As the spring semester begins on Averett’s campus, many students may get stressed with their workload. Students can alleviate some of that stress through a creative outlet. Whether students enjoy photography, poetry, or fiction, The Ember is the perfect place for creative souls to submit their work to a professional publication.
The Ember is Averett University’s Literary and Arts magazine, which has been a part of the university’s long history since the 1960’s. Eben Leigh, the editor-in-chief of The Ember and a senior majoring in English, is hoping to revitalize interest in the school’s literary magazine.
“The Ember is Averett University’s haven for artistic creativity,” Leigh says. “If you have any kind of creative drive, this is the place to go. This is where your work is going to be memorialized forever.”
It can be incredibly difficult to show other people your artistic endeavors. However, when artists submit their work to a judge’s panel, they may grow more confident in their creative abilities. Mary Hawkins, who is a junior majoring in religion, submitted to The Ember last year.
“The submission process for The Ember was simple and my experience was very beneficial,” Hawkins noted. “It helped me gain confidence in my writing and made me less scared to put myself out there.”
Another previous contributor, Jasmine Vaden, a sophomore majoring in nursing, also had an extremely positive experience.
“I truly feel that having The Ember magazine at Averett University is a great creative outlet for anyone that wants to express themselves in their own creative way,” Vaden said. “I had a wonderful experience working with the magazine because I got the chance to express my creativity.”
Previous submitters also praised The Ember for its easy and simple submission process.
“I messaged Eben Leigh for the submission form and got it the same day, filled it out, and sent it back to him,” said Salla Raatikainen, a senior majoring in marketing management. “I think that the form was clear and easy to understand since it told me how many works I can submit to each category.”
Students can submit fiction, poetry, photography, digital or physical illustrations, pictures of sculptures, and even formal essays to The Ember, where they will be judged against other student-made works by a body of faculty judges. Not only will students be able to submit their works for critique, but there is also a chance to win a cash prize.
There are two main categories: written art and visual art. Leigh explained that both categories have a first-place winner and two honorable mentions. The first-place winner will receive 150 dollars while the honorable mentions will receive 75 dollars.
The deadline for submissions is midnight on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Students wanting to submit their work to The Ember should make sure their work is professionally proofread. By following the QR code on the digital flyer or by clicking the link at the bottom of the article, students will be able to fill out the form with their names and view the specifics of The Ember’s submission rules. Students should also make sure to email the completed form to [email protected] to ensure their creative works are submitted to the literary magazine.
If students aren’t sure they want to submit any work to The Ember, there are other ways to get involved with the creative arts side of campus. The Ember will be hosting a poetry event in Blout Library on April 17 to promote this year’s publication.
“It’s going to be a sort of launch for The Ember,” Leigh noted, “as well as an opportunity for the community to come and share some of their favorite poetry from their favorite writer or that they created themselves.”
If you are ready to share your creativity with the school body of Averett University, you can scan the QR code above or on any of the flyers around campus. Students can also visit https://www.averett.edu/ember/ to download the submission form.
