Writer’s talent grows through literary magazine work
Abby Chalmers experiences the process of publishing through the Coeval and the satisfaction of being published herself.
By Serena Hodge
As a child, Abby Chalmers loved to read. Her stay-at-home mother often took her and her sister Grace to the nearby Albert Lea County Library. Chalmers, began writing at age 7, often to the point where a bump would appear on the middle of her right hand from holding a pencil. Chalmers then became an English major at Bethel University, with minors in Pre-Law, Political Science and History.
Just as her interest in reading was sparked by her mother, her interest in history and political science came from her father who is a history teacher at Albert Lea High School. This year Chalmers partook in the class “Publishing and Being Published,” which was responsible for the Coeval. This required class for English majors is taught by Angela Shannon-Preston, who is also the academic advisor to Chalmers. The Coeval is a magazine that is a collection of poems, prose, and artwork from students of Bethel University published by the English and Journalism Department. Chalmers was published in Coeval last year, with a poem titled “Autumn.”
This year, as a member of the staff in the Publishing and Being Published class in the English and Journalism Department, she was not allowed to submit but instead experienced the process of publishing while serving as the staff’s social media coordiantor.
“I would say that this class is a really wonderful experience for someone who is interested in being published someday,” Chalmers said. “Or interested in an editorial role, or who just wants to get involved with the Coeval.”
As social media coordinator, she worked closely with Hannah Hunhoff, the promotion coordinator of the Coeval.
This year’s Coeval staff, Chalmers said, made a concerted effort to attain written and artistic work for the Coeval branching beyond the English and Journalism Department. Posters were found at every department requesting entries and everyone in Shannon-Preston’s class was required to look through the submissions to determine if the work qualified for entry into the Coeval.
“[Chalmers] is a really good team player,” Shannon-Preston said, “She’s a good reader of work…Her notes were really thorough, and she made a lot of, I would say, good judgment about the work.”
Chalmers’ attention to detail was noticed by her fellow team members, as well as her professor.
“[Chalmers] always had really good feedback to share,” Hunhoff said, “and was also very just encouraging, always wanting to honor the author’s thoughts and still find improvements.”
On May 2, The Coveal Release Party took place in the Eastlund Room, where a crowd of nearly 40 people listened to some of the authors and artists present their work. During the event copies of the Coeval 2024 are given and used to follow along with those presenting.
This event allows for connection between the creator of the artistic works, the audience and the staff behind the publishing that made it all possible.
