Throughout its tumultuous history, Columbia has remained an epicenter of writing. Columbia's writing faculty has included Pearl S. Buck, Lillian Hellman, Susan Sontag, Spalding Grey, Phillip Lopate, and Terry Southern as faculty. Today's faculty is no less remarkable: A.M. Holmes, Colin Harrison, Nicholas Christopher, Kenneth Koch and Dani Shapiro are among many notable names. Such a distinguished faculty would inevitably attract a host of aspiring writers into their classrooms. These new writers flock here in hope of discovering their voice, their genre and, ultimately, themselves. It worked for J.D. Salinger, Carson McCullers, Mario Puzo, and Richard Yates--to name a few.
But before these authors become the next J.D. Salinger, new talent needs a forum where it can be recognized. And in 1948, students in the Writer's Club created that forum with Quarto, a magazine devoted to quality writing by Columbia students.
It was a revolutionary idea. Quarto is the first student-run literary magazine at Columbia, and one of the oldest in the country. Out of the hundreds of literary magazines--with dozens of new ones emerging every year--Quarto remains unique. It is still devoted to the principle by which it was established: by students, for students.
While some of the best literary magazines today survive through large endowments, and corporate sponsors, Quarto is not so lucky. Every year the editors are faced with the problems of raising the money needed to produce a quality magazine. Considering this enormous hurdle, one is tempted to ask why we produce Quarto at all.
I believe the best answer is the most simple one: Columbia students deserve it! Columbia students produce excellent work and they need recognition.
And they get it. Each year Quarto finds its way onto the desks and into the hands of many acclaimed agents and publishers. Mitchell Waters, Literary Agent for Curtis Brown Ltd, says: 'I am always impressed by the quality of the writing as well as the production values of the magazine. Being published in a magazine like Quarto is a great way for new writers to get noticed by editors and agents in the New York publishing world."
The list of new writers published in Quarto is distinguished. Renowned poets William Carlos Williams and Louise Gluck have given way to up-and-comers like Edwidge Danticat, Joseph Connely, Joseph Ferrandino, and Kim Wozencraft. Ferrandino's Quarto story "Ink Blots" became a SoHo Press novel in 1995.
Current GS student Joseph Connely's story, "Bringing out the Dead," published in the 1993 Quarto issue, has led to a novel published by Knopf and a projected film directed by Martin Scorsese. And Kim Wozencraft, Quarto '86, wrote the acclaimed novel and film Rush.
Quarto made history in 1997 when it published its first book: a collection of poetry by Kim White, entitled Scratching for Something.
Perhaps most importantly, students enrolled in Literary Editing and Publishing--the Quarto editorial board--walk away with a fantastic magazine to hold in their hands. "Quarto not only provides writing students with the opportunity to publish, but it also serves as a laboratory for students to learn the art and craft of editing under the collegial guidance of their dedicated instructor, Professor Leslie Sharpe," says Alan Ziegler, director of the undergraduate writing program.
Adds Professor Sharpe, author of Editing: Fact and Fiction, "Each editor can walk away from the experience with two things. The first is that any Quarto editor has the knowledge and confidence to start their own literary magazine, if they so desire. And second is that each editor learns to find and respect a writer's voice. If they can do that, then I am happy."
Quarto has indeed become a training ground for editors and writers for publishing houses and magazines such as The Paris Review, The Village Voice, Zoetrope, and Putnam, to name a few. Last year alone, ten members of the Quarto editorial board landed jobs in New York publishing.
So it seems there are stories within stories. A lot has happened in fifty years. Writers have been found. Editors created. A reputation strengthened. And many thanks are due: especially to the Writing Program and faculty, to the GSSC for their extremely generous donations, and to The Observer for its continued support.
Now there is one thing left to do: assemble a fiftieth anniversary magazine. We have a difficult task ahead in selecting the 'best' work. Surely, we will have arguments, perhaps even screaming matches about some pieces. That's the fun part.
It will be a great experience and a fantastic issue. But this will not be possible without you, and your work. Please submit.