Starting as early as January 2017, Concordia's exclusive literary magazine will be accepting submissions for the 39th issue (up until February 2017) that will feature any works of art (photographs, paintings, drawings, poems, short stories, and music compositions) from students and faculty.

Background

Motifis Concordia University of Chicago's "creative arts journal of Concordia," according to Dr. David Rogner, the editor of Motif.

These works that include photographs, stories, poems, music compositions, memoirs, and digital images of art paintings that were submitted by professors that either they choose that their students made or works of art that they themselves produced. There are also works of art that students freely submitted as Dr. Rogner says, "unsolicited work produced on campus." The English Department and Motif Editor(s) select which submissions go into the published copy, so Dr. Rogner recommends to submit a decent amount of work. For example, if you're submitting poems, don't submit just one poem, but don't submit 20 poems either, instead submit like 4 or 5 poems.

Once the new edition is published in the spring, there is a public reading that is held in the West Annex where students read their works aloud that were published.

Worth Submitting

The Motif is rarely heard about earlier in the year, and even though English professors encourage students to submit work, Dr. Rogner still wishes, "we had more submissions; the more submissions the better."

However, there are benefits to submitting work into the Motif. Since the Motif is open only to Concordia students and faculty, it allows "for students and faculty to showcase what they are doing," says Dr. Rogner. By having students show their work in a publication gives them an advantage when they are applying for jobs.

Students like Dorothee Belli who submitted Frisbee, Last Monday Night, said "Each year I submitted at least one work to Motif and I was always very excited if they were selected for publication. I love sharing my writing with others - it's a way of communicating things that are on my heart that I couldn't otherwise express."

Another student, Priscilla Rodriguez, submitted E&H Beauty and said, "This is the first time that my artwork has been published on Motif. I am very flattered and honored for two of my artworks to be published. I am very excited that one of collage was chosen as the front cover!!"

Evelyn Yee has her poem, Laughter, published in the last issue and she said, "I was very pleased and felt accomplished to see that 3 of my pieces were in Motif this year. I especially enjoyed that, to a certain extent, all 3 pieces that were chosen were in collaboration with other students on campus."

Requirements and Advice

There are requirements when it comes to submitting works into Motif:

1. No work should be signed anonymous.
2. write under your name
3. don't publish large, or long works
   1. should be under 2,000 words

A Snippet of Motif Histor

Motif was created in 1960 by Dr. F. Samuel Janzow, and Dr. Henry Letterman. Where their vision for this magazine was to "particularly encourage works of art that express Christian vision," according to Dr. Rogner.

However, the work submitted to Motif doesn't have to connect with Christianity, nor do they have to tie to religion. The works have to be appropriate in the terms of keeping with the policies.

The Motif wasn't continuously published; however, when Dr. Rogner returned to teach after graduating from Concordia University Chicago, he wanted to continue the legacy of the magazine.

"My attempt is to continue something my professors started 56 years ago," said Dr. Rogner.

Over the course of the publications, the Motif has gone through some changes that include different featured images on each issue and now being printed in color thanks to the donor who agreed to provided the school with money to print in color.

There is still time before January 2017 to write, draw, edit, and revise work to be submitted to the 39th edition of Motif. Why not show and share your talents and passion for art or writing?