To celebrate the emergence of a New Year, we are happy to show you all a rough preview of Enigma Issue 7!
Many thanks to our contributors, artists, designers, followers and supporters over the years and of those to come!
You can find Issue 7 on the right hand bar!
Happy New Year!
Susan
I personally always find this time of year to be the most pensive. The energy build up towards Christmas is changing to that of the New Year. You’ve most likely been meeting relatives that you haven’t seen in a while, explaining what you’ve done this year and what you plan to do before you see them next, already putting the cogs in motion for self improvement and goal formulation.
So, what is there to do? I myself have plenty that I want to do, and many things that I wish to continue doing. One of the most important of these is the literary magazine Enigma.
We are so close now! The 2012 games are our inspiration this issue as we deal with all sorts of ideas and premises behind the concept of games. Please watch this space!
We hope you’ve had a great Christmas and countdown with us to the New Year!
Susan
There has been a stigma on poetry for so long now on how high-end and elitist the form could be, which image has been challenged by the creation and distribution of an exciting, expressive and immersive experience – which is usually mentioned in the same term as “spoken word”. I was properly introduced to this phenomenon only a year ago through the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, which gave me the confidence to write and perform poetry to a wide range of audiences and with my open mic Spoken from the Art in 2009.
Therefore, it’s amazing news to hear that celebrated performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah has taken up Chair of Creative Writing at Brunel University, where I’ve been studying English and Creative writing since 2005 (I’ve successfully completed my MA quite recently!). During my short stint of performing around London and Edinburgh, one of the most rewarding things is to hear how people want to start writing and performing, or how it’s changed their view on poetry since school into something so accessible, a form that creates empathy and bonding with the community.
This will be an amazing step for enlivening poetry and the spoken word in academia and I wish him all the best in this exciting post!
In Enigma related news, Issue 7 is almost complete with our theme of games for the upcoming Olympics in London 2012! We’re so excited and raring to go! Watch this space for future updates! We are well and truly back!
Susan
From Thursday the 9th October, the power of poetry has made itself known at events around the nation! Check out the link here for events throughout the month!
http://www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk/events/london/
Also, we are in the process of reading through great entries on our monthly theme of “Games”, echoing National Poetry day and the imminent London Olympics! Watch this space!
Susan
As the Autumn approaches, we are delighted to say that Enigma has brushed off its cobwebs and is now ready again to receive submissions! You have quite a while to send in your work – the 3rd of October 2011 so that we can display our next offering in time for this year’s National Poetry Day!
So, what’s the theme? This year showcases the concept of Games – quite fitting when the Olympics are around in London next year! But it doesn’t have to be about medals and running – it can be a mind game, a puzzler or a race to the top in many ways!
Because of this, we will have a themed submission, also on the concept of Games! We will also feature a variety of puzzles insideto fit in with the celebration as well as Enigma’s ethos – bring your piece to the puzzle!
Hope to see your work soon!
Susan
How many times have you really wanted to buy a book, and instantly made a beeline for the likes of Amazon, download on an ereader, or eagerly browsing the shelves of Waterstones or Foyles?
Independent Booksellers Week promotes reading communities and the literary gems shining round many cities worldwide, jut waiting to be discovered and we at Enigma always promote all avenues of providing wonderful literature to everyone!
Which place would you recommend for the best reading and browsing experience?
The Guardian have compiled a list of some of their favourite bookshops here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2010/jun/14/your-favourite-bookshops-booksellers
How many of us as children yearned to be writers and/or artists? Ever enjoyed imagining worlds in primary school and became annoyed when the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson or playtime?
As we get older, we seem to gravitate towards the technicalities of such dreams of become published – of what hoops we have to jump through and how much editing work we need to do, which can drown out our creative thoughts.
I’m often left astounded at the marvellous things children can and have done – and the secret can be seen through this wonderful child prodigy, Adora Svitak - http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html showing us how thinking “childishly” – having big ideas and optimism, can be seen as positive rather than just negative. A writer and amazing speaker at just 12 years old - it’s a joy to watch.
Enigma’s ethos is to encourage creativity at all ages, and she explains it beautifully!
Susan
One of the hardest things to do in the world of reading is choosing the book that’s right for you. Some of us rely on word of mouth, book groups, tube ads and series that we’ve seen on film and TV – but that’s a lot to get through, and of course they aren’t as easily digestable as music. So if you happen to wander into a bookstore, how much can you tell from a title? How many times have you stumbled in with the vaguest idea of a book you want then find something completely different?
From the Guardian website, humourist David Sedarist has thought of retitling books according to their content, such examples as Great Gatsby – Drink Responsibly.
Two examples I can think of are Kafka on the Shore: Inside View of cats and Colonel Sanders and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The future’s not bright, the future is debris.
Which titles would you retitle and why?
World Book Day and World Storytelling Day!
As Spring approaches, the world celebrates the written and spoken word with both World Book Day and World Storytelling day! The latter’s topic has been recently revealed for this year: 2011 will be the theme of WATER. I feel that it’s a great topic to be creative – one of the building blocks of life, one of the elements, a beautiful live giving but also destructive liquid. I’m very excited to see what stories will come of out of it!
World Book day is on the 3rd March, 2011. Designated by UNESCO, World Book Day celebrates a partnership of booksellers, publishers and all those who are interested in promoting reading and books to all.
Their main goal is to have children interested in reading and promoting the pleasure in having books – activity packs and books are mailed to schools, especially the secondary schools who have registered, and events will be taking place throughout: see the World Book Day website for further information!
Over the page
With technology constantly changing, the daily concepts of our life and our attitudes to them constantly transform to match. One of the biggest challenges of our society is the use of technology, and how it has changed the way we think and collect information. Even in a world where we can be sceptical about the downsides of these digital tools, the benefits gained can be plenty.
Especially with storytelling – we go from the oral tradition to print to online. However, these virtual links can create literally a whole world to be unlocked, with schools utilising the endless bounds of communication with other schools worldwide. Students can also share, write and collaborate with each other using IPads, a gem when it comes to quick edits and adding information.
Voice thread is one example – a giant collaborative space that allows sharing of text, video and voice clip.
Writepath is also a way that people can contribute words and stanzas to form their own poem/story, allowing students, teachers and authors around the world to contribute their line. It has been going around since 2008 and made links between 64 schools from their project last year. Absolutely fantastic!
Susan
