The “Steam Ticket” journal was first founded in 1996 by members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse English department. It is a nationally-distributed journal, filled with poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction from both prize-winning writers and from new and emerging writers all across the United States and internationally.
Each spring, students in ENG 320: Literary Journal Production take on the role of editors and readers, evaluating submissions from around the world to carefully curate a unique volume of the annual “Steam Ticket.”
This year’s editorial team faced an especially demanding task, reviewing roughly 1,000 poems and more than 222 prose submissions from contributors across the United States and countries including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Australia and South Africa. From those submissions, they selected a total of 15 prose pieces, 36 poems and 12 works of art and photography for publication.
“The workload is a little bit crazy. We had the class two times a week, and before each class at the beginning of the semester, we read around 25,000 words. However, this was not even close to enough to make it through all the stories. Near the end of the term, we were reading around 40,000 words before each class. It was a heavy workload, but it is definitely worth it to see the final product with all the amazing prose pieces in it,” said Prose Editor Jack Schloesser, a student at UWL.
Faculty adviser Matthew Cashion emphasizes the student‑driven nature of the process by saying, “My favorite thing is coming to class and seeing students so heavily engaged in the work of evaluating and discussing submissions… they essentially run the class without me. I show up, but I’m not even sure I need to be there…I trust the students because they take their jobs very seriously and care very much.”
On Monday, May 4, student editors, faculty, local contributors, friends and family gathered in the Pump House Regional Arts Center to celebrate the hard work of the student publishing team and release of this year’s edition of “Steam Ticket.”
The event also served to celebrate the on-going work of The Catalyst, an undergraduate publication showcasing creative works from UWL students, faculty and staff.
The evening began with refreshments and time for attendees to explore artwork displayed throughout the venue. Once seated, the program opened with remarks from Cashion, followed by an unveiling and distribution of the physical journals.
To commemorate this moment UWL Senior and “Steam Ticket” Vol. 29 editor Maddie Brunner read her “letter to the editor.”
“Vol. 29 of Steam Ticket feels like my baby. Sort of a crazy claim, but the collaborative, hands-on experience that I’ve had creating it makes me feel what I assume a parent feels after watching their child graduate: proud, amazed, accomplished, and maybe a little scared to see it out in the world for others to judge,” said Brunner. “Our team worked hard. I’m proud of what me, our readers, editors, and all those whose pieces we’ve read have done this year, accepted or not. I hope you love it as much as we do.”
The celebration continued with readings from other student editors of some of their favorite selected pieces from the journal. There were also readings from featured local contributors, including UWL professor and poet William Stobb, UWL alum Bronwyn Bond and UWL junior Sofie Hammen.
“Getting to see the journal printed and knowing you helped create it is an unexplainable feeling…It’s something physical that represents all the work you put in… If you have the chance, take ENG 320…it’s one of the most rewarding classes you can take,” said Schloesser.
The Steam Ticket Volume 29 is available for free at Pearl Street Books, can be viewed online and is also available for purchase.
