‘The Dilettanti’ wins first place in Southern Literary Festival competition
Ali Glasgow had a vision.
But it is challenging to assemble different pieces and viewpoints into a coherent voice, so Glasgow wasn’t sure how the 2022 edition of “The Dilettanti,” Mississippi University for Women’s student literary magazine, would come together.
Glasgow, her staff and the contributors rose to that challenge as “The Dilettanti” recently was awarded first place in the Southern Literary Festival’s 2023 Student Literary Magazine category for print magazines.
“I am honored the Southern Literary Festival has recognized the staff, professor Kris Lee and me for the 2022 issue of ‘The Dilettanti,’ “ Glasgow said. “As the sole editor of the 2020–2022 issues, I am elated that the hard work and care that went into this issue has been well-received.”
Madison Hankins, Faith Langford, Cheryl Runyon and Katelyn Lowe also served as staff members, while Lee, an assistant professor of English/Creative Writing, worked as faculty advisor.
Glasgow thanked Lee for his support and ensuring she had the resources to execute her vision. She also credited all of the contributors and Lowe for her help in creating a cover for the issue.
“To promote creativity and expression, we accepted submissions, ranging in topics and forms, from all disciplines within our undergraduate community,” Glasgow said. “Sometimes the content of this issue challenges traditional Southern expectations, but overall, it reflects the individuality and experiences of each submitter — all united through a common space (Mississippi University for Women).
Therefore, the staff readers and judges examined each piece in its own right — how effectively the form works together with the writer’s chosen conventions, style and all the nuts and bolts (writing mechanics and literary devices) to create the writer’s message.”
Lee has worked as faculty advisor for “The Dilettanti” since 2019. He said he often is in “awe” of the work the editors do in producing each edition. He said they work tirelessly to create the best magazine every year and that the award was “long overdue.”
Glasgow is putting her experience as editor of “The Dilettanti” to use in Japan, where she is working as an assistant English teacher in Japan through the JET Programme. She said she continues to work on her writing and that her time in Japan, much like her experience with “The Dilettanti,” helps her realize her vision of a career in teaching, counseling or publishing.
“I am evaluating how my students — like writers — are expressing themselves,” Glasgow said. “It’s my job to polish their work and to create an environment where they have a voice and can share their ideas without fearing mistakes. I’m also using this opportunity of daily inspiration in Japan to focus on my writing, which I plan to publish by the time I return to the United States.”
For a complete list of winners, go to: https://thesouthernliteraryfestival.org/2022-slf-undergraduate-writing-competition-winners/
The Southern Literary Festival is an annual regional creative writing conference. The W hosted the Festival in 2022. This year’s conference will be April 20-23 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Editors and contributors to the 2022 or 2023 Dilettanti are encouraged to attend.
If you would like to attend the festival, contact Dr. Kendall Dunkelberg, professor of English, department chair and director of Creative Writing, at kadunkelberg@muw.edu or 662-329-7169.