Insanity’s Horse published a digital edition after a semester of virtual meetings
May 2021 – Insanity’s Horse, Drew University’s student art and literature magazine, capped off a year as an entirely virtual club with the publication of a full-length digital issue.
We spoke with the co-editors-in-chief, Mel Dikert C’21 and Bridget Porter C’22, about the process.
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Cover art by Caroline Polich C'21
How did you keep the club going virtually all year?
Dikert: Most of our success came from open communication. Being clear about the delegated responsibilities of each member of the editorial board and what was expected during meetings from the editorial staff throughout the semester was important to ensure that the process was streamlined. Also, advertising. Insanity’s Horse does not exist without the authors and artists who submit their pieces. Therefore, it was very important that we utilize as many avenues for advertising as possible: social media, Drew Today, emailing department chairs, etc. Our efforts certainly paid off because we ended up receiving so many amazing submissions.
What were the biggest challenges?
Porter: It came down to the fact that all clubs were virtual and students had a lot on their plates. Despite that, students still showed up to meetings and read through pieces while giving their attention to some really beautiful student craftsmanship.
Dikert: InDesign [the program used to produce Insanity’s Horse] doesn’t allow two people to work on a single file at the same time. Since Bridget and I were both working remotely, we had to adapt by splitting up the work and emailing the entire file back and forth. While certainly tedious and time consuming, we were able to work it out and get it done!
What are you most proud of regarding the 2020-21 issue?
Porter: I am most proud of all the art and literary pieces that were submitted to us during such a crazy time in and out of school. I’ve been on Insanity’s Horse since my first year and I’m always blown away by the talent that comes out of our University, but especially during a pandemic and part-virtual semester, it warmed by heart to see that Drew students didn’t stop creating.
Dikert: Despite the fact that we were all working remotely and battling Zoom fatigue and negatively affected mental health—all during a pandemic no less!—people still managed to find the time and motivation to create. The editorial staff and board still met every week, organized all of these wonderful submissions, and ultimately put them together into what turned out to be a beautiful magazine. I am truly grateful I had such a dedicated team.
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