Literary societies: Cobalt Magazine

People write for many different reasons.

Some write in response to moments of inspiration – for example, a scenic holiday or a powerful art piece. Some write because poetry is healing, needing introspection and a means of framing emotions. However most people write simply because it’s fun and because developing our own style and creating our own voice is both challenging and rewarding.

Cobalt magazine provides a platform for these writers: no matter the reason for picking up a pen, no matter the way in which they approach our prompts, and no matter the confidence they may lack when putting pen to paper. Writing is ultimately a means of expression and nobody should ever have to worry whether their style is good enough, or whether their idea is strong enough.

I would challenge anyone reading this to write something creative, whether from a position of joy or anger, of love or loss, because everyone possesses their own unique style

These were some of worries I had before I wrote my first piece. I was under the impression that writing was something for people who ‘write’, that my writing may be too melancholic or that it didn’t follow the ‘rules’ of poetry well enough for a university magazine. With time I’ve realised that this simply isn’t true. Often the best pieces we get are the poems and stories (or the collection of photos) which are at their most raw and therefore their most meaningful; pieces in which the writer has worried less about conforming or toning down a style, and more about what their piece means to them.

I would challenge anyone reading this to write something creative, whether from a position of joy or anger, of love or loss, because everyone possesses their own unique style.

We have just released our first issue as the new exec: ‘New Horizons’. In this issue, people have submitted a variety of poems, short stories and photographs that illustrate journeys they’ve been on; either literally, meaning holidays and excursions, or metaphorically, in a more existential sense.

It’s also a community where like-minded people can meet and different ideas and styles can come together

We often release prompts on our Facebook page in order to guide people’s creativity and direction, but their take on the topic is always very much their own. In fact, we respect their direction so much that we try to edit the pieces as little as possible. You can also see these prompts on our Instagram, along with photographs related to the issue. For instance, we are currently running a series of travel photos from the exec and our members.

Cobalt is not just a platform, however. It’s also a community where like-minded people can meet and different ideas and styles can come together. We hosted a table at the Societies Fair, where we hoped to meet many prospective writers. We are also hoping to throw a launch party for ‘New Horizons’, which prospective writers and members are welcome to attend. This year will also be the five year anniversary of our magazine, so we will also be hosting quite a few celebratory events throughout the year.

All in all, we hope that you take the chance to look over our magazine, which you can read either through our WordPress or with a printed copy. It is free to join the society and anybody can submit something for publication, so it’s a great way to get your name in print. If you have any questions, message us on Facebook.