Meet the Editors: Incoming Managing Editor, Rachel Guvenc
For twenty-five years, Water~Stone Review has been a collaborative passion project of students, faculty, and staff. Creative Writing Programs staff member, Meghan Maloney-Vinz serves as the journal’s executive editor, while established writers in the field act as contributing editors for each genre. Current MFA (creative writing) students work as invaluable editorial board members and assistant editors.
In this series of blog posts we introduce you to these incredible and accomplished contributors and editors. In her first post as managing editor, we hear from the incomparable, Rachel Guvenc.
During those scary, early days of the pandemic, I had a moment of clarity and realized that I wanted to prioritize my creative writing. At the time, I was a teacher of adult English Language Learners and pre-GED students. It was a great career, and part of me misses it, but I had taught for thirteen years, and had little time to pursue my own writing.
Around that same time, I stumbled upon an old issue of the Water~Stone Review at a neighborhood Little Free Library. I read it front to back and knew that I wanted to attend the university that created that unique journal filled with potent work. I requested a leave of absence from my teaching job and applied to Hamline’s MFA program.
Once I started classes, I felt like the five-year-old version of myself (who woke up at 4 a.m. on the first day of kindergarten). While it felt decadent to pursue my writing, at the same time a monster was growing in my chest, telling me I wasn’t talented enough and how impractical it is to go to school for creative writing.
With the internal combustion of the excitement and the monster brawling it out inside, I contacted Professor Katrina Vandenberg, who helped me plan out my next steps, including taking her course The Business of Writing, where I got my first taste of screening poetry for the upcoming Water~Stone Review, Vol. 25.
I’m feeling that first-day-of-school excitement again as I take on this internship as managing editor for Water~Stone. Executive editor Meghan Maloney-Vinz and outgoing managing editor Robyn Earhart have been so helpful at screening my numerous questions as I embark on this new work.
I’m excited to learn the ins and outs of editing, publishing, and marketing a literary magazine, as well as connecting with the magnificent writers who’ve contributed to Water~Stone Review. The 25th edition coming out this fall, is chock full of great writing and it’s the first volume with three guest contributing editors: Ed Bok Lee, Mona Susan Power and Kao Kalia Yang! With my writing journey just beginning, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work and learn with the Water~Stone Review.
RACHEL GUVENC is an MFA candidate at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is the managing editor for Water~Stone Review. She was a cast member at the Listen to Your Mother production in the Twin Cities, and her poetry has received an award from The League of Minnesota Poets. She is a mother, writer, teacher, and a yoga instructor.
