from the editor's desk
A Letter from the Editor
Dear all,
Westerly has had a busy six months! So we thought we should share with you some of our news.
Our first print issue for the year (61.1) will come out this month, focusing exclusively on Indigenous writing and culture. Guest edited by Stephen Kinnane, the issue will feature work from Kim Scott, Tara June Winch, Bruce Pascoe, Wayne Barker, Melissa Lucashenko and many more. With this issue, we will also be launching a new position at the Magazine – an Editor for Indigenous Writing. The first editor will be announced at our issue launch.
Earlier this year, we released our very first Online Special Issue, a collection of writing produced from the 2015 Day of Ideas, and supported by the Institute for Advanced Research. With 22 downloads in the first three days of release, support for this exciting new initiative has been overwhelming. There are some great titles coming up in this series, with the next due for release in September. These will continue to be free to access, offering possibilities to emerging writers in particular. Look out for each new release!
Our crowd funding campaign run from February to April was a huge success, seeing us just exceed our target of $15,000! This has supported our ongoing publication, and also allowed us to introduce the new Writers’ Development Program. Funded by The Copyright Agency and in partnership with both Margaret River Press and ECU (South West), this Program will take four emerging writers and offer them a range of experiences in support of their continued professional development.
Finally, we have this year also launched our new website. The new site offers much greater capacity for publishing writing online, as well as an integrated shopping cart system and the provision of accounts for all subscribers, so that they can check their subscription status or update address details independently. It has allowed us to introduce the ‘Friends of Westerly’ subscription, which offers the convenience of automatic renewal on an annual basis, with the subscriber able to opt out at any time. If you want to subscribe, this is a great way to keep things simple!
It has been a huge year for us so far, and we have two great issues coming your way. Issue 61.1 will be in your mailbox very soon, and we hope you all enjoy it as much as we have. As always, we would love to hear your thoughts on the issue by email or through our social media profiles. In the meantime, I hope we see you at the launch!
Thank you all for your continued support of the Magazine. The good will of Westerly’s community is vital to its continued success, and we are grateful for your involvement.
Yours sincerely,
Catherine Noske
Editor
