Creative Writing Commons^™

The Things That Keep Me Up At Night, Kaitlyn Grace Wilson

Masters Theses

This creative nonfiction manuscript is a collection of reflective personal essays centered on ordinary experiences, curiosities, anxieties, and observations that gradually expand into larger questions about identity, memory, adulthood, faith, and human behavior. Rather than relying on dramatic plot or chronological structure, the essays move associatively through thought, humor, research, and reflection. Subjects throughout the manuscript range from fireworks, sourdough starter, dreams, and Facebook Marketplace to art history, floating the Chattahoochee River, weddings, music performances, and irrational fears. Through these seemingly small topics, the manuscript explores the emotional weight and philosophical questions hidden within everyday life.

Much of the project …

Lovepilled, Zhiliang Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

"Lovepilled" is a collection of essays and stories about love, the longing for it, and where it takes place.

Satori 2026, Lupema Celis Castillo, Amity Collins, Lydia Domaille, Grace Emiliusen, Alysen Endres, Holly Foss, Jenifer Frick, Benjamin Hagen, Linda Hang, Ely Herrick, Axel Hillis, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Dylan Jackson, Kira Kainz, Sayeeda Khan, Greta Kirsch, Reianna Larson, Jacinda Lundeen, Kendra Mcclure, Marissa Mcclure, Linda Moua, Kaylee Nickisch, Ella Page, Kari Plumley, Caleb Reed, Reagan Roesler, Sarah Schmick, Mandie Schmidt, Elizabeth Schneider, Lucy Severson, Gracia Sonderup, Emily Sowers, Celia Stern, Shelby Svien, Liz Tischler, Jackie Velishek, Allen Wedekind

Satori Literary Magazine

The Satori is a student literary publication that expresses the artistic spirit of the students of Winona State University. Student poetry, prose, and graphic art are published in the Satori every spring since 1970.

The Satori 2026 editors and creators are:

Design and Technical Editors: Elena Armstrong, Jenifer Frick, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Linda Moua

Prose Editors: Shaela Eriksen, Linda Hang, Camden McDonald, Callie Sahlstrom

Poetry Editors: Lydia Domaille, Dylan Jackson, Reagan Roesler, Allen Wedekind

Art Editors: Kendra McClure, Jade McElmury, Charlie Lund

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Liberty Kohn

WINONA PRIZE WINNERS 2026

• Allen Wedekind (Nonfiction) -  Pleasant Transgender Man
• Mandie …

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 7: Wish (Spring 2026), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 7 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Spring 2026 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Wish'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.

Irotas 2026 Version 1, English Department-Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas.

Editors:  Elena Armstrong, Lydia Domaille, Shaela Eriksen, Jenifer Frick, Linda Hang, Eva Hodnick, Sarah Huderle, Dylan Jackson, Charlie Lund, Kendra McClure, Camden McDonald, Jade McElmury, Linda Moua, Reagan Roesler, Callie Sahlstrom, Allen Wedekind

McClure, Grace Emiliusen, Benjamin Hagen, Brandon Tellers, Jacinda Lundeen, Lupema Celis Castillo, Kylee Binning, Caleb Reed, Anastasia Piltingsrud,  Koda Mueller, Caleb Reed, Gracia Sonderup, …

Irotas 2026 Version 2, English Department- Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas. This is a 2026 issue version 2.

Authors: Marissa McClure, Alysen Endres, Mandie Schmidt, Holly Foss, Allen Wedekind, Sarah Schmidt, Calista Escobar, Linda Moua, Jacinda Lundeen, Caleb Reed, Ella Page, Kendra McClure, Cora Waterman, Benjamin Hagen, Amity Collins, Mazin Abdel-Magid, Libby Crum, Elizabeth Tischler, Elly Herrick, Kat Beekman, Lupema Celis Castillo, Linda Hang, William Mahowald, Lydia Domale, …

Irotas 2026 Version 3, English Department-Winona State University

Irotas

Irotas is an annual student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Irotas is a sibling journal to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. This is the Irotas created in 2026. there are three versions of the 2026 Irotas. This is version 3.

Editors: Allen Wedekind, Callie Sahlstrom, Camden McDonald, Charlie Lund, Dylan Jackson, Elena Armstrong, Eva Hodnick, Jade McElmury, Jenifer Frick, Kendra McClure, Linda Hang, Linda Moua, Lydia Domaille, Reagan Roesler, Sarah Huderle, and Shaela Eriksen

Authors: Sarah Huderle, Kylee Binning, Lupema Celis Castillo, Kira Kainz, Elizabeth Tischler, Calista Escobar, Caleb Reed, William Mahowald, Linda …

I Want You To Want Me, Marianne Koleng

be Still

This piece calls to the theme of "attention" through a mixed media piece incorporating collage, ink, and colored pencil. It embraces the nuances of both anatomy and popular music, rock-and-roll, to be specific. The title is taken from the popular song by Cheap Trick, of the same name in an effort to elude to the desire for human attention in a human form.

Even Flow, Marianne Koleng

be Still

This piece attempts to connect the "ebb and flow" of music and art with the sometimes strict interpretation of anatomy. It calls to attention what often seem as opposites - the cold nature of medicine and science with the seemingly warm and free nature of music and art. While many see them as opposites, this piece attempts to convey they are really two sides of the same coin.

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 6: Metamorphosis (Fall 2025), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 6 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Fall 2025 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Metamorphosis'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.

Burning Solitudes: Mountain Storytelling In The Age Of Social Media Reproduction, Katie Ives

Appalachia

A deep exploration into the contradictions of recording mountain experiences while having them.

A House With No Walls Where Persimmons Grow In The Garden: Photography As A Collaborative Feminist Practice And Using Archives To Reframe The Present, Jada Wheeler

University Honors Theses

A House With No Walls is an investigation of the idea of chosen family, as it exists apart from the influence of any institution. It alludes to the home as a place that exists within space shared with the people we choose as family and within our own free bodies. This project investigates the collaborative potential of photography, and uses it as a tool in creating a feminist representation of family. All the photographs were made with close friends, in an unplanned and spontaneous manner, to document intimate moments of our everyday lives.

Where Persimmons Grow In The Garden is …

A Crisis Of Craft: Creative Writing In The American University, Brenna E. Derbish

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this essay, I aim to analyze the changing nature of the Creative Writing MFA through the lens of the American culture that shaped it. In the 1930s, creative writing in American universities began to take shape, citing itself as a way to reform the philological study of literature into a more active field, a way for the common person to learn through creativity and self-expression. However, as the number of MFA programs in the nation continued to rise, admittance became increasingly selective, with many universities accepting only between 5 and 10% of their applicants. This increase in exclusivity, coupled …

Efficiency Versus Quality: A Reflection On Making A Children’S Book, Elizabeth Diehl

Honors Projects

When first looking at a children’s book, it appears to be a simple creative project. However, when one finds out the components that go into making one, it becomes clear that simplicity is deceiving. Research, ideation, rough drafts, and scripts are just a few of the necessary components for the finished product, and each one of these components can take multiple days or weeks to complete. This essay is a reflection on my experience of creating a picture book in one semester as I attempt to answer the questions “What if the most efficient process for creating a children's picture …

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 5: Play (Spring 2025), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 5 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Spring 2025 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Play'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 5: Play (Spring 2025), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 5 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Spring 2025 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Play'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.

Nokomis, Madeline Avila, Jack Guimont, Jack Mulvaney, Elida Roskamp, Ashley Shorba, Lucy Severson, Emily Sowers, David Estrada, Osvin Baltazar Gonzalez, Ashley Campbell, Grace Emiliusen, Zoey Cavanaugh, Elysia Beynon, Caitlin Larsen, Drake Onyx, Ava Diekmann, Alivia Tima, Emily Hill, Kiera Norman, Sunehra Subah, Jaydon Wilson, Lydia Domaille, Linda Moua, Mandie Schmidt, Sarah Huderle, Elizabeth Schneider, Bonnie Ni, Natalie Leet, Koda Mueller, Jackie Velishek, Helena Dowler, Allen Wedekind, Lauryn Schleusner, Kiera Norman, Dorothy Moore, Zoeh Cavanaugh, David Estrada

Irotas

Nokomis is the 2025 annual online student journal of the arts created and published by Winona State University students. Nokomi (2025) and Irotas (2024) are sibling journals to the Satori Student Literary Magazine. The inaugural issue of Irotas was published in 2024 and Nokomis in 2025.

Design and Technical Editors: Madeline AvilaJack Guimont, Jack Mulvaney

Fiction Editors: Jack Guimont, Jack Mulvaney, Elida Roskamp

Art Editors: Lucy Severson, Emily Sowers

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Liberty Kohn, Professor of English

Satori 2025, Jack Guimont, Elida Roskamp, Lucy Severson, Ashley Shorba, Emily Sowers, Jack Mulvaney, Madeline Avila, Osvin Baltazar Gonzalez, Celia Stern, Kiera Norman, Ashleigh Campbell, Allen Wedekind, Dorothy Moore, Caitlin Larsen, Jackie Velishek, Jaydon Wilson, Elysia Beynon, Grace Emiliusen, Sunehra Subah, Elena Kulschar, Zoey Cavanaugh, Alivia Tima, Jed Nelson, Draconian Onyz, Ava Diekmann, Elly Herrick, Helena Dowler, Kristin Victor, Elizabeth Schneider, Isabel Teitelbaum, Greta Kirsch, Sarah Huderle, Caleb Kottke, Maria Windley-Daoust, Tim Galvin, Kaylee Nickisch

Satori Literary Magazine

The Satori is a student literary publication that expresses the artistic spirit of the students of Winona State University. Student poetry, prose, and graphic art are published in the Satori every spring since 1970.

The Satori 2025 editors and creators are:

Design and Technical Editors: Elida Roskamp, Lucy Severson, Ashley Shorba, Emily Sowers

Fiction Editors: Jack Guimont, Jack Mulvaney, Elida Roskamp

Poetry Editors: Madeline Avila, Ashley Shorba

Art Editors: Lucy Severson, Emily Sowers

Vibe Coordinator: Jack Guimont

The Satori 2025 faculty advisor is Dr. Liberty Kohn, Professor of English

Includes the annual WSU English Department prize winners:

2025 Winona Prize …

Frankenstein Colorized, Marianne Koleng

be Still

One of my favorite novel's growing up was Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I see Frankenstein's desire to create a "Monster" as a way to grasp at the fundamental human drive for connection, and healing through connection. In this piece, I attempt to bring that inner yearning for fundamental connection to paper.

Beyond Myself - Healing Through Pain, Marianne Koleng

be Still

In this piece I reflect on the importance of setbacks, non-linear growth, injuries, and pain and their ability to provide self-reflection, a platform for growth, and an crucial reminder of the fragility of life. I have often been self-critical for not following a "traditional" path in life, and reflecting on my experiences allows me to show myself grace and hopefully may influence others to do so as well.

Volume 29 Issue 2

NEBO: A Literary Journal

This issue of Nebo: A Literary Journal, published in Fall 2015, presents a rich tapestry of poetry and fiction, reflecting on themes of identity, human experience, and artistic expression. The issue, archived as Volume 29, Issue 2, corresponds to the print edition labeled Volume 34, Issue 1. Due to necessary metadata adjustments in the digital archiving process, some volume and issue numbers in the online collection may not match those printed in the original journals.

Editor Ryan Smith, in his editorial preface, describes his experience as a fledgling academic and writer, …

Volume 5, Issue 2

NEBO: A Literary Journal

This issue of Nebo: A Literary Journal represents a dynamic collection of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, and visual art, showcasing a diverse range of voices from emerging and established writers. Originally archived as Volume 5, Issue 2, this issue is actually Volume 9, covering Fall and Spring of the 1990-1991 academic year. As part of the ongoing archival process, some volume and issue numbers in the digital collection may not correspond with those printed in the original journals. Despite these variations, the commitment of Nebo to fostering literary excellence and supporting the creative arts remains unwavering. This …

Coeval 2025, Amy Holmberg Editor, Trina Warkentin Editor, Sadie Buteyn Fiction Editor, Emily Costa Fiction Editor, Katelyn Bierma Nonfiction Editor, Michael Harjo Poetry Editor, Lauren Groff Poetry Editor, Tiana Higgins Art Editor, Bright Holst Design Editor, Elizabeth Caneday Contributor, Abby Chalmers Contributor, Kaleb Cramer Contributor, Malachi Fox Contributor, Jayda Francis Contributor, Chloe A. Harvick Contributor, Amelia Keillor Contributor, Kade Nystrom Contributor, Elle Pehrson Contributor, Alyse Petersen Contributor, Eleanor Schuebel Contributor, Kailey Tan Contributor, Elizabeth Turner Contributor

Coeval

On behalf of the Coeval editing team, we proudly present the 2025 issue of Bethel University’s Coeval Literary magazine. As you read through this journal, you will find poetry, prose, fiction, and visual art about the beauties and hardships of life. Together, Bethel University students and faculty contributed to make this magazine happen. We loved reading each submission and viewing every art piece. More than anything, we look forward to what students will continue to create! Thank you for reading.

Sincerely, Trina Warkentin and Amy Holmberg

Cover Art: Places to Be by Natalie Enos

The Masa That Holds Us: Indigenous Epistemologies And The Food We Share, Necahual Gamboa

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The U.S. higher education system is built on histories and infrastructures of colonization, white supremacy, and western imperialism. Among many of the institutions produced from a history of domination and genocide, the systems of higher education need to shift their focus to decolonial frameworks including Indigenous epistemologies (ways of knowing and being) in order to work toward true reparations between these imperial systems and the Indigenous people they have displaced and disregarded. This project brings these systems into question, but also uses art, prose, and storytelling to better align with what it means or what it could look like to …

When Books Come Alive: Crafting A Clean Book-To-Screen Adaptation Worth Watching, Larah C. Cox

Masters Theses

The Things We Leave Unfinished is a screenplay adaptation of the novel of the same name by Rebecca Yarros. In this story, audience members will watch as the characters fall in love during both World War II and the present time, and experience how these themes become unbreakable family ties and strong women. This thesis, due to the importance of availability of clean entertainment for Christians to enjoy, explores what is necessary for a filmmaker to provide that kind of film, and seeks to find the answers in what makes a book-to-screen adaptation successful and worthy of an audience (both …

Artist-Theorist Invocation: Bracha Ettinger's Notebook Pages, Bracha L. Ettinger

Artizein: Arts and Teaching Journal

[Editorial/Curatorial note] This special issue on Ettingerian Matrixial Theory, Education and the Arts opens with 10 pages of meta-feminist notes from Bracha Ettinger’s Notebooks, 2009-2011. Exhibited at Castello di Rivoli, Turin, Italy in 2021. All images © and courtesy of Bracha L. Ettinger.

Review: Garth Greenwell's Mystical Novel "Small Rain" Teaches The Art Of Living From A Hospital Bed, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Book review of Garth Greenwell's book, "Small Rain"

The Cumulate Project: Creating Art That Builds Pathways Between Poetry And Accessibility In Public Spaces., Jenny Haddon

Posters, Proceedings, and Presentations: CTR Library

The University of Nebraska at Kearney( UNK) is completing an extensive renovation to the Calvin T. Ryan Library. Nebraska’s 1% for Art Law requires that 1% of all state-funded projects be set aside for a public art commission. The Nebraska Arts Council spearheaded UNK’s search and out of over 100 submissions the successful applicant was Leslie Iwai, an accomplished artist with a history of creating thought-provoking pieces in public spaces, galleries and museums. Together with Nebraska’s State Poet Matt Mason, serving as cumulate’s Poetry Curator, she designed and created an interdisciplinary art project aimed at sparking curiosity and interaction …

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 4: 'Paranoia' (Fall 2024), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 4 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Fall 2024 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Paranoia'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, Issue 4: 'Paranoia' (Fall 2024), Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine Contributors

Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine (2023-present)

Issue 4 of the Clark Student Voices Literary Magazine, published in the Fall 2024 semester. The theme of the issue is 'Paranoia'. A semesterly publication curated by Clark University students, CSVLM creates space for students to share their creative writing including poetry, prose, and artwork. Organizing and distributing Clark Student Literary Voices builds community by uniting the many creative students on the Clark campus.