Sometimes we have great ideas. Launching Northern Gravy was a pretty good one, look how that’s turned out.
And sometimes, we just do things that are, well, let’s just say they look good on paper. We didn’t really have any idea of what we were getting ourselves into when we had the idea to open for two editions worth of submissions in one go.
See, we already get a lot of submissions. Literally hundreds. From those hundreds and hundreds we whittle it down to a handful, and from those we pick the four pieces we’re going to publish. Four pieces instead of three each per edition, there’s another great idea. Anyway, we normally have enough on the final shortlists to fill two editions anyway, so why not just go for it and do it?
We weren’t ready for the deluge. The onslaught. The absolute flood of submissions we’d get. To say it broke our previous records is an understatement. It’s very apt that our logo is a boat, we could have done with one.
Anyway, hindsight’s a heck of a thing, but it worked out beautifully in the end. We read every single one of the hundreds of submissions were very grateful to have received, and from them we’ve chosen two editions worth. What you’re about to read is edition 16, the first half of that treasure trove, with the other half to follow later. Suffice it to say that the quality of work we received was incredibly high, so you’re in for a real treat. This is the best of the best, the newest and the freshest writing out there, so before you dive in here’s a word from our editors:
A word from our Poetry Editor, Ralph Dartford
Here are poems about us, the people! They are urgent in our everyday comings and goings, the things we do, the people we love and discard, and who discard us. Everything here is named: objects, actions, life, death, abuse and all the disappointment of life on earth now. For here is claustrophobia – the poems searching for a way out of their tightly woven narratives, their plastic bags of emotional food, fuelling existence or otherwise. Hold tight to these poems. They are important!
A word from our Fiction Editor, Nick Jones
These stories deal with the end of things, but in doing so, how we carry on from them. Do we try to rebuild, or do we build better and new? A parallel to how we edit, these stories reflect something fundamental in us as writers.
A word from our Kid Lit Editor, Jonny Syer
Imagine a world where kids can create anything they want, read stories of pet elephants and talking cats, visualise life on other planets, dive deep into brave adventure at the harbour walls, or see themselves in stories that are rarely told. In this edition, we have them all. Northern Gravy continues to champion young readers by supporting the best new voices.
Guest Article
Our 16th article is by… us! That’s right, all the editors at Northern Gravy. We’re eager to share our writing insights, hoping to spark inspiration and offer helpful tips for fellow creatives.
The Poem and the Poet (Ralph Dartford). Adlestrop by Edward Thomas.
WHY I CHOSE (Nick Jones) – THE WRONG BONES, BY HILARY ELDER
We hope you enjoy reading our 16th edition as much as we have enjoyed curating it. Northern Gravy continues to break down barriers by paying every writer they feature.
As ever, we would like to thank our friends and advisors: Arts Council England, Sheffield Hallam University, New Writing North, Writing on the Wall, Spread the Word, Harper North, Writing East Midlands and Bradford Literature Festival.
