Draznin steps into the role of editor in chief as the literary and arts journal prepares its next edition
Amanda Draznin ’27 has always wanted to be involved in the “Colonnades” literary and art journal but could never find the time.
Now, she is not only joining the publication but stepping into one of its biggest leadership roles: editor-in-chief.
Draznin is a Spanish and English double major, with a concentration in creative writing. As a writer herself, Draznin said she wanted the chance to experience the editorial side of the writing process, which is part of why she was drawn to the position of editor-in-chief. She hopes that her experience as a writer will lend itself to editing.
“I think I’m very accomplished in finding that space between what I’m writing and what the reader is reading and sort of connecting that,” Draznin said.
Though the junior had never been involved in ‘Colonnades’ before this year, she has always been an avid reader of the journal and said her favorite part about it is the art.
“I mean, I read it front to back,” Draznin said. “But seeing how the art is incorporated into the pieces is really interesting because it’s two separate people making two separate things with different ideas, different experiences, and they’re right next to each other and they seem to correlate.”
Taking in her outside experiences as a reader of the journal, Draznin has big ideas for what she wants the next edition to look like. She hopes to break away from the traditional forms of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art that have been featured in past editions and instead create space for pieces that cross genres and are more experimental.
“There’s nothing wrong with those traditional pieces,” Draznin said. “I just want to provide an opportunity for newer things.”
But Draznin’s experimental ideas are not indicative of the theme of the journal’s next edition, and she said she will likely wait to see what student submissions are like before deciding on a theme.
“If the student body is experiencing something as a collective, that’s already the theme, that’s the theme of Elon,” Draznin said.
She hopes to continue the journal’s mission of creating an inclusive environment for all Elon students to submit their work to by increasing outreach to more of the Elon population. She also wants to provide a space where writers and artists can spread their voices and submit work they’re proud of for others to see.
“We’re writing for Elon,” she said. “It’s for ourselves, it’s for our community.”