An Extremely Lively Literary Scene
The Spring 2020 Edition is debuting on Monday – our eighth issue. When our little organization began local publishing two years ago we had only an inkling about what we were tapping into. From the beginning we have dedicated ourselves to a regional focus, to uplifting and empowering the storytellers from our underrepresented area. Over and over again, we have been surprised and inspired by the lively literary scene exploding all around the rural Pennsylvania Wilds.
For the first time ever, we have decided to debut the new issue digitally on our website so we reach an even wider readership in our area and beyond. We had 143 submissions from 43 writers, poets, photographers and artists and were once again able to include every eligible submitter. The written pieces have been thoughtfully paired with images to create an immersive experience for our readers. And we have been working hard to translate the unique experience of reading the print edition into a beautiful (and shareable) online magazine.
So why should readers pay attention to the literary scene in our corner of Appalachia? We took a little time to reflect on what we’ve learned from representing local voices and have come up with three big reasons why the work originating here is immensely relevant to a wider audience.
3 Reasons to Pay Attention to the NW PA Literary Scene:
#3: Storytelling is alive and kicking in rural Pennsylvania.
And you might be surprised! Our hometown populations may be small and dispersed across thousands of acres of forest and wilderness. But we’ve seen the writer’s groups, writing contests and small-press publications in our area more than thrive. People here are hungry to share their work and support each other and because of this we have seen an incredible amount of original storytelling crop up throughout the region. It is because of this hunger that we started The Watershed Journal. Members of our writer’s group Writer’s Block Party were repeatedly expressing frustration with the process of breaking into “Big Publishing” and wanted more opportunities to share their work. This area is woefully underrepresented in publishing and we have made it our mission to change that.
#2: NW PA is flush with talent.
People from all walks of life choose to live here in western Pennsylvania Wilds. In our time running an inclusive magazine, we have been honored to publish award-winning writers as well as undiscovered talent. Some writers have been featured in other regional publications; some have only recently started sharing their work.
We run an inclusive magazine, judging our value based on how many individuals we include rather than based on how many we turn away. Because we have removed ourselves as gatekeepers or curators, we have opened the doors to a wider array of perspective and style. We have decided to let the voices of the region represent themselves and each edition have been blown away by the authentic and honest work originating here.
#1: There’s something in the water.
The top reason lovers of story, poetry, photography and artwork should pay attention to NW PA is: we love what we’re doing! We are immensely proud of and invested in each other. The literary community in our region are each other’s biggest fans and most avid readers. We show up to each other’s readings, buy each other’s books and regularly spend time giving each other feedback and insight.
Our passion for each individual voice and perspective brings us closer and improves our craft. We have seen each other grow and struggle and risk and adapt. New voices are welcomed and encouraged and veteran wordsmiths are valued and heard. We believe a wider audience will enjoy storytelling from the Pennsylvania Wilds because we can’t get enough of it!
Start Enjoying Our Literary Scene
Discover diverse, inspiring and challenging work coming to you from the mountains of western Pennsylvania:
- All Editions of The Watershed Journal
- Tobeco Literary & Arts Journal
- Bridge Literary Arts
- North/South Appalachia
- Writers of the Watershed Podcast
- Discover local bloggers
- Find out more about local publications
Get involved in the local literary movement
- Submissions for The Watershed Journal
- Writer’s Block Party (Brookville writer’s group)
- Stained Glass Writers (Punxsutawney’s writer’s group)
- Bridge Literary Arts Center (Franklin’s writer’s group)
