In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose sits down with graphic designer Josh Korwin to explore the often unseen craft behind book and literary magazine design. With a career rooted in typography and a passion for shaping how readers encounter text, Korwin has worked on the identities and interiors of journals like Zyzzyva and Huizache, bringing a careful balance of aesthetics, readability, and respect for the writer’s intent.

Their conversation pulls back the curtain on the design process—from the technical challenges of typesetting poetry to the collaborative relationship between designer, editor, and author. Korwin reflects on how even the smallest visual decisions can influence meaning, especially when translating work from a manuscript into the fixed space of a printed page. He also shares insights for writers navigating the design side of publishing, particularly those working with small presses or independently.

This episode offers a thoughtful look at the intersection of visual art and literature, and how design quietly shapes the way stories are read, felt, and remembered.

About Josh Korwin

Josh Korwin founded the design studio Three Steps Ahead, which he has operated since the late 1990s. Josh is a veteran graphic designer, font designer, and typographer, specializing in the visual identity of brands, websites, books, and literary journals (including past work for ZYZZYVA and Huizache). Throughout his creative career, he has brought a unique perspective to the evolving intersection of analog craft and modern technology. Beyond the digital screen, Josh dabbles in printing, hand lettering, woodworking, and runs a laser-powered custom sign shop. He lives in Oregon.

In this episode of The Writer’s Pick, hosts Luis Marquez and Charissa Wong welcome poet, educator, and journalist María Esquinca for a conversation on writing, identity, and the power of storytelling.

Esquinca discusses her award-winning collection Where Heaven Sinks, a deeply personal reflection on her upbringing between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso. She explores how her work is shaped by themes of immigration, family, and the U.S.–Mexico border, blending journalistic research with emotional, lived experience.

The conversation highlights her unique approach to “documentary poetry,” where news, history, and personal narrative intersect. Writing during a time of heightened immigration tensions, Esquinca felt an urgency to respond to real-world events while also processing her own relationships and memories.

She also reflects on the responsibilities of writers, acknowledging the limits of poetry alone and emphasizing the importance of community engagement and action. Throughout the episode, she offers thoughtful advice to students on navigating imposter syndrome, developing a writing practice, and trusting their voice.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose sits down with author Lauren D. Woods to discuss her debut short story collection, The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe—a book that moves fluidly between realism and the surreal, blending sharp emotional insight with inventive, often unexpected forms.

Woods talks about the long and winding path to publishing her first collection, including stories that span decades of her life as a writer—from early work written in college to more recent pieces shaped through years of revision. She reflects on learning to trust her instincts, the discipline of writing in small windows of time, and how balancing a demanding career outside of writing has influenced both her process and her voice.

The conversation also explores the unique possibilities of short fiction—why it can be such a powerful form for capturing intense, fleeting moments—and how Woods approaches everything from flash pieces to longer, more layered stories. Along the way, she discusses the role of imagination in her work, her blend of the familiar and the strange, and the writers who have shaped her along the way.