JOIN us, along with Martina Cole and other celebrity writers and publishers, in celebrating local people who are making themselves heard across the UK and further afield…

Write On! is a new, quarterly magazine published by Pen to Print, a project borne in Barking and Dagenham. Funded by Barking and Dagenham Council and the Arts Council, it links local writing communities into the publishing industry by showcasing the work of emerging writers. 

Pen to Print’s ethos is simple, by growing local writing communities, communities are built. The diversity of our changing world is captured by emerging storytellers who Write On! is connecting into a formal platform that allows them to be heard. This new magazine doesn’t just showcase people, work and ideas, but invites publishing and business communities to participate; offering real value by creating true engagement with the diverse, and sometimes alienated, communities our writers are part of.

There is a projected 30,000 Write On! readership, which will come from the 10,000 copies of the magazine to be distributed directly through libraries and other community spaces in the Barking and Dagenham as well as Havering, Newham, Southend, Redbridge. National and international communities are reached via an online publication on pentoprint.org. The volunteer editorial team is drawn from local writing communities, including Wilbur and Niso Smith adventure writing finalists.  

The Pentoprint.org website will also be launched on Thursday the 27 June, in a Facebook live event that will be attended by contributors from around the world.

We believe that Write On! provides a unique meeting point, propelling writers from working-class and minority backgrounds with something to say into publication. An authentic storytelling platform inspires readers, writers and commercial entities to come together in new and innovative ways; building positive social change by helping our borough record who we are now, while creating a blueprint for who we want to be in the future.

Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership & Engagement, and Chair of the Pen to Print Advisory Panel is delighted about the publication:

“We believe that Write On! provides a unique meeting point, propelling writers from working-class and minority backgrounds with something to say into publication. An authentic storytelling platform inspires readers, writers and commercial entities to come together in new and innovative ways; building positive social change by helping our borough record who we are now, while creating a blueprint for who we want to be in the future.”

Sue Williamson, Director for Libraries, Arts Council England had this to say:

“The Arts Council is delighted that the Pen to Print project, run by Barking and Dagenham Libraries, is launching Write On! magazine in print and online. Pen to Print is being funded as one of the six new library National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) in the Arts Council portfolio and we believe that Write On! provides a great platform for the excellent work that is being done to support writing talent in the community.”