Due to health concerns posed by large public gatherings, the FUSE 2020 conference has been transformed into a one-day digital colloquium that will take place on Thursday, October 29th from 10AM to 9PM (EST). Though we are facing restrictions on travel, work, commerce, education, and many other aspects of the human experience, we know that creative communities like ours are an important part of maintaining well-being in ways beyond the physical. 

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This year's colloquium will address the community of undergraduate student editors like never before. We are shifting focus to include more panels led by professionals in the field while maintaining space for the student-led discussion groups and open mic that have been mainstays of the annual FUSE conference.

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We are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker, Robert Spillman, who co-founded and edited the literary magazine Tin House. During its twenty-year run, Tin House featured the work of writers such as Stephen King and Ursula K. le Guin, to name a few. When the magazine closed in 2019 to focus on publishing books, it was heralded in The New York Times for its commitment to publishing new voices and its democratic editing approach.

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We are excited to meet and hear from a wide array of other editing and publishing professionals. A panel on how to start your own literary magazine or press will feature Karen Babine, the founder and editor of Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, and Jeff Alessandrelli, founder and editor of Fonograf Editions. Another panel will focus on internships in the world of indie presses, and a third will address publishing and the Black Lives Matter movement. These panels, among others, will educate and inspire undergraduates looking for more experience in the field of publishing.

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Networking with fellow student editors is an important part of FUSE. To maintain the interpersonal experience of the FUSE conference experience, we will run concurrent discussion sessions for students. These sessions will be geared towards specific, pressing current issues: the need to diversify publications, the question of what writing and publishing mean in a crisis, etc. In the evening, we will hold an open mic where students will sign up to read their own work.

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To find out more about the colloquium, pay by check, or request an invoice for institutional membership, contact FUSE's national faculty director, Catherine Dent.

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