Carlee Shimek
Say hello to UW-Eau Claire’s newest literary team for NOTA. Last spring semester, the three literary editors of None Of The Above graduated and had to say goodbye to the student-run literary magazine they’d fostered. Thankfully, three current students took up the mantle, all of whom we’ll learn about today.
Meet Editor-in-Chief Emma Friend, a junior majoring in Integrated Strategic Communications with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in Creative Writing. Learning about NOTA while being a writing tutor in the Center for Writing Excellence and beginning her NOTA career as the assistant prose editor, Friend had the experience necessary to take on this leadership role.
“I think it’s good to have a place that’s free of a rubric.”
“I really love that NOTA is a space to be creative on campus without doing it for a professor,” Friend said when asked about why she wanted to be involved in NOTA. “I think a lot of us [are] doing a lot of creating for our professors because that’s all we have time for. But I think NOTA is like an excuse to write something that isn’t for your professors. I think it’s good to have a place that’s free of a rubric.”
Friend also talked about ideas to contribute to this new NOTA year, such as bringing back pocket NOTAs (a mini-book featuring prose), creating submissions for themed pieces, and other collaboration projects. Hopefully, this new team will make their great ideas for NOTA come to fruition. She also mentioned a new faculty advisor joining the team this year.
“I’m really excited about Dr. Chan joining us this year. She’s now co-advising with BJ Hollars. She just has so much experience and knowledge that I think is really going to enrich the magazine in a great way.”
Next up, there is newly minted Prose Editor, Mckenzie Minter, a fourth-year Critical Studies major and Creative Writing certificate. Wanting to be involved in the English opportunities on campus, Minter sounds like the perfect person for this job.
“I’m looking forward to reading a lot of the other work that people submit this semester and next semester,” she said. “I think it’s going to be exciting to see the process and the work that goes into actually creating the book.”
Minter has the dedication and appreciation of literature necessary to take on a leadership role in NOTA. She’s expressed her excitement for the selection committee meeting later this semester and what writers and readers can gain from NOTA.
“For those who are submitting, I hope they’re able to produce a piece of work they’re proud of and be proud of themselves for getting published,” she said. “And I hope for those that are reading, they’re able to connect to at least one of the prose pieces or poems or art submissions. I hope that people are just proud of the work that they put into it and can see the hard work that people put in to producing [it].”
Minter also proposed incorporating hybrid art in NOTA, where prose or poetry is combined with a visual art piece.
Last but certainly not least, meet the new Poetry Editor, Claire Bradley. She’s a senior with a Creative Writing Major. An aspiring future publishing editor, Bradley is quite excited to experience the ins and outs of publishing and formatting a literary magazine, as are the above-mentioned editors. Bradley highlighted the creative environment NOTA provides students and her desire to grow that community.
“I would like more people to find out about NOTA,” she said. “So I’d love to help get word out there, get more people to do open reads, and try to encourage people to submit work, even if they’re kind of on edge. I think just getting that experience would be really nice for a lot of creative students on campus.”
It will be exciting to see how NOTA evolves with three new editors at the wheel. All expressed excitement in learning about the process it takes to publish creative magazines and the amazing contribution and opportunities NOTA provides its students. Based on their love of literature and appreciation for this organization, they will achieve great things.
NOTA’s next open read is Oct. 18, which takes place at 7:30 PM in The Cabin in UWEC’s Davies Center. Additionally, submissions are open for UWEC students until Oct. 6. Students can send up to five unpublished poetry pieces, up to three unpublished prose pieces (1,500 words or less), and They encourage writers of all styles and stories to submit their prose, poetry, art, and even music. Send submissions or any questions you may have to ENGL72@uwec.edu or ENGL64@uwec.edu. The editors are excited and ready to read the amazing work students create.