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Editor’s Introduction: July – Posts For Unprecedented Times

(Bluesky/Instagram: @madeleinefwhite)

 As we come into July, and after some exceptionally hot weather here in the UK, I’ve found myself thinking back to my childhood in the forests of Germany. Nature, trees and being surrounded by woodland were simply part of everyday life. Now in my fifties, I realise just how much those early years shaped me – as much of my writing returns to those roots as I try to make sense of the world around me.

You may already have guessed that our new theme is Nostalgia – a theme that is as much about looking forwards as looking back; understanding what we carry with us: the people, places, stories and experiences that continue to shape us long after they’ve passed.

Issue 29 – OUT NOW!

With that in mind, I’m delighted to share our summer print issue of Write On! with you. Available in libraries up and down the country – as well as other outlets – issue 29 is sponsored by the London Writers’ Salon (LWS) and includes a free one month Writers’ Hour Membership code for every Write On! reader: WRITEON2026.

Our headline interview is with  bestselling travel writer Tharik Hussain. Themes of history, identity, belonging and the stories we inherit in order to better understand who we are today are woven into Issue 29. To check out where you can pick up your free physical copy of Write On! please see the main distribution points here: Write On! Distribution.

I’m proud of the work we see in Write On! (digital, audio and in print) and of the communities that make it possible. Together, we’re forming not only the stories we tell, but the society we become.

As ever, it’s your work and ideas being featured: co-creation in action. So please do see our submissions guidelines here and submit around our new theme (July-September): Nostalgia.

Voted to be in the top 10% of Global Podcasts, Write On! Audio, the podcast ‘For Writers Everywhere’ is out every Tuesday.

We kick off the month with Writers’ Tips on Tuesday 7 July. These were recorded at Hay Festival by Write On! Audio favourites Eithne Cullen and Mary Walsh. Our Listener Contribution on Tuesday 14 July, a short audio play Undeniable Proof,  is written and directed by Caroline Lamb and produced by Dangerous To Know. Featuring actors: Ellie Rose, Amelia Slater and Joe Clegg Prada, you’re sure to love it! On Tuesday 28 July we are running a Write On! Audio interview special, with Barking And Dagenham’s Council Leader, Cllr Dominic Twomey. He is in conversation with Madeleine F White.

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. Produced by Chris Gregory. Write On! Audio can be accessed here.

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Published And Coming Up

Amber Hall’s July  Monday Moments  is out Monday 6 July

Eithne Cullen’s July Thoughtful Tuesdays is out Tuesday 14 July.

Mirabel Lavelle’s JulyThursday Connectors is out Thursday 23 July.

The July Showcases, out every Wednesday, are edited by London Writers’ Salon’s Molly Ovendon. The US-based poet, author and workshop lead will 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. In July a LOL feature, The Cursed Novel by indie author Stuart Standing and a reflective piece by Ali Al-Bayaa re storytelling in peacekeeping.

Our Sunday Interviews, out every two weeks, showcase a range of creative talent. In June we meet Tharik Hussain, Erik S Meyers  and Jody Wild.

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. And, of course, our print issue (29) is out now, with issue 30 coming out on 16 of September.

Physical copies of Write On! are distributed in libraries and other centres across the country. To check out where you can pick up your free physical copy of Write On! please see the main distribution points here: Write On! Distribution. You can also see  the digital version here along with  all our previous issues.

Be part of the Write On! family; one that includes Love Reading, The Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation, London Writers’ Salon, The London Library, Libraro, Hay Festival and The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. So far, over 400,000 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 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 summer theme: Nostalgia. We want to know what the word means to you in terms of your personal or creative life and are looking for creative pieces, features and prose.

  • 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 words. 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 to 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.