Posts For Unprecedented Times
(Bluesky/Instagram: @madeleinefwhite)
What an amazing month April has been. There has been some truly beautiful work on our site and, of course, Issue 24 is out, which also features some fabulous creative work. May has a lot to live up to!
Having said that, with the weather promising to be fabulous and my garden starting to pay off after all the effort I’ve put in, I’m starting to feel as though that might be the story for my own creative writing as well: planting, waiting, pruning, waiting, watering, waiting, weeding… you get the picture..
In preparation for our Silver Jubilee issue (Issue 25 will be out in June), we just spoke to the bestselling romantic novelist and RNA President, Sue Moorcroft. Sue spoke passionately about the need for hard work; citing her own experience of the 20 years of effort it took to become an “overnight success.”
When I think of the twists and turns my own career has taken, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of words I’ve discarded along the way in the editing process, I can’t help but think back to my garden. After all my hard work it’s really started coming in to its own and I’ve even left the bluebells in this year for a bit of extra colour.
With that reflection, it seems fitting that May is the first month of our new theme: ‘Mindset.’ As Sue reminded us today, talent is important, but persistence and being willing to see knockbacks as valuable nuggets of information are just as – if not more – important. You obviously agree, as we are seeing some wonderful writing coming in around these ideas!
Hopefully the fact it’s National Storytelling Month will inspire you. as well. I’d love to hear about how you keep going, stay inspired and stay creative. So do share your work and insights around ‘Mindset’ with us. Our submissions guidelines here.
There to help you on your journey is, of course our latest issue. Write On! 24, sponsored by Hay Festival, is out now. It features the bestselling author John Marrs who shares how his determination to bring his stories to life led from self-publishing to becoming a multi-million bestselling author. Our Spotlight page explores ‘What is A Poem’ and the agony aunt insights come from novelist Laura Kay and poet Mab Jones. With a debate on what co-creation really is, there’s lots to get your teeth into. As ever, it’s distributed through library networks and though other venues up and down the country.
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Write On! Audio, the podcast ‘For Writers Everywhere’ is out every Tuesday.
We kick off the month with Writers Tips on Tuesday 6 May, brought to you by Ian McMillan; presenter of BBC’s The Verb. Our Listener Contribution on Tuesday 13 comes from Samantha Shakes, a London author, who brings us a powerful reflection on life and death. On Tuesday 20, we have a poem of the month and April’s Write On! and Friends is courtesy of The Writer’s Gym on the 27 May. You can find us on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podchaser and many more. Just type pen to print into your browser and look for our logo. Alternatively, find us via our Spotify For Podcasters hosting site, which links you to our content on a variety of podcast platforms. Do subscribe. Write On! Audio can be accessed here.
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Published And Coming Up
Amber Hall’s May Monday Moments explores the fact that if our mindset is shaped by your experiences, how can we actually create an environment where real change can happen, rather than operating in our own echo chambers. Out May 5.
Eithne Cullen’s May Thoughtful Tuesdays asks the question around Mindset and workspace. Can we look beyond clutter and dirty dishes to work, or do we need order to be creative? Out 13 May.
Farzana Hakim’s May Thursday Connectors looks at how stories from our cultures and communities affect our Mindset and, in particular, how they evolve over time. Out 22 May.
May’s Showcases, out every Wednesday, out every Wednesday, are edited by poet, artist and community activist Danny Baxter. He’ll be featuring lots of wonderful poetry, prose and fiction from our own bulging inbox .
Our Friday Features, out every two weeks, are packed with writing ideas and advice. May’s include reflections on the London Bookfair from Mark Butterworth, Malcom Pillar’s essay on Photo Montage and Deputy Editor Claire Buss shares an insight into the process of recording an audio book.
Our Sunday Interviews, out every two weeks, showcase a range of creative talent. In May we feature Geraldine Stevens and Gemma Bishop.
Saturday Spotlight, at the end of the month, features new launches from traditional publishers and small presses, as well as indie authors. Do send us information on your new release. If you have one coming up, we’d love to hear from you!
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More About Us
Write On! is a quarterly magazine published by Pen to Print and its sister, the online Write On! Extra, and has been created to encourage established and emerging writers to come together around the following ideals: Publishing lies at an intersection of entertainment, information and education and is the method by which we record our shifting culture. You can find out more about how to get involved as a writer, creative, partner or advertiser through Write On! Together.
Take advantage of some great digital advertising opportunities with Write On! and Write On! Extra. Get in touch with Pen to Print for further details.
Write On! Audio, the podcast ‘For Writers Everywhere’ connects emerging and established writers to each other, the publishing industry and a wider audience in an audio celebration of diversity, originality and excellence.
Issue 24 is out. You can see it here and find all our previous issues on our magazines page. Physical copies of Write On! are distributed in libraries and other centres across the country. Issue 25 will be out on 25 June.
Be part of the Write On! family; one that includes The London Library, Dialogue, Hay and The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. So far, over 294, 000 of you have engaged with us online, as readers and contributors; from the UK, but also from 198 other countries (Google Analytics lists 230 countries).
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Your Writing
Write On! accepts written pieces (prose, poetry, essays, opinion), video or spoken extracts/ snapshots, illustrations and artwork. Do remember, if you have a features idea, you may be interested in recording it for Write On! Audio. Get in touch to discuss if this appeals! Depending on content and theme, your work will be featured in one of the following ways:
Monday Moments – Stories and experiences drawn from myriad perspectives. Fresh and engaging; a real ‘magazine’ feel. (First Monday of the month.)
Thoughtful Tuesdays – Mindfulness, inspiration, poetry, quotes and ideas shared to create leadership and hope, to see us through the week. (Second Tuesday of the month.)
Write On! Showcase – This creative writing showcase includes poetry, short stories, flash fiction and book extracts. Although most will reflect the seasonal theme, some work, such as memoirs or book extracts, offer a non-themed perspectives also. (Weekly.)
Thursday Connectors – Everyone and everywhere has different experiences and different ways of dealing with these strange times. This internationally-flavoured page is all about people and their experiences, connecting us with ideas and ideals, reaching out from east London to encompass the UK and the world at large. (Third Thursday of the month.)
Write On! Features – Essays, opinions and features. In Write On! Extra, we focus on topics relevant to publishing and writing arenas, but also include wider content to encompass thinking and ideas relevant to our times. (Two per month.)
Saturday Spotlight – Spotlight offers a round-up of indie, traditional and small press releases, bringing readers an overview of what can be found on digital and physical shelves. (Monthly.)
Write On! Interviews – This Sunday profile opportunity features writers, publishers, editors, agents and other creatives, along with individuals from diverse communities in a number of different occupations. (Two per month).
Write On! Audio – Out every Tuesday, our podcast ‘For Writers Everywhere’ connects emerging and established writers to each other and the industry. There is an opportunity to submit to our Listener Contribution Slot, as well as record your creative work and any tips and feature ideas you might have. See our pilot episode for tips on ‘how to’. (Weekly).
Please do continue to submit your work. Our aim remains the same: bringing people together to share their experience, strength and hope, as well as having a bit of a laugh!
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How To Submit:
We are looking for pieces (poetry, prose, fiction etc.) around our theme of Misunderstandings. We want to know what the word means to you in terms of your personal or creative life! Running until the end of April you are invited submit on this theme until mid-March.
Our theme for May and June is Mindset: How we creatives put barriers up for ourselves – imposter syndrome and lack of time, for example – and how to overcome them. How can we push ourselves beyond these into a successful resilient mindset. When do you decide you are a writer? We are looking for creative pieces, features and prose insight as to the different approaches and insights people have.
- Creative prose submissions should be between 800 and 1000 words and, if possible, fit the seasonal theme.
- Poetry can be as short as necessary, but no longer than 500 words.
- Features are generally between 1000-1500. It’s best to send your feature/essay ideas through initially, so we can finalise the topic together.
- Write On! Audio Listener Contribution Slot. See our pilot episode for tips on ‘how to’. Listener Contributions should not be longer than ten minutes and should include a brief introduction to you.
Any contributions should include an image of the writer and any copyright-free images you would like us to use (adhering to our submission guidelines) to illustrate your work. For any images/ video content that include you, or someone identifiable, we will need a permissions form. This will be sent to you. Write On! Extra is also happy to accept video or audio content. Please include contact details and any relevant social media IDs, such as Instagram, X, Threads, Substack or Facebook.
Submit via our Submit To Write On! page. Further guidance can be found on the themed pages. All submissions are subject to Pen to Print terms and conditions and can also be held in reserve until such time as publication opportunities arise, which may well be several months after the initial submission. Please note all submissions are subject to editing, at the Editor’s discretion.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES are based on the overarching theme. For example, it is worth sending in work aimed at the new theme a month before it starts.
We invite local people get in touch, as well as those who have something to say from further afield. We also welcome partnership discussions with organisations wishing to contribute, so the voices of their beneficiaries and teams can be heard. Details will be published on pentoprint.org.
Our culture is shifting. Therefore, the worlds we create don’t just serve us, but serve to inspire others as well. Make a difference to your community from your own four walls and get creating and writing!
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in individual articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Write On! or Pen to Print. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, Write On! Extra cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the consequences of error, or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information published on any of these pages. All facts and dates are correct at the time of publication.
