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Staple is a magazine of poetry, short fiction, articles, reviews and images published three times each year. It is edited by Wayne Burrows and is now based in Nottingham.

The first issue of Staple, edited by Don Measham and Tony Rees, was funded from the proceeds of a Writers’ Conference held at Matlock College in 1982 and published in the Spring of the following year. At the conference, the poet Roy Fisher had referred to the kind of publication that the editors had in mind as being characterized by ‘poems typed about a central staple’. That image, with all its associations, provided the magazine’s name.

Staple continued under the editorship of Don Measham and Bob Windsor until 2000, during which time they transformed the magazine into a high quality, perfect bound publication. They also ran competitions and readings, and published a series of first collections of poetry and short fiction under the imprint Staple First Editions.

Staple then passed into the joint editorship of Elizabeth Barrett and Ann Atkinson, both of whom already had strong connections with the magazine: Elizabeth Barrett left in 2005, and after a short period under Ann Atkinson’s sole editorship, Wayne Burrows took over at the beginning of 2007.

Staple has always published an eclectic range of work. In any given issue, experimenters can be found side by side with traditionalists, verse which is free or formal, narrative or experimental, lyric or dissonant all existing - hopefully harmoniously, or at least in a creative tension - within the same pages. Although best known for its poetry, Staple is also committed to publishing short fiction, essays, reviews and interviews, and the only rule is that we are constantly looking for fresh approaches to writing: above all, the work we publish should always be clear about its reasons for making demands of the reader.

Staple continues to be a place where opposing camps in the literary world can all find space. For 2007, we have already published the first collection from Sheffield poet James Caruth, A Stone’s Throw, and Staple 66/7, a spring/summer double issue, appeared in July. Future editions include an issue drawing on the wealth of talent currently reaching critical mass in Nottingham and the East Midlands, an issue guest edited by Rebecca Swift of manuscript appraisal and writers’ mentoring organisation The Literary Consultancy looking at UK publishing, and issues looking at writing in relation to recording, music and the visual arts.

For information about Staple and its activities, or to purchase current and back issues, contact:

Wayne Burrows
114 - 116 St Stephen’s Road
Sneinton
Nottingham
NG2 4JS 

	UK Annual Subscription £15 non-UK Annual Subscription £20 Single issues Back issue £3-50 £5

Subscriptions to Wayne Burrows (address above) Submissions (please include an SAE or 2 IRCs).
 
Please send reviews and books for review to:-

C. J. Allen,
36 Penarth Rise,
Mapperley,
Nottingham,
NG5 4EE