The 23rd edition of Spark Young Writers Magazine is out now. Published online in October 2021, the magazine features some of the best writing produced by children and young people aged 8 to 20 who live in the West Midlands region and across Europe. Editor’s pick this issue is a piece by Ari Nicholl called Another Bite.
To read Issue 23, click here. To access it as a pdf, click here.
If you’re interested in submitting to the next issue, find out how here.
Letter from our Editor
We so nearly missed this. Spark Young Writers’ Magazine, and all of the many young writers’ events in the region, are always focused on what we can write today, what we can make now. It took the end of the EU Read On Project for us to ever look back –– and it seems we picked the perfect time.
For in its eight year history, Spark Young Writers’ Magazine has now published more than 500 pieces. Counting the submissions that were accepted for this issue, it’s actually 535. So many young writers have earned publication for so many topics, concerns and, deliciously often, a lot of laughs.
It’s humour that’s earned “Another Bite” by Ari Nicholl the editor’s choice for this new issue. Humour and a strong possibility that you will identify with its main character’s escapade.
To mark the 500 milestone, we’ve also republished five favourites from the archives. Think about that, though: five out of 500. One percent. I’d say you should try trying to pick one percent out of all of these, but actually you can. The entire history of Spark Young Writers’ Magazine is online and you can read the lot.
I love that we’ve somehow unexpectedly built this archive. I love that when you read all of the issues, you can see writers who earned a place time and again –– and then how you can also see how their writing develops over time, too.
So I also love and relish and beam that I have been involved from the start. I don’t always get to edit the magazine, but you can bet your life I always get to read it.
William Gallagher