Students who want to start building their résumés with showcases of magazine-level writing experience now can do so from the comfort of their own rooms.

Athens Exchange, an online-only publication, is a way for those interested in careers in writing to hone their skills and get their pieces published.

Though the majority of writers are students from the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, it is not a requirement, nor is any experience in writing for a magazine or newspaper.

In fact, while half of those interviewed had worked for only one publication prior to joining Athens Exchange, the other half had no experience in writing for any medium at all, including the Web site’s editor, Len Neighbors, 34, of Virginia Beach, Va.

Neighbors said the magazine is Athens-oriented in its focus on music, movies and food in the city.

“One of the great things about the Internet is it makes available to amateurs that which was previously only available to editors,” he said.

“It’s democratized publication, for better or worse.”

The way the site works is through a software program called Spool.

Here, after typing in their username and password, writers find out what tasks they are supposed to complete.

“It’s a way to either assign or receive or submit your assignments,” said Christopher Flippo, the managing editor.

“It actually just started a few months ago, and since then, it’s made everything a lot more efficient,” said the junior telecommunication arts major from Rossville.

Fellow writers echo Flippo’s sentiments, hailing Spool as a hassle-free way to establish individual duties.

“It’s great,” said Drew Wheatley, a junior magazines major from Marietta. “It allows a lot of freedom.”

Allison Carter, the junior section editor from Ringgold, tried to organize assignments for the site on her computer last semester without the use of Spool.

Now that it manages writer responsibilities, she says her job is much easier.

“It’s very good to have organization like that,” she said.

While the site’s publication process seems to help put students at ease, Neighbors’ amiable approach undoubtedly adds in that regard as well.

For him, it is important that the student writers are comfortable, and that will happen if there is no additional pressure mounted on them.

“I don’t want them to feel like they have to churn out an article every week just to meet some standard,” he said.

“I try to create an environment where they can sit back and do good work.”

At the moment, excluding only a few on staff, writers and contributors are not paid for their work.

This is something Neighbors hopes will soon change.

“We’re starting to sell ads for the first time this semester,” he said. “We want to start paying the writers.”

Even so, students such as Flippo seem content with the way things are going, and what they have gotten out of the publication so far.

“It’s just a good experience,” he said.

Athens Exchange can be accessed at www.athensexchange.com.