An Interview with Consilience Journal
Consilience, an online poetry and art journal, provides people from all walks of life a platform to explore the intersection of art and science. It is the first peer-reviewed poetry journal; the submission process follows the scientific process of peer review for each piece submitted. Every issue is theme-based, allowing in-depth exploration of how science and art can converge from different angles. As a global community, Consilience accepts submissions in any language, with or without translation. The journal aims to keep poetry accessible to all, and will therefore always be free to submit to and free to read. It is run by a dedicated group of over fifty volunteers who make up the editorial, review, and creative teams.
We spoke with Shay Rose, a reviewer and sometimes editor for Consilience. Shay is in charge of the Instagram page and works closely with the ConciliARTe team, the subdivision of the journal which focuses on art, and is involved in preparing the bi-annual virtual exhibits.
Why was the publication started? What was the idea behind the publication? Why did you choose for an online format instead of a print publication?
The journal was started in March of 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic, when many of the founding members found themselves with a bit too much time on their hands. The founder, Sam Illingworth, wanted to create a collaborative space that allows for art and science to be reunited. So often in our world, people consider themselves ‘left-brained’ and analytical, or ‘right-brained’ and creative. The goal of Consilience is to consolidate these two often-disparate things; to allow creativity to blossom within the analytical, and facts to inspire fiction. When unexpected lines of communication are initiated, new connections are often formed. We hope to inspire our artists to interrogate the workings of the world on all its levels.
What are the top three things you look for in a submission?
All submissions must have a link to science, fit the theme of the upcoming issue, and also be in line with our inclusivity statement.
What turns you off a submission?
As long as the poem follows our inclusivity statement, and has clear links to science and the theme, the poem will be published. We will publish all poems that are submitted on a first-come-first-serve basis--at the moment, we publish 20 poems per issue, but don’t have a cap on art submissions. The poets and artists also need to be open to both major and minor edits, as we provide detailed reviews from two independent reviewers, and communicate through an editor. The goal of this peer review is both to fact-check the science in the piece, and also to help elevate the submissions on an artistic level. We don’t turn poems away; we help to edit them.
What advice would you give writers trying to publish with your magazine?
Come to us--open to review--with any level of experience in science or writing; if you are just getting started, we will provide a critique that can help elevate your work, and if you are an experienced artist, we provide a different platform that will allow you to further explore areas which were likely unexplored.
Also, if your art takes time to make, we announce our themes about three months in advance, so look ahead to our future submission windows to make sure you submit your piece to a fitting themed issue.
What advice can you give to editors who would like to start their own literary publication?
Build a creative team, and don’t limit the journal to any one set of ideas. You could be surprised by all the avenues to explore. In our own journal, we now have virtual coffee houses, ko-fi accounts, virtual exhibits, and more, all because different people joining the team came with fresh perspectives and energy. And, if at all possible, keep the publication free to the public; poetry should be shared and read, and I know even from my own experience that even a five-dollar fee for submission can turn artists off from submissions.
What have been some high points of running a literary magazine?
The unique science-art platform that Consilience provides has resulted in some absolutely stunning works of art and poetry. The effort and love the artists put into their pieces shine through. And, if you give a poet the scientific toolkit, they really sharpen their pens. Much of the poetry interrogates difficult subjects like climate change, bias, and medical problems. Working with poets to better their own work has resulted in poetry that is both beautiful and disconcerting in its honesty.
What is your comment on the future of poetry publishing?
Poetry plays a distinct role in our world as a place for emotions, communication, truth, and connection. These values should be accessible to all; the future of poetry is a space of freedom--both literally and figuratively. Poetry should be free to read, and free to submit. It should transcend economic and class boundaries, it should both disregard and celebrate differences, it should juxtapose and distil and disturb and elate. Platforms for publishing that allow interrogation of the whole range of human experience are absolutely essential for the mental health of our age.
What motivates you as an Editor, and why?
I joined the team after coming across an article by Sam in Nature Communications, one of the top peer-reviewed scientific journals. I was taken aback when reading publications on DNA damage and cancer therapeutics to come across an article entitled, “Feeling stuck? Close your laptop, stop your field measurements and write a poem.” In it, he argued two points: one, that poetry can be used to help communicate science, not through “laboured rhyme,” but by making science more accessible to a wider audience. And two, that the “incubation period” from taking a break from the lab bench and writing a poem will likely result in fresh perspectives that allow creativity to flow. I was very taken by these ideas, and joined the Consilience team as a way to further my own involvement in science and art.
I was also very taken by the idea of peer-reviewed poetry; as a scientist by day, poet by night, the opportunity to model an editing process after that of scientific publications was intriguing. And honestly, the results have been stunning. Most artists are very open to this type of review, and respond positively to critique. The final products are informative, celebrative, and interrogative. I am deeply motivated by seeing these transformations, and hope to take what I’ve learned into my own writing.
What upcoming projects can we look forward to?
We have several exciting upcoming projects. First off, submissions to Issue No. 6 ‘Diversity,’ are still open, and the submission to Issue No. 7 ‘Energy’ will open on September 20th. We also have an upcoming Science and Poetry Café, in collaboration with Falling Walls, on July 21st. Finally, we are in the works of creating our second virtual exhibit, along the theme of ‘Anthropocene,’ which will launch on September 15th.
What are your long-term goals or plans?
We hope to eventually gain enough traction to reach a larger audience of scientists, artists, and polymaths. We are looking into funding options to allow compensation to our volunteers, as well as allowing us to provide printed versions of our issues. Our team is constantly growing with people who are intrigued by our process and want to join as reviewers, editors, or other team members.