A Letter from the Leonardo Team

Before the pandemic, the process of making an outstanding issue of Leonardo had a well-grooved rhythm. We brought on editorial staff in the early fall, collected submissions through January, built the magazine in the next few months, printed it, and launched it at the CNM library’s spring visiting writer’s event. We were in the final stretch of that groove last year when the pandemic sent us home. Since then, we have had to reinvent our process. It has not proven a setback. Instead, we are growing in exciting new directions. 

Above all, we are using this year to build up our online presence. For the last few years, our activity on social media has been intermittent. Our goal this year is to make it regular and concerted, part of an online publication strategy that weaves together our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter activity with our website.  

We are currently building two major developments to the website. We are adding a blog, the first entry of which you are now reading. The editorial staff will use this blog to keep our readers in touch with the development of this year’s issue. We will discuss some of our challenges and solutions. The next entry will be an introduction of this year’s editorial staff. 

Another addition to the website this year will be a “Works in Progress” section. Here we will publish some of the longer works that we have had to leave on the cutting room floor for shortage of space in the print issue (just 50 pages!). We are also looking forward to being able to publish year-round, rather than just once a year. 

Although we will always love the printed word and will be doing our best to bring Leonardo back to print as soon as distributing it becomes safe and healthy, we are eager to use this time at home to bring the magazine into the online present. It is high time Leonardo got digital, as other traditionally print publications have, and we are thrilled by the possibilities. We hope you will check back here over the coming months to watch our progress. And don’t forget to click thumbs up on our social media! 

2020-2021 Editorial Staff