Genre fiction shines in new literary magazine

Great fiction doesn’t have to mean the classics.

At least that’s the theory behind “Tales from the Edge,” a new campus literary magazine dedicated to genre fiction written by students. The goal of the magazine, currently accepting submissions for both genre fiction and cover art, is to provide the campus with an opportunity to see how engaging and intelligent genre fiction can be.

The magazine specializes in short stories written in the “genre fiction” categories of mystery, science fiction, action-adventure, detective, horror, romance, fantasy and western. It is organized by a team of student editors and advised by academic adviser Matthew Colglazier.

Senior Derek Hopf, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said he started the magazine because he believes genre fiction is often overlooked as being less important than literary fiction – that is, the type of literature often thought of as “high literature” and taught in most English classes.

“I’ve always had an interest in genre fiction, and I noticed we have a lot of literary magazines here on campus, but they’re all kind of the same,” Hopf said.

Hopf said he saw an opening for a different kind of outlet for IU students to publish fiction, one that could “make the short story fun again” and still be as respectable as the fiction in other literary magazines.

“It can be just as intelligent,” he said.

Sophomore Nancy Coner, also an editor, said she hopes “Tales from the Edge” will allow genre fiction to be less marginalized on campus as students realize how exciting reading and writing it can be.

“We’re trying to bring it back because it’s a fun way to read about the world,” Coner said.

Colglazier, who has advised Hopf about the new project, said even students not particularly drawn to writing genre fiction can benefit from giving it a try.

“Sometimes, I think, students want to start out writing the most complex story they can think of instead of just getting down to the bones of what makes an interesting story,” Colglazier said. “If those can be compelling, perhaps more mainstream fiction they would write later in their careers can also be interesting.”

Colglazier also said he hopes “Tales from the Edge” could be a resource anyone interested in writing could use.

“I hope that it gets students interested in genre fiction for itself but also for the opportunity for students who are interested in writing in general, interested in the English – to have a place for them, to have a creative outlet for them,” Colglazier said.

“Tales from the Edge” will be accepting submissions until Feb. 1. The magazine is also looking for “pulp fiction”-style cover art.

The print edition will be out later this spring and can be found for free on stands throughout campus.

Anyone interested can find more information available on the magazine’s Web site, www.tftemagazine.wordpress.com.

Hopf said his ultimate goal for “Tales from the Edge” is to widen IU students’ perspective on the possibilities of literature.

“It’s just to get people interested – thinking about a different kind of fiction,” he said.