Dan Bourne, founder and editor of “Artful Dodge,” shares the story of the journal
Anya Cohen
Features Editor
Thirty-three years ago, English Professor Daniel Bourne, founded the literary magazine “Artful Dodge.” Over the past three decades, Bourne has transformed a 40-page magazine that he sold on the streets of Bloomfield, Ind. into 250-pages that prints a thousand copies and is sold in bookstores throughout the country.
Bourne’s idea to create his own literary magazine came from working at a rare bookstore. “There was a working script to the Wizard of Oz and the actual paper dolls that Sylvia Plath had played with as a little girl. Being surrounded by the physicality of literature really energized me and pushed me into actually doing something rather than thinking about doing it,” said Bourne.
The first issue of “Artful Dodge” was printed in 1979, well before the use of computers and layout programs such as InDesign. Artfully dodging the limited technology, Bourne typed all 40 pages of the issue on an electric royal typewriter. “I did the typing of the entire issue, going so slowly, because I didn’t want to make any errors whatsoever. When I would make an error, I would painstakingly use whiteout to make certain that it looked completely pristine. Looking back on that issue, I’m amazed that I was such a good typist,” said Bourne.
After hitting the pavement with the first issue and contacting newsletters directed at writers to introduce the magazine to the literary world, the popularity of the magazine began to take off. ‘Artful Dodge’ began to transition from a magazine full of literary works written by acquaintances of Bourne into a magazine that attracts submissions from across the globe. “We get work from Miami to Montana. We get work from Pakistan, Nepal, France, Poland, Japan. Everywhere. Some of it is in translation and some of the submissions are from Americans living abroad,” said Bourne.
With the magazine, Bourne has had the pleasure of interviewing literary figures such as Gwendolyn Brooks, Nathalie Sarraute and Jorge Luis Borges.
Its name is a literary reference to the character Artful Dodger in Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” and the magazine has had to artfully dodge a few issues of its own. “This journal is fairly unique in that it is a literary journal housed in a liberal arts college,” said Bourne. “Usually literary journals connected with colleges and universities are connected with graduate writing programs or have several editors, all with major course related to work on the issue. I’m trying to do this with the available resources here at the College.”
In light of the release of the 51st issue of “Artful Dodge,” there will be a launch party Thursday, April 26, from 7-9 p.m on the patio of The Wooster Inn. The party is open to all students, faculty and members of the Wooster community. There will be free snacks, and sales of alcoholic beverages for those of age. There will be an editor’s choice reading of a favorite submission and copies of the issue will be available for purchase.