For over 50 years, the Mikrokosmos literary journal has allowed Wichita State students to publish their creative writing in an esteemed journal, and they are accepting submissions once again.
First published in 1958, Mikrokosmos is now seeking submissions for its 69th issue. Submissions close on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Students can submit work ranging from fiction and non-fiction short stories to poetry.
“As long as there are students on campus, Mikrokosmos will exist and continue to involve, and meet the needs of, students,” Andrea De La Rosa said. De La Rosa is co-editor of Mikrokosmos and an MFA major in the creative writing program.
Over its 50 years of existence, Mikrokosmos has published work from numerous authors of many backgrounds, including work from famous writers and poets like William Burroughs and Charles Plymell.
Brittany Spires, an MFA major in the creative writing program, published her poems in the 68th edition of the Mikrokosmos journal while she was still an undergraduate student. One of her poems, “Numb,” was inspired by the beauty and struggles of black womanhood, she said.
“I hope readers feel honesty in my work,” Spires said. “And perhaps even learn or realize something about themselves that they didn’t really notice before. I’ve said this several times, and will continue to say it: for me, poetry is therapeutic.”
With Mikrokosmos’ storied history, Spires feels honored to have her work published in such a prestigious journal.
“It really is incredible,” Spires said when she first saw her work published in the journal. “I am very much premature in the creative writing game. So, it means a lot to have my work published alongside such great writers and artists.”
For De La Rosa, she wants students to feel encouraged and excited about writing and entering the world of publishing. She knows how intimidating and daunting it can feel to submit one’s writing for public viewing, but she wants Mikrokosmos to feel inviting and inclusive.
“For people who have not written, I want to encourage them to start writing,” De La Rosa said. “It doesn’t matter where you start writing. Keep writing and keep attempting and keep trying. I know people who have submitted before and haven’t gotten in, and then the next time they submitted, they got in. For many great authors, writers and artists, it wasn’t the first time they tried, it was the 50th time they tried.”
With the success of the journal, the Mikrokosmos team has branched out and launched mojo, an online journal that publishes wide varieties of creative work from artists across the globe. Mojo has been publishing for nearly 10 years.
Students interested in submitting their work to Mikrokosmos can find more information on the Mikrokosmos website. Submissions can be emailed directly to the journal at mikrokosmos@wichita.edu with the subject line “Mikro 69 submission.”