Q: What can I submit, and how much?
A: See Submissions Guidelines page

Q: Can I submit if I am not an ISU student?
A: No. That is, you must be an ISU student registered for at least one credit during the semester you submit. If it is a summer submission, you must have already been an ISU student for at least one semester and be enrolled for the following fall semester. Additionally, all high-school students (whether dual-enrolled or not) can only submit to our high-school creative writing contest.

Q: When can I submit?
A: You can submit year-round. Each issue’s deadline is February 14.

Q: When will I know if my submissions have been accepted?
A: Because we do not decide on material for the journal until late March, acceptance or rejection notices will be sent out beginning the first weeks in April.

Q: Do I get paid if my work is accepted?
A: Black Rock & Sage does not offer base monetary remuneration; instead, publication in ISU’s only student journal of creative works offers you heights of prestige and honor otherwise unattainable by mortals. Plus, you’ll get a free copy of the journal. And maybe magic powers.

Q: How are the submissions judged? Are there content guidelines? Do you guys hate vampire stories?
A: Slow down, cowboy, that’s actually three questions. The submissions are judged by a panel of both graduate and undergraduate student editors. While our vision statement involves things like “quality” “originality” and “craft,” the specific criteria for each group of editors will vary, but the three foregoing points will always make a piece a strong contender. While there is no content officially outside our acceptance guidelines, we will reject stories which are plagiarized, highly derivative, or violent, pornographic, or simply unpleasant without any redeeming artistic qualities. Dracula was a vampire story of some acclaim, but so was Once Bitten with Nicolas Cage. Again, quality matters.

Q: How can I get a sense of what you are looking for?
A: Read past issues, which are available through this website or in the English Department’s main office.

Q: What is a third person bio? Can I see an example?
A: I’m glad you asked. A third person bio is a biography of yourself written in third person. In our case, it should include your full name (or your choice of given name plus surname), some fun tidbits about yourself, and something that ties you to your artistic work. Ideally, it should be around 50-80 words long. Here’s a sample bio:

Roderick Jaynes has been making short films all his life with a phone. A film major at ISU with an emphasis on editing, he studies the editing style(s) of the Coen Brothers, Steven Soderbergh and the Wachowskis. Roderick named his cats Hypnos and Thanatos because they’re both lazy and deadly. He is currently on a reading and writing Bangsian fantasy binge.

Q: Is there some sort of club I can join, and why would I?
A: Good question. Yes, there is a club which forms every fall to help organize promotional events and work on ongoing projects. Most club members are either former or prospective class members, but you do not need to be in order to join. If you are interested, contact any one of the editors or the faculty advisor, listed on the About Us page.

Q: Other than the magazine, what else do you all do?
A: Haul sandwich boards around, bake potatoes, type things. Black Rock & Sage hosts a number of events throughout the year, including readings, writing contests, creative workshops, and miscellany. The magazine is also connected to a fully credited (3) class, which meets English elective credit criteria: ENGL 4409/5509: Literary Magazine Production.

Q: How can I contribute outside of submissions?
A: You’re so sweet and generous. Attending any of the hosted events is a great way to help out, but the most important thing you can do is read the magazine.

Q: Where can I obtain copies of previous issues?
A: You may purchase a back issue from the website. You may email brs@isu.edu to make an appointment to purchase an issue in person. Full .pdfs of our archive are available here.