An opportunity for literary sorts from either side of the fence, be it the technical aspect of editing and publishing or the more creative facet of writing, has just become available for students at Portland State University.
Ooligan Press, a general trade press publishing project launched by the Center for Excellence in Writing and officially implemented by the university in June 2002, has taken form to educate students interested in steps of the publishing process.
Courses are open to undergraduate and graduate students and can lead to a master’s degree in writing with a concentration on publishing. Many classes are offered evenings and are taught by working professionals and academic faculty. The press also offers aspiring writers an opportunity to have their work published.
Overseen by Dennis Stoval, an assistant professor of English and the former owner/publisher of Blue Heron Publishing, the program is unique in that it is the only one of its kind known to Stoval that does not prepare students solely for careers in the major firms located in New York City.
“A chance to be part of the formation and growth of a press just doesn’t exist for those seeking employment at already established companies,” Stoval said. “It is very exciting to be a part of this at this time.”
Portland State’s program seeks to train students in the entire publishing process, as well as the ins and outs of “small press” publishing, by involving them in the actual tasks of reviewing, evaluating and deciding on manuscripts submitted by authors. This project offers the experience of being part of the budding stages of an emerging publishing company.
Areas of concentration include editing, book design and marketing, all of which will be done on books with potential market value.
Ooligan Press is designed to be financially self-supporting but is seeking grants for initial startup costs, which were written by students of the grant-writing class.
“We are not a ‘vanity press,’ because we do not expect authors to front any costs,” Stoval said. “Authors will be paid royalties for their works, and the other portion of profits will go into the funding of the press.”
Stoval emphasized the overall doctrine of the program is to teach students to question why certain materials get published, what their social implications are and what role publishers play in maintaining literary vitality. Ooligan Press is designed to be a “variety press” rather than a scholarly press, and by passing on scholarly texts for more creative works, such as novels, short story collections, poetry and more, the program seeks to stretch the “flavor” of writing and to promote less mainstream products.
There are no guidelines of censorship in place, just the selection process itself, so all works submitted by students and non-students will be considered for publication as long as their literary contents hold merit.
“We are using the press as a laboratory in the classroom,” Stoval said.
Although it is more challenging, due to competition, to become reputable when publishing literature rather than technical work such as guide books and how-to manuals, Stoval said he is confident Ooligan’s materials will eventually be sold in national chains like Barnes & Noble and Borders.
The name Ooligan is derived from Native American culture of the Pacific Northwest and stands for the bountiful smelt found in the region’s lakes and rivers.
There are currently 12 students admitted into the program, and all interested students are encouraged to enroll in classes. The curriculum consists of: Introduction to Book Publishing, Publishing Inquiry, Publishing Research, Book Editing, Book Production and Design, Book Marketing and Promotion, Children’s Book Publishing and Bookselling. For more information call Dennis Stoval at 503-725-9410.