On March 7 th , Creative Writing Department upperclassmen flew back from Baltimore, Maryland, concluding our trip to AWP. At the conference, we made connections with many literary magazines across the country, learned about the art of writing from experts in their field, and saw the sights of Baltimore. The field trip was an absolute success, and we’re hoping we can go next year when AWP is stationed in Chicago. One of the highlights of the trip for the whole group was the

Photo courtesy of AWP's website On March 3rd, 2026, members of Douglas Anderson’s Creative Writing Department are attending a field trip to Baltimore, Maryland to experience the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) ’s annual Conference and Bookfair. This trip is a big deal for the department, as it will be the largest field trip we have taken since the COVID pandemic. AWP is a nonprofit that supports creative writers and different writing programs, but it is mos

On January 22 nd , Élan celebrated our third year in a row receiving a First-Class distinction from the NCTE REALM Awards. If you’re unfamiliar, NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English) is an organization designed to support teachers and students, and REALM is one of the awards they offer centered around student-run literary magazines throughout the country. REALM stands for “Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines.” They score each submitted magazine by

Every literary magazine has a different vision for what kind of writing and art they want in their publication. Élan specifically strives for literary, nuanced, and introspective pieces. But what exactly does this mean?

É lan’s 39th Print Edition Launch Party É lan has published a printed version of our magazine annually for the past 40 years. This year, we hosted the exciting launch of our 39th Print Edition! The event was held on September 26th from 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. at the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (MOCA) in Jacksonville, Florida. Staff came dressed in their classiest outfits to enjoy the celebration of all their hard work. Various staff members and contributors presented

Every spring, Élan Literary Magazine hosts a writing contest for middle schoolers in celebration of the National Poetry Month in April....