First Edition review
First Edition, issue 4
Uncluttered stories imbued with wry mischief abound in this magazine that’s all about showcasing the work of emerging writers. Some are dark and a touch unsettling, while others are uplifting. Human warmth shines through in the bleakest scenarios, and magic realism occasionally transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Issue 4 opens with The Push, a gem of a tale by Mike Deller that sets the standard high as an annoying late night encounter ends with a happy splash of madness. At just a page long, this is one of the shorter slices of prose, with others, such as Martin Isitt’s A Bridge To Nowhere, stretching on for 12 pages, yet with not a single word wasted.
The tone of many of the stories is conversational, as though the protagonists are sharing an anecdote over a cup of coffee. During most, the main character reaches a sudden understanding about themselves, their companions or their circumstances.
This is most vividly depicted in The Favourite by MFW Curran, in which six year old Jamie gains a disturbing realisation of what being the favourite really means for him and his baby sister.
Equally powerful is Reaching the Top by Sarah Evans, in which the protagonist’s inner turmoil is offset against the challenge of a mountain climb, with a wonderfully understated examination of a relationship, culminating in a moment of beautifully unspoken reconciliation.
The poetry is also very chatty and humorous, telling stories as clearly as any of the prose. More Pam Ayres than Sylvia Plath, couplets tend to rhyme neatly and conclude with joyful twists.
The magazine also features serialisations of novels, interviews with established authors such as Andy McDermitt, and a page of puzzle and brain-teasers to get you warmed up for a day of writing or give you a break.
The magazine runs a monthly competition that’s free to enter, with a cash prize awarded for the best short story, poem, novel and book review submitted, as well as publication in the magazine.
As editor-in-chief Jeff Webb says: “No matter which category, if chosen you can boast that your work has been published and read by tens of thousands of people.”
Lacking the pretentiousness of many literary magazines, this is a friendly publication that offers as much to readers as writers, and is a great place to make a publishing debut.
For full details on how to submit and subscribe, please visit www.firsteditionpublishing.co.uk
To submit a review of a book, course, magazine or website, please email judy@EssentialWriters.com
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May I just say that this is the very first independent review of anything I have ever written, and I shall treasure it. It’s great to write, it’s great when your friends say nice things, it’s great to get published… but when someone you don’t know gives you such a positive pat-on-the-back, that’s GREAT!
First Edition is filling a distinct market gap in brand new quality mainstream high-street literary fiction. Not only is it a useful summer read for a magazine browser, but could also potentially become a future collectors’ piece considering the debut contributions of selected new authors.
The best magazine for new writers, you have hit the mark in the market.I picked up your first edition when my usual mag was late again. I am so glad i did.