The Jawbone Journal

Editorial from Issue 1 - Summer 2025

Introduction

I was going through an old notebook from 2019 looking for a poem idea that I had half constructed. I needed it for a poetry and story-telling event on local customs and legends. In the same notebook I found this note that related to a scratch poetry performance I was developing with my friend Tom Rogers. “This is our first test audience for Jawbone which we hope will become a podcast/magazine and if all goes well, a show.”

‘Jawbone’ the show and two companion publications came first at various UK fringes. After Covid this was followed by the publication of a number of collections for first time authors. Jawbone Radio is already a ‘podcast’ feature as part of our Substack, and finally after more than five years, I am thrilled to be writing this editorial for the first issue of The Jawbone Journal.

From the outset, we wanted to use ‘The Word…’ as a theme. As writers we are all about the words. We are avid collectors, curators, disseminators, informers, lovers and so much more. ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’, so goes the rhyme. In truth though, words can be carriers of everything from emotion and feelings to knowledge and fake news. How we use our words, how we place them on the page, how we order them, matters! Words have power, they can dissuade, enrich, distract, empower, change and influence for good or ill…

We decided to limit this first issue to South West writers to showcase the voices of the amazing talent that we see across the Wessex region. We had over 250 submissions that included flash fiction, poetry, biographical prose and short stories… Did we have favourites? Of course, but we will leave you to decide your own from the pieces that we have curated.

Jawbone is a Not For Profit, Community Interest Company. Any money we make goes into providing publishing opportunities for unpublished writers through this journal, anthologies and individual collections. Our second issue will open for submissions in September, there will be a reading fee, but that will be waived for subscribers. Subscriptions and Book Sales are the foundation of the ‘free to the author’ publishing that we provide.

As a poet led, female centric, South West based Arts Collective, we believe in the power of both spoken and written words. We champion voices from under-represented communities that are often overlooked by traditional publishing.

If you are a reader, a writer or subscriber thank you for your support. We are happy that you have chosen to share some words with us. We hope you enjoy reading this selection from South West poets and writers as much as we have.

Peter Roe 

founder and co-editor

Share Words from South West Creatives

Table of Contents from Issue 1 - Summer 2025

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