The Critical Point was not originally published by Carlow University.
It also was not a literary and arts journal.
It was “a collection of writings” published by Carlow College in 1988. The first edition is a small volume, just ten pieces printed on forty pages, and is bound with two staples. The font resembles a typewriter, similar to “courier new.”
The physical nature of the journal quickly evolved. In 1994, it was printed on 8.5 by 11 (recycled!) paper. The larger format made room for more pieces and also helped the journal to stand out on shelves amongst other books.
From a behind-the-scenes, staff standpoint, one of the bigger changes came in 1996 when the “technology revolution (was) underway on Carlow’s campus.” This allowed students to use updated “desktop software” to design the journal, as opposed to individually scanning each piece. Now artwork and writing could be represented in a crisper, more realistic fashion.
1997 was a time to focus on submissions. The journal layout was routine, and the campus was aware of what The Critical Point was. Every year students eagerly submitted their drawings, photography, essays and fiction. However, the journal was missing something.
The staff noticed a lack of poetry submissions. They took matters into their own hands and started offering poetry workshops to encourage students. Almost thirty years later, poetry is probably our most competitive category!
A new century also brought a new Critical Point. Some elements of the early 2000’s editions have yet to be changed. For one, our table of contents does not segregate art and writing. Our journal is interdisciplinary, and the contents reflect that. The 2003 edition was the first to include full color pictures– the first color cover was published in 1999– making it an even more enjoyable reading experience, and possibly a more exciting publication opportunity for students.
It’s safe to say a lot has changed over the last thirty-seven years– both in our world and in regard to The Critical Point.
Carlow is a university now.
The Critical Point publishes a variety of writing and art.
Plenty has remained consistent, too. The 2003 editors put it best when they described their publication as “a collage of human experiences.” Writing, drawing, sculpting– creating in general– are the best ways to explain the human experience. Although it can be a tedious aspect of our classes, critical writing allows us to answer our own questions through research and rough drafts. Creative writing encourages us to ask more questions, and in some cases provide our own answers. Creating art can sometimes be a great way to ignore our questions and focus on our senses.
The Critical Point celebrates all aspects of creativity and diversity, making it a cohesive journal. As a staff member myself, I can attest to the difficulty of organizing a publication. Voting on submissions is particularly stressful and time consuming, as is deciding the order of the pieces in the journal. I find editing the proof– the last step before we start printing all the copies– to be the most exciting, not to mention, satisfying, thing we get to do. Naturally, giving staff and students their contributor copies is also something I look forward to.
The most recent update for The Critical Point came in 2023 when it transitioned from a club to a class. Now students can receive credit for working on the journal, and there’s a formal time set aside for us to meet each week. There is no restriction on who can enroll in the class, nor is there a limit to how many times you can take it. Our publication has always had its doors open to any student– regardless of major, race, or gender. The staff is made up of Creative Writing, Graphic Design, English, Communications, Art Therapy, Psychology, and other majors.
Although we don’t officially keep track of the number of submissions, it feels like we set a new record every year. Students are permitted to send in up to five pieces, in any combination of categories, and many of us take advantage of the opportunity to submit a range of work. In some cases, this allows students to get multiple pieces published!
The thirty-seventh edition of The Critical Point will be unveiled at Scholar’s Day on April 24. Copies will be available for purchase the following weeks in the Commons for five dollars ($5).