Work with us!

Managing Editor

Serving on a yearly basis, the Managing Editor directly manages the printing timeline & process, is the contact between Paperbark and its Advisory Board, compiles all invoices to manage expenses, and oversees all editorial decisions/processes.

 Prose

Prose Lead

The Prose Lead is responsible for ensuring prose submissions are read in a timely and diligent manner. They communicate with Prose Readers and facilitate weekly small-team meetings. They then bring this culled list to the General Meeting for discussion and voting.

The Prose Lead is also responsible for managing work via Submittable and solicitation, sending out acceptances and rejections as appropriate. In the later stages of issue curation, the Prose Lead allocates copy editing of prose pieces to team members and signs off on the final versions being sent to print.

Prose Readers

Prose Readers are responsible for keeping up with pieces assigned by the Prose Leader (typically no more than eight per week). If the piece comes via Submittable, readers vote and write brief comments/opinions for reference during deliberation. In addition to attending General Meetings on Wednesdays, Prose Readers participate in small group meetings once weekly, in order to offer opinions about each week’s offerings and to narrow down pieces to bring to the team for serious consideration. 

Prose Readers are also responsible for copy editing of prose works accepted for the issue.

We welcome readers who are interested in reading across genre (i.e. signing up to read both prose and poetry).

Poetry

Poetry Lead

The Poetry Lead is responsible for ensuring poetry submissions are read in a timely and diligent manner. They communicate with Poetry Readers and facilitate weekly small-team meetings. They then bring this culled list to the General Meeting for discussion and voting.

The Poetry Lead is also responsible for managing work via Submittable and solicitation, sending out acceptances and rejections as appropriate. In the later stages of issue curation, the Poetry Lead allocates copy editing of poetry pieces to team members and signs off on the final versions being sent to print.

Poetry Readers

Poetry Readers are responsible for keeping up with pieces assigned by the Poetry Leader (typically no more than eight per week). If the piece comes via Submittable, readers vote and write brief comments/opinions for reference during deliberation. In addition to attending General Meetings on Wednesdays, Poetry Readers participate in small group meetings once weekly, in order to offer opinions about each week’s offerings and to narrow down pieces to bring to the team for serious consideration. 

Poetry Readers are also responsible for copy editing of poetry works accepted for the issue.

We welcome readers who are interested in reading across genre (i.e. signing up to read both prose and poetry).

Art

Art Lead

The Art Lead is responsible for ensuring art submissions are read in a timely and diligent manner. They communicate with Art Readers and decide on promising submissions. They then bring this culled list to the General Meeting for discussion and voting.

The Art Lead is also responsible for managing work via Submittable and solicitation, sending out acceptances and rejections as appropriate. In the later stages of issue curation, the Art Lead allocates signs off on the final versions being sent to print, and sends proofs to contributors (if requested).

If needed, the Art Lead is responsible for art solicitations and all communications between solicited artists.

Design Team

For each print issue, Paperbark works with a team of 2-4 undergraduate students currently enrolled in UMass Amherst. Rising seniors who have experience and interest in print design and layout are preferred. Paperbark functions as an independent study; interested students can contact Professor Jeff Kasper.