Proudly Announcing Vol. 2 of the Oakland Arts Review

September 25, 2017September 29, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

We are excited to announce and share a peak of our latest volume of the Oakland Arts Review! This summer, the OAR staff gathered to stuff envelopes with copies of the Oakland Arts Review Vol. 2 to send to the artists and writers who contributed to our latest issue. As we begin preparing for our 3rd issue, we are brainstorming ideas to make the Oakland Arts Review accessible to everyone who visits our website. We are working on putting a digital version of each issue online for our readers to access in an aesthetically pleasing way, rather than a simple PDF. However, while that project is in progress, we would like to share the cover and table of contents of Vol. 2 right away!

How to Read Effectively: Part 2

April 17, 2017November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

When a reader observes a text, she should take in as much information as possible. This means that the reader must set up a reading space. What works for some people may not be what works best for others. One person may adequately read in the bed while another person may do so at a … Continue reading How to Read Effectively: Part 2

Star Trek: A Literary Voyage

April 10, 2017December 13, 2016 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

Star Trek is the everest of successful television. While mostly known in the mainstream for its low-budget-yet-lovable Original series (Ft. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy) and massively successful reboot movie franchise (Ft. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto), Trek is far more massive than that. As an entertainment franchise it has spanned: six television series at 725 episodes, 13 … Continue reading Star Trek: A Literary Voyage

Self-Care for Writers

February 27, 2017November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ 1 Comment

Throughout 2016 there’s been a lot of importance placed on learning and practicing self-care. The basic idea of self-care is doing nice things for yourself to recharge your mind, body, and soul. So what does this have to do with writers in particular? For me, when I am well taken care of as a person, … Continue reading Self-Care for Writers

How to Read Effectively

December 19, 2016November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ 1 Comment

Reading comes with more responsibility than people think. In order to read effectively, the reader must pay attention to detail, read what the writer has not yet written, and find clues and hints the writer may purposely put in the book to make the reader think a little more. Reading is more than looking at … Continue reading How to Read Effectively

Hilary Mantel and the Blurred Lines of Historical Fiction

November 21, 2016November 17, 2016 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

Historical fiction is a unique genre. History and fiction come together and blur the lines of reality. For many, historical fiction can be an escape from the reality of modern times. As an English major, and as someone with an interest in literature, I know that when studying different areas of literature, you also submerse … Continue reading Hilary Mantel and the Blurred Lines of Historical Fiction

Three Reasons Why You Should Submit Your Work

July 25, 2016November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ 1 Comment

I think all writers want to achieve the nirvana of seeing their work in print. Most aspiring writers don’t have a problem sharing their work, even if it means getting harsh feedback. There is, however, a large number of student writers who are afraid to submit. Submitting might not be the only thing that sets … Continue reading Three Reasons Why You Should Submit Your Work

Interview with Professor Alison Powell

April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

The OAR started as a group of student volunteers lead by Professor Alison Powell. She was integral in creating and directing everyone to a path where we, as mostly inexperienced undergrads, could edit, produce, and run a literary magazine. For the last blog post of the semester I wanted to go back and speak with … Continue reading Interview with Professor Alison Powell

Patience is Key: Why Writing Sometimes Means Waiting

April 18, 2016November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ 1 Comment

Most people are familiar with the saying, “patience is a virtue.” In an effort to be better than our egos, we try to extend our patience and wait for the benefits to fall into our laps. Unfortunately, we’re often discouraged by anything that doesn’t pay off immediately. After multiple rejection letters from contests and literary … Continue reading Patience is Key: Why Writing Sometimes Means Waiting

Beginners Guide to Webcomics

April 14, 2016November 2, 2017 ~ Oakland Arts Review ~ Leave a comment

The first thing to consider when making a webcomic is how you will create the art. There are two main ways to make art: traditionally or digitally. A lot of artists blend the styles in some way, but for this post I will focus on talking about art software and tools that can help with … Continue reading Beginners Guide to Webcomics