William & Mary Student Achieves Success in Poetry Publishing

Wolff has over 17 poems published or set for future publication in various literary magazines. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in renowned publications such as The Best American Poetry website, The Citron Review, Black Fox Literary Magazine, South Florida Poetry Journal, and Main Street Rag.

Initially inspired by his brother, Wolff wrote his first poem, “Tomorrow’s Moon,” which was included in the anthology Yearnings. Since then, he has seen various submissions accepted by multiple literary journals.

“It’s always good to get published,” Wolff remarked, comparing the submission process to gambling due to the competitive nature of literary magazines. He noted that some journals receive around 200 submissions for just one open spot. He specifically mentioned a piece on the way to The Citron Review, which has a notably low acceptance rate of 0.4% according to Duotrope. This has fueled his aspirations for admission into a Master of Fine Arts program in graduate school.

Wolff credits his English courses at William & Mary, particularly a poetry workshop with Professor Henry Hart, for refining his writing skills through various readings and assignments. He regards Hart and poet David Lehman as major influences in his development as a poet.

Professor Hart praised Wolff's talent and ambition, noting that it is uncommon for undergraduates to have work published in national literary journals. He highlighted the significance of Wolff's inclusion in The Best American Poetry, expressing confidence in his potential for a distinguished poetic career.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Wolff recently participated in a Zoom reading for the South Florida Poetry Journal, known for publishing works from Pulitzer Prize winners and the U.S. Poet Laureate. His poem “The Tempest” was published by The Best American Poetry website in November and features a vivid depiction of a shipwreck.

Wolff has additional works scheduled for publication, including a prose poem in The Citron Review, three poems in the winter issue of Black Fox Literary Magazine, and a poem in the summer 2022 issue of Main Street Rag.

Reflecting on his success, Wolff stated, “It’s very validating, and it definitely gives me a sense of confidence in my writing. I’ve sunk a lot of time into writing, and now it’s all kind of paying off.”