Weber State’s undergraduate, interdisciplinary journal, “Metaphor,” will hold its fall open mic night on Friday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. at Wisebird Bookery, located at 4850 Harrison Blvd.
“Metaphor” hosts two open mic nights each year, once in the fall and then again in the spring.
This fall open mic night is used as a platform to help raise awareness about the “Metaphor” journal and to alert students and the community to the fall submission deadline. They will also announce the winners of the annual Flash Fiction Contest, which is a 500 word short story contest where winners receive cash prizes.
“[The open mic nights] are chances for people to kind of celebrate the literary community here at Weber State,” Patrick Ramsay, assistant editor of Metaphor Journal, said.
Wisebird Bookery will host the open mic night for the second year in a row. The bookstore mirrors “Metaphor’s” style by selling books by local authors and displaying art by local artists.
The open mic night is open to all members of the community that have something to share, whether it’s poetry, a short story, a song or just talking about their day.
Megan Olsen, the editor-in-chief of the “Metaphor” journal, believes that events like this are important so that people can read their work aloud and receive feedback.
“It’s important to see how an audience receives your work,” Olsen said. “It’s a really great way to get your voice out there; you’re exposed to different types of art, you’re exposed to different types of writing and that can be inspiring.”
“Metaphor” is entirely staffed by students and is in it’s thirty-fifth year of publication. Along with student art and literary submissions, the journal is also seeking submissions for the cover of the spring publication following the university-wide theme, “Waste.”
According to Olsen, those who submit do not need to be an English student nor do they need to be a writer.
“You can submit any kind of art and we’ll consider it for publication,” Olsen said.
“Metaphor” journal is offered for free on campus and also has an online platform that is able to showcase various film and music submissions. Students can get involved with “Metaphor” via submission or join the staff as a class that is offered in the spring.
“We want as many versatile voices on our staff as possible,” says Olsen. “That really influences what is published in the journal.”
The deadline for cover art submissions is November 13 and the deadline for fiction, non-fiction and poetry is January 22.
“Metaphor” will host their spring open mic at Good Company Theatre in April for the National Undergraduate Literature Conference.
For more information about submitting to “Metaphor,” joining the staff or upcoming events, visit their website. “Metaphor” can also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/metaphor.webstate.
