Personal art, poetry, fiction writing and photography are all featured in “The Magic Basket,” a zine created and published by Wayne State College students.

Erika Schwartz, a senior and co-senior editor of Magic Basket, said “The Magic Basket” was similar to a publication students made a few years ago, but it kind of died out. She said that it didn’t get taken care of the way that it should have, so she decided to revive it with the help of Sharon Carr, graduate assistant and adviser of “The Magic Basket.”

“(The Magic Basket) is a student run publication,” said Schwartz. “It’s a zine.”

Schwartz said that she mostly designs publication and collects the content for it.

“A zine can really be anything you want it to be,” said Carr.

She said that a zine is a publication done by a person or small group of people. “The Magic Basket” publishes any content staff can get and anyone can submit to it.

Schwartz said that there are fliers up everywhere for people to know when deadlines are and when the next one will be coming out.

Carr added that there is a Facebook page for “The Magic Basket,” and it will say the same as what the fliers say.

“The base of our content is mostly poetry, art, fiction” said Carr. “We have a letter series going on.”

Schwartz said that the zine has published photography as well as longer works of fiction in a series.

The zine also publishes advertisements for events held by the editing and publishing program and Language and Literature Department.

“Like Judas Goat open mics, slams, getting people to submit to stuff,” Schwartz said.

She feels that it is a good way to gain experience in editing and designing publications.

“Mostly it is a way for students and other people, whoever, to get their art and for people to see it,” said Schwartz.

She said that the staff usually publishes everything that is turned into them, making it easy to get published and share work.

“(There is) this guy from Omaha who just submitted,” said Schwartz.

She said the zine has around 10 contributors each time. There is no set number, it just depends on how many people turn in their works of art. Submissions can be sent to [email protected].

“Printing is a huge part of it,” said Schwartz. “I have to block off a whole afternoon to do it because even though (it seems like) this time it’s going to go smoothly, something
always happens.”

She said that she enlisted in the help of junior Ezra Jude as co-senior editor of the zine to help with printing and distributing zines and posters.

Schwartz hopes to get Jude, a junior, to slowly take over the design and organization of the zine.

“I print the zines and place them everywhere,” said Jude. “When Erika leaves, I will be taking over her niche in the ‘Basket.’ It’s very near and dear to my heart.”

Schwartz said that she has been amazed with the creativity of the work that is submitted, and said that it represents the quality of the art at Wayne State College that is overlooked.

“I think this is a really cool way for that stuff to get out, and people can see it,” said Schwartz.

She said part of the zine is dedicated to the letter series.

“Our major goal with the zine, every year, will be (the Omaha Zine Fest),” said Carr.

She said that the staff plans to get a table at the event to display and distribute “The Magic Basket.” The fest will be April 14, 2018.