Write On! 25, our Silver Jubilee issue, sponsored by The Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), is out today. This issue explores the theme of ‘Mindset,’ showcasing work that speaks of journeys of determination; putting in the work no matter how difficult it feels and navigating the barriers that prevent us from getting to where we could be. You can see it digitally, or get your physical copy from libraries and other outlets up and down the country.

With that in mind, in our cover interview international bestseller Sheila O’ Flanagan, tells us why she writes to empower and inspire – transcending genres to tell stories that matter:

“If Jane Austen was writing now, she’d be given a pink cover. Nobody would have looked at the ‘womeny’ romantic fiction! I feel very strongly that implying one kind of writing is worthy of study, when another is not, is a fallacy.”

On our sponsor page, RNA President Sue Moorcroft speaks to poet and former athlete, Alex Murdock about how romance isn’t just about happy endings, sharing: “It’s the truth of how we live, connect and care.”

Write On! 26, out on 10 September, will explore the theme of Reflections. Sponsored by Libraro, it will feature a headline interview with Patrick Vernon, the seminal social commentator, campaigner and cultural historian. Our sponsor interview will be with publishing industry tech entrepreneur, Arsim Shillova. This theme will also inform content for the digital Write On! Extra (accessible through this website) and Write On! Audio. (This podcast can be accessed on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Just type pen to print into your browser. Alternatively, find us via our Spotify Podcast hosting site.

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Launched in April 2019, Pen to Print’s Write On! continues to reach new readers as Barking & Dagenham’s Arts Council England Library NPO (National Portfolio Organisation) magazine. United by a desire to come together beyond boundaries of geography, culture and expectations, Write On! is created by and for writers. Write On! is available digitally and through Barking and Dagenham libraries and other libraries and centres in different parts of London, Devon, Manchester, Birmingham, Kent, Newcastle, the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Sunderland and Essex. University distribution points include Christchurch, Sunderland and Goldsmiths. Increasingly, we are sharing the printed magazine with writers from across the UK who are asking for copies for their writing groups and local bookstores.

Pen to Print is part of Barking and Dagenham Libraries, which means the ethos of the organisation is founded on promoting an inclusive community spirit. Due to the reach of our publications, which includes Write On! Audio and Write On! Extra in the digital sphere, we connect beyond Barking & Dagenham to create wider ripple effects. We are therefore delighted that this has encouraged 298,000+ users from 198 countries to respond to the ideals of engagement transparency, connection and inclusion.

A Call To Action:

1. 1. For up-to-date editorial information, including how to submit to the Write On! suite of publications, including audio, see:  Editor’s Introduction.
   2. Partnerships: Write On! has already facilitated partnerships and co-operation with Dialogue, Hay Festival, All Stories, Bloomsbury, Penguin, the Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation, Write Back UK, the Curtis Brown Agency, The Margate Bookie, Libraro, Oddizzi, The University Of Sunderland, Christ Church University Canterbury, the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), the Alternative Stories and Fake Realities Podcast, The Turner Contemporary, Libraries Unlimited (Devon), Dudley Libraries, The London Library and Becontree Broadcasting Station, with many others currently being explored. If you would like to discuss ideas, please do get in touch at: pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk
   3. To advertise online or in the next issue, please see Write On! Together magazine, with demographics, testimonials and lots of information.