Association for Mormon Letters

In 1982 the AML co-sponsored an event entitled "Values and Variety: The Genius of Mormon Letters" alongside Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Christian Values in Literature.[25] The diaries of early members of the Church, along with LDS children's books, poetry, hymns, and folk music, were examined at the symposium.[26] Richard Cracroft, Neal Lambert, Lorna Nielsen Best, and John B. Harris were among the readers. A journalist recorded: "The excellent qualities of their narrations and voices combined for an hour of both touching and humorous excerpts from past and present Mormon writers."[27]

In 1987, the AML met at the University of Utah. The proceedings included lectures from authors and professors, a discussion open to conference attendees, the reading of poetry and short stories, an awards luncheon, and an "Editors' Roundtable" featuring representatives from the top publishers of LDS literature, such as Bookcraft, Signature Books, Deseret Book, and the University of Utah Press. The representatives offered insight into the publishing process and the future of the LDS market."[28] The 1989 conference took place at Weber State University.[29] Then-president Levi Peterson described the Association's proceedings as "the type of things you would study in an English class."[30] A January 1997 edition of the Provo Daily Herald recorded that the AML hosted two conferences that year, one at Westminster College and another during the annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association.[31] Sessions discussing "Mormon Humor," "Mormon Folklore," "The Book of Mormon as Literature," and "LDS Science Fiction" were held.[32] Westminster College was the site for the conference in 1998 as well, with the authors reading their essays, poetry, and fiction at an "evening social."[33] The AML also began hosting a Writers' Conference in 1999.[34]

The 2004 AML conference was held at Utah Valley State College and the Salt Lake City Public Library. Topics such as LDS fiction, film, poetry, and folklore were the focus of the conference.[35] The 2008 proceedings were held at Brigham Young University's Ernest L. Wilkinson Student Center; this was the first time since 1976 that the AML held a meeting on BYU campus.[36] In 2012, the theme of the conference was "Going Forth into All the World: Mormon Literature in an International Church," and works from various countries such as Cameroon, Mexico, and the Ukraine were read.[37] At its 2015 conference the AML introduced a new award for "religious nonfiction."[38] The meeting that year also included a live debate and poetry competition.[39] In 2019, the conference was held in Berkeley, California.[40] The 2020 AML conference was cancelled and replaced by a recorded virtual event held on May 2, in which the 2019 AML Award winners were announced.[22]

From 1977 to 1998,[41] the Association for Mormon Letters published a quarterly newsletter. Its cost was included in the organization's membership dues.[42] Book reviews and news from the AML were included.[43] Steven Sondrup and Levi Peterson were its editors. Irreantum took its place in March 1999.[41]

From 1995 to 2011 the AML sponsored AML-List, an e-mail list for the discussion of LDS literature.[3] Its founder and moderator was Benson Y. Parkinson.[44] Weber State University's English Department was also a sponsor.[45] List subscribers posted reviews of more than a thousand LDS books, films, and other artistic works, which are archived in the association's review database.[46] Subscribers also asked questions about various works and discussed issues pertaining to LDS literature.[19] According to Chris Bigelow, AML-List possessed "the right balance of academics with more popular, commercial, and down-to-earth concerns"[47] and received an average of 30 posts per day.[48] The forum also helped the membership numbers of the Association for Mormon Letters increase.[19]

Irreantum, the AML's literary journal, was founded in 1999[1] by Chris Bigelow and Benson Parkinson.[49] According to Irreantum's current website, "the name comes from a Book of Mormon term meaning 'many waters'" and was meant to inspire a feeling of inclusivity pertaining to the wide variety of works the journal would publish.[50] Bigelow has said that Irreantum was "inspired by AML-List."[48] It featured selections of LDS literature and reviews[49] and sought to publish "the best in contemporary Mormon poetry, essays, stories, and criticism."[51] A subscription cost $12 a year, and was free for AML members.[49] Both submissions and communications between the editors were conducted over e-mail. The staff consisted of volunteers only.[47] Irreantum was published quarterly. The association held an annual Irreantum Fiction Contest; three winners were chosen, and their works were published in the journal.[52] Submissions "were judged blind"[53] and were required to somehow convey the experience of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[54] A minimum of three new writers were featured in the publication each year. Though it published works "by, for, and about Mormons," Irreantum sought to be considered a literary, humanities-based journal, rather than a religious publication. It was advertised as "the only magazine devoted to Mormon literature."[55] It went on hiatus in 2013.[56] Five years later, in 2018, Irreantum was again published as an online magazine.[57] Previous issues are available via Irreantum's online archives.[58] Current issues are published only online, and multiple people rotate as editors.[50]

In 2009 the AML launched its blog, entitled Dawning of a Brighter Day. The title was inspired by an article written by Eugene England in 1983: "The Dawning of a Brighter Day: Mormon Literature after 150 Years." The blog seeks to facilitate the online presence of the discussion of LDS literature and, according to Michael Austin, is "a high-traffic website with hundreds of participants."[7]