne Previte - suzanne.previte@volstate.edu.
- 2021 Pioneer Pen
- 2020 Pioneer Pen
- 2019 Pioneer Pen
- 2018 Pioneer Pen
- 2017 Pioneer Pen
- 2016 Squatter's Rites
Best Essays
Do you have students who write exceptionally well? Showcase their work by nominating outstanding student academic writing for the Department of English Best of Student Essays competition. In this juried, interdisciplinary competition, three to five essays in three different categories will be selected by faculty readers for publication in our Best of Student Essays collection each year, which will appear in print and online. As an added incentive, first-place winners in each category will receive cash awards.
We continue accepting submissions again in spring, and final selections will be made over the summer. Even for students whose essays are not selected for publication, nominations from you can be a great affirmation of their hard work and ability.
Please contact Jennifer McMillion - jennifer.mcmillion@volstate.edu or Suzanne Previte - suzanne.previte@volstate.edu if you have any questions about submissions.
- 2022-2023
- 2020-2021
- 2019-2020
- 2018-2019
- 2017-2018
- 2015-2016
- 2014-2015
- 2013-2014
- 2012-2013
- 2011-2012
- 2010-2011
- 2009-2010
- 2008-2009
- 2007
Number One
Number One is published annually each fall. Please contact Jennifer McMillion - jennifer.mcmillion@volstate.edu or Suzanne Previte - suzanne.previte@volstate.edu to confirm submission deadlines.
Before submitting to Number One, we recommend that you read an issue or two to get a feel for the style and content.
We publish poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction with an emphasis on a sense of place.
- Poetry: Submit up to three previously unpublished poems, no more than forty lines each.
- Prose: (Fiction and Creative Non-fiction): Submit up to six pages of unpublished prose, double-spaced, word count not to exceed 1300 words.
Provide a brief cover letter with your name, address, email address, and the titles of the poems or prose in your submission. Please include a brief biography to be printed if your work is selected. You may submit entries via email or USPS.
Email Submission
Send two copies of your work, one with your name and one without, via email attachment in a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file to Jennifer McMillion - jennifer.mcmillion@volstate.edu or Suzanne Previte - suzanne.previte@volstate.edu.
USPS Delivery
Send two copies of each work, only one of which includes your name to:
Number One
Humanities Office
VSCC
1480 Nashville Pike
Gallatin, TN 37066
