One and two and before you know it, Briefly Zine is 12.

In Issue 1, we promised to ‘captivate, inspire and entertain’. Contributors in #2 were ‘united by their ability to tell a powerful tale in few words’. #3 centred on ‘a moment of connection’. With #4, we went ‘full circle’. #5 led to ‘a record number of coffees while we settled arguments about submissions’; #6 led us into new ‘worlds and wormholes’. #7, our first themed issue, urged action in response to the climate crisis. #8 offered ‘delicacies for your eyes and ears’ and ‘proof of the power of art, the transient permanence of a moment’. #9 (theme: EMPTY SPACES) was ‘full of gaps’ but also ‘full of creativity, originality and concision […] heartfelt cries and moments of silence’. In #10, we assembled ‘a melody fit for aching’. Our theme for #11 was WHAT NEXT?, which was answered and avoided in equal measure.

Now, with Issue 12, we have once again gone full circle.

Our little literary space has soared. Every issue brings more submissions and more readers. We have cycled through seasons, glimpsed thousands of lives and lands and literary styles.

As ever, we are proud to publish a mix of first timers and lit-mag old timers. Issue 12 has sharp imagery, evocative images and powerful imaginings. It features songs undanced, cold tiles, new births, mothers, heart-shaped crevices, lizards, apple trees, bones, mesh and Camden Bridge. It has poems, prose and photos. Above all, it packs millions of memories into the merest of moments. Each piece seeks to dazzle and distract, to entertain or enlighten. We are delighted that we can again pay all contributors thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

We’d love to hear what you think of Issue 12. Email contact@brieflywrite.com 💙

Daniel & Elinor

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Cover art

Sam des Fleurs, ‘Camden Bridge (pinhole)’

1

Catherine Sleeman, ‘Why I won’t dance to the songs you sang in 2017’

Nazaret Ranea, Two Poems

Jack Wright, ‘Lizard’

Myra Stevens, ‘New Birth’

2

Elena Chamberlain, ‘Earth as Mother’

Dianna Morales, ‘indigo heart’

Suzanne van Leendert, ‘Crab Apple Blossoms’

AA Manza, ‘Beneath me the tiles are cold’

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From the archive…

Rare Animals

by Ruth Callaghan do Valle

Rare animals fascinate me.
Night falls and I lie in wait.
Silence descends, the conditions are favourable,
there is every chance now that they will
make an appearance –
Would I still recognise them?
A sudden disturbance puts them to flight.
Shenanigans, shy creatures that they are,
make themselves scarce. 
They are unlikely to return now with the toddler so close, 
a dormant despot whose iron grip is inescapable. 
So we settle down in the hide and wait for another day
and pray for conditions to remain favourable.

(from Briefly Zine #4. See here: Two Poems by Ruth Callaghan do Valle)

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We pay all contributors

We pay all contributors to Briefly Zine, as well as all writers published through our competitions. Thank you to everyone who has supported our little literary space for making this possible.

Issue 13 theme to be announced…

Submissions for Issue 13 will open on 27 October 2024. This will be a themed issue; we’ll be announcing the theme shortly.

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