The Watermark has become a fixture of the UMB campus, something that both students and faculty greatly look forward to getting their hands on and reading at the end of each spring semester. The reason for this excitement is that inside are the works of some of the most talented writers, artists, and poets in the school. For those who are unaware of The Watermark, it is UMB’s journal of literature, poetry, and art. The entries published in the journal are solely those of UMB students, and are chosen by students.

This year the journal is set to be published and ready for distribution by late April. Anticipation is already in the air, and it is not only English majors and professors who are eagerly awaiting this year’s Watermark, but also any student or faculty member who has read one in years past.

The Watermark is typically divided up into four categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and art (usually in the form of photography). In years past, the fiction entries submitted for publication could be no more than six typewritten pages, but this year several of the entries ranged closer to fifteen pages. Poems in The Watermark have no set form and no fixed length, though generally they take up no more than one page.

In this year’s edition, one can expect more poems than in years past. Non-fiction entries used to be only creative non-fiction, but this year the non-fiction entries will also include analytical writings, essays, and philosophical essays. There will also more non-fiction entries in this year’s journal than in years past, about seven in all, compared to three in last year’s edition. There are no established guidelines or forms one for art entries, but a photograph in generally takes up one page. The journal is usually no more than 140 pages in length and no fewer than 95. This year’s edition will be around 120 pages.

This year’s student editors are Diane Costagliola and Nancy Derby. Working with them are small groups of students, around five or six per group, that focus solely on reading and choosing entries for publication. In each of the four groups, one per category, an editor is appointed, and it is the responsibility of the group to decide which entries will be published. Costagliola and Derby make final edits to each entry, if need be, and arrange the layout of the journal. They are also the only people who know the identities of those who submitted during the selection process.

The small groups who decide which submissions will be published never know the names of their creators, to ensure impartiality in the decision process. Costagliola was pleased to say that once the entries were chosen, not much editing was needed, which shows the strength of the artists and writers. It also shows that this year’s edition promises to be a very good one.

There will be no themes to this year’s edition, according to Costagliola. She believes the reason for this is the diversity of the student body at UMB. People from virtually every walk of life and every corner of the globe attend school here and this diversity will be reflected in the journal.

There is no need to worry about not being able to get your own copy. The Watermark is free to anyone who wants one and they are generally distributed in large piles throughout every building of the school. Enough copies are also published to ensure there are no shortages.