The Inscape magazine is a yearly publication that allows creatives to showcase their content in one place.

A team of students comes together under the advisory of Eric McHenry to create a display of writing, photography and visual art. This year, the team wanted to go outside the box and make sure the magazine had its own shining spotlight.

On Tuesday, May 24, the launch party for the Inscape Magazine was held at the Cyrus Hotel. All the hard work that was put into the magazine came to fruition when the writers and artists featured came to read or explain their work.

“It’s really a showcase for Washburn student editors for them show that when we – Washburn undergraduates – put a literary journal together this is what it looks like and it can stand with an literary journal in the country,” said Eric McHenry, a professor of English and faculty advisor of Inscape.

While there is usually a launch party for the magazine, COVID-19 changed that. After three years, the annual launch party was able to make a return, just in time to celebrate the magazine’s 50th anniversary.

The magazine has come a long way, as it began with a focus towards Washburn students, but now has contributors that submit content from across the country.

Contributors do not have to be professionals to submit to the Inscape Magazine. This year, many submissions were from young authors within the community.

“Submissions can be different kinds of art, just something that we can visually put into the magazine,” said Jossie Hicks, senior English and communications major and co-editor of Inscape.

Her hard work and dedication to the magazine showed that it is possible to be involved in different ways through this magazine. Those looking to get involved do not have to submit to the magazine, but rather join the team instead..

“To actually take part in the editing of it, you would take the publishing lab course, but to submit your work, you would go online,” McHenry said.

A big part of the magazine is what comes to the hands of the team. Currently, submissions for the next magazine will soon open Aug. 1 and close Oct. 31. The page to submit work can be found here.

After looking through submissions and fighting over what is best, the team compiles the best submissions into one place. The magazine comes together after content is picked, and seeing the final product is rewarding.

“Having the physical copy of something I made and helped make in my hands was a trip,”
Hicks said.

The learning process that comes through this experience is unlike any other, because real work is published and then sold to the public.

“It was a chance to understand the publishing process and to actually be a part of it,” Hicks said. “To see all the intricacies and work with people, it was just a really good learning experience.”

The Inscape Magazine team is looking to expand what the literary journal is composed of and is always seeking different creations.

“We’re always eager to see work and visual art,” McHenry said.

With a successful launch party, Hicks wanted to stress that this edition of Inscape was “highly exclusive”, and due to printing costs, there is a limited quantity available.

Those looking to purchase a magazine can find them in the Ichabod Shop, but teasers of the content will be available on the website later this summer.

Edited by: Alyssa Storm, Glorianna Noland