ISSUE 2
Building the second issue of the Orange Couch magazine a year after its creation, yet still within the COVID-19 pandemic, felt surreal and yet perhaps even more necessary. This is a project that champions collaboration and reflection and, as last year’s editors noted, aims to replicate the “atmosphere of warmth and discussion” that we might find together, were we still in person.
This is a feeling that can be hard to replicate while apart. The real-life orange couches that this magazine is named for, of course, were places in the physical writing center where we used to gather and enjoy each other’s company. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to be back there.
Yet in the midst of Zoom fatigue, burnout, and tentative feelings of hope that things may take a turn for the better soon, the writers and editing team rallied around this magazine once more and worked to create a beautiful example of collaborative writing that proves our community is strong enough to exist despite distance or hardship.
We especially want to thank CMWR for their partnership and support as we merged with their multilingual magazine, Tellus, this year. We hope to continue working together to promote writing of all cultures and languages. We also want to thank you, the writers, without whom this magazine would not be possible. Keep writing, reflecting, and working together!
The Orange Couch Editor | June 2, 2021
Revolution from the ground up
I really enjoyed this Writing Center Appointment; it pushed my writing in new directions and also alerted me to what my writing was doing “right.”
Mired
I submitted these poems as part of the final collection for my first poetry workshop class last quarter. Riley O. reviewed my work and their feedback was so generous and kind on an area of writing I was quite unfamiliar with. Initially, I was nervous to first share these poems but Riley made the process simple by offering genuine, reader-based marginal comments on each draft. As a result, some of my poems took new directions even I wasn’t expecting.
rebirth
The feedback process was invaluable. To me, art (and writing, of course) are all about communicating something to other people. The feedback I received let me know what was coming through, intended or otherwise. Checking in with another person helps me hone the message that I’m conveying.
the exact middle
Writers Guild was very productive! The feedback was particularly helpful in understanding different ways some of the lines in the poem were interpreted and offered a lot of insight as to how I could improve upon it.
My Character
People found this piece funnier than I anticipated and were overall encouraging, even though I wasn’t sure how it would be received, so that was definitely reassuring!
Springtime in Wrigley
It was great to get feedback in Guild! That pointed out some things that were a bit confusing or unclear that I would not have noticed otherwise. 🙂
Where the Village Homes Meet the Sky
Ava O’Malley gave me feedback on my short story. She helped me revise for setting, placement, and wording. For example, she suggested that I add details on the setting and edit out redundancy. Based on her suggestions, I also reorganized some sections of the essay and added details to clarify some terms I use. While I tried my best to follow all of her suggestions, the suggestions on reorganization were the most difficult to follow because this essay follows the disjunctive essay format spearheaded by Michel de Montaigne. The nature of this type of essay is intended in its nature…
Decorative Brass Fan
This is one of the older pieces in my collection-in-progress (the date I probably started receiving feedback was in November of 2019!), but I’ve had additional feedback on the poem since then, and I know that Writers Guild will always be there to look at subsequent drafts. The writing process is always a joy when there’s a community to share it with!
I’d like to apologize
Everyone at Writers Guild was so receptive of my work and took their feedback seriously. I received really helpful and varied feedback that made my revision process a lot easier. I love that I have a community of writers at the Guild who I know have my back!
I Sit at The Desk of Intrusive Thoughts
The faciliators and attendees of writers guild gave me great insights as to how this piece felt , like a surrealist painting. I refined it punctually and added a bit more grounded language, as per the suggestions.
30.26.9
I was very happy to attend a meeting of the Writers Guild and hear feedback for my piece. I was grateful to hear honest feedback from other writers on ways to improve my poem. I didn’t take every suggestion that was given but I did take most of them. The major changes were structural, making sure my punctuation and line breaks were consistent throughout the poem. I feel that what I submitted to the Orange Couch was a much more solid piece of writing than the first draft I had workshopped by fellow writers.
Do You Remember
The Writing Center is a wonderful resource for writers to share their work. There are so many peers and advisors who are eager to read, revise, and encourage fellow writers. Matt Osuch was extremely helpful in reviewing my work and encouraging me to reflect on my creative process. Through a fresh reader’s perspective, I was able to clarify and refine my work to convey my intentions even better. Matt also asked what my specific concerns were so that he could address them as a priority. It was refreshing to collaborate with an editor whom I felt supported and validated by….
Swimming with Sharks
When I brought this piece to Writers Guild, people encouraged me to experiment with the formatting, which I tried to lean into, since I’m not always the most experimental when it comes to layout and visual appearance.
Sonnet for the Thorny Honey Locust
I submitted these poems as part of the final collection for my first poetry workshop class last quarter. Riley O. reviewed my work and their feedback was so generous and kind on an area of writing I was quite unfamiliar with. Initially, I was nervous to first share these poems but Riley made the process simple by offering genuine, reader-based marginal comments on each draft. As a result, some of my poems took new directions even I wasn’t expecting.
The Taste of Church
I received some lovely feedback from my peers on this piece. I was recommended to focus on the middle section of this piece, which was not nearly as developed as it is now! Hope you enjoy.
White Rivers
I wanted to keep this piece short, but I still felt like something was missing. Hearing other people’s feedback at the Writers Guild meeting helped me reflect on my writing and figure out what my next steps should be.
Calling
The feedback process was invaluable. To me, art (and writing, of course) are all about communicating something to other people. The feedback I received let me know what was coming through, intended or otherwise. Checking in with another person helps me hone the message that I’m conveying.
Free
The feedback process was invaluable. To me, art (and writing, of course) are all about communicating something to other people. The feedback I received let me know what was coming through, intended or otherwise. Checking in with another person helps me hone the message that I’m conveying.
To Groups Past
I submitted these poems as part of the final collection for my first poetry workshop class last quarter. Riley O. reviewed my work and their feedback was so generous and kind on an area of writing I was quite unfamiliar with. Initially, I was nervous to first share these poems but Riley made the process simple by offering genuine, reader-based marginal comments on each draft. As a result, some of my poems took new directions even I wasn’t expecting.
