Earlier this month SUNY Buffalo State celebrated the publication of the Wild Edition of the Elm Leaves Journal, the first hard copy of the literary magazine since 2011.

The journal was created in 1948 and lasted until 2003. In 2005, it was recreated as an art magazine. Now, it has returned to its roots as a literary magazine.

The journal was revived as part of a literary publishing class taught by Elm Leaves editor and Buffalo State professor Kim Chinquee. The eight students in the class became editors and publicists for the new journal, and learned about the inner workings of publishing.

“It was very interesting, considering I’m a writing major and I’m looking to go into a field similar to this,” said Taylor Smolinski, a senior from Buffalo. “It gave me an idea of what to expect.”

Smolinski worked as a student reader and editor for the journal, helping to decide what would be included in the publication. Students chose which entries would make it to print through a majority vote, although Chinquee had the final say, Smolinski said.

This was the first edition of the journal open to writers outside of Buffalo State, and included works from across the country.

For Graziella Taravella, a senior writing major from Long Island, also in the literary publishing class, the change was both a blessing and a curse.

“It’s expanded beyond: ‘By the students, for the students,’” Taravella said. “My one wish is that more students submit work and have work accepted for it.”

However, Taravella also said that it would be nice to see the journal become more widespread.

“Hopefully … it will branch out and expand,” she said. “And it won’t just be a Buff State literary journal, but a Buffalo city literary journal.”

With the new edition also came an updated look.

Quanira Irby, a senior writing major from Syracuse, also on the editorial board for the journal, described the new look as “sleeker and more ‘book-like.’” She said it made the journal look more like other literary journals, and less like a magazine.

Irby also handled public relations for the journal. She spread information about it through word-of-mouth, passed out flyers and invited people to join the journal’s social media pages.

Irby said she is still involved with the journal and is already working on the Harvest Edition, to be published later this year. She is hopeful about the future of the publication.

“It holds a new design, it holds a new aspect, and it holds an opening for writers to come forward,” Irby said. “I hope it blossoms into the potential it has to become a major literary journal.”

The Elm Leaves Journal has both a Facebook and Twitter (@eljbuffalo) account. Submissions to the journal can be sent to [email protected].

Email: [email protected].