by Madeleine White

(X/Instagram: @madeleinefwhite)

There is a saying I’d like to share which I’ve generally found to be true: ‘Compare and despair.’ It seems appropriate to start October, and our new theme: ‘Difference,’ with this.

Human beings are tribal. We like feeling the same as other people, and define that similarity through shared habits, characteristics, ideas and values. However, the unprecedented physical mass movement of people and digital mass movement of ideas in today’s world, means we’re constantly needing to adjust our perspective around how we see ourselves and others.

To me, creativity challenges us to explore and communicate. Though we might not always agree, if we lay out our truths for others to see in a way they can connect to – through stories, art or poetry – we’re far more likely to find common ground, even in the most unlikely of places. And because we writers understand how hard the path is, we’re generally invested in supporting the success of others: passing help we receive forwards so our fellow travellers finish that book or write that poem and, most importantly, find their voice.

Because it’s built on these shared values, Write On! is able to offer tangible support and connection. It only exists because of the willingness of a fabulous group of writers from different backgrounds and at different stages in their journey to come together. Our purpose? To build a community of shared voices and to celebrate ‘Difference.’ Our publisher, Arts Council England Library NPO, Pen to Print, marked 10 years of doing just that a couple of weeks ago in a powerful expression of hope and opportunity!

You can see the celebration photo montage video here. 

So, this October, I challenge you to contribute to our new theme while celebrating Black History Month, National Poetry Day and Mental Health Awareness Day through Write On! Extra and Write On! Audio. Our shared stories and voices raised together will allow understanding to develop, differences to be overcome and friendships to be forged. You can see our submissions guidelines here.

 

Sponsored by the Working Class Collective, our autumn issue features the fabulous Sara Pascoe as the lead interview and The Turkish Detective writer, Barbara Nadel, as one of our Agony Aunts. Physical copies are available libraries and other centres  up and down the country. You  can see the digital version of  Issue 22 HERE.

 

In the spirit of sharing opportunities our valued partners offer, I’d  like to flag  The Writers’& Artists’ Working Class Writer’s Prize. Deadline for entries 4th November. Do check it out here.

 

Write On! Audio, The Podcast ‘For Writers Everywhere’

Published And Coming Up

Amber Hall’s October Monday Moments  discusses the role writing and the arts play in uniting us. How can storytelling/writing/the arts cut through the digital echo chamber of an increasingly divided world to allow us to listen to one another? Out 7 October.

Eithne Cullen’s October Thoughtful Tuesdays looks at well-being and what we can do to make a difference to our mental and physical health, exploring things such as, wild swimming, longer walks and volunteering. Out 15 October.

Farzana Hakim’s October Thursday Connectors is all about life expectations: how we imagined our lives would be and how differently things actually turned out. Out 24 October.

The weekly September Showcases  are edited by Zoe Molloy and feature lots of wonderful poetry, prose and fiction from our bulging inbox.

Our Friday Features, out every two weeks, are packed with writing ideas and advice. October’s include: Poetry and Mindfulness by Amaka Felly Obioji, plus Eithne Cullen shares her Hay 2024 Write Up as a way of looking forward to Hay’s Winter Weekend  festival.

Our Sunday Interviews, out every two weeks, showcase a range of talent. In October we share interviews with childrens’ author Frank Francis and Francesca Torres, the Wilbur & Niso Smith Award winning author of Saltblood.

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!

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.

Leading with comedian and author Sara Pascoe,  Issue 22 is out now You can find all our previous issues on our magazines page. Physical copies of Write On! are distributed in libraries and other centres across the country.

Be part of the Write On! family; one that includes The London Library, Dialogue, Hay and The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook. So far, over  260, 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).

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!

How To Submit:

• 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.