A new Welsh literary magazine just launched its first issue in Cardiff. What can it bring to Welsh literature lovers and new writers?
From Dylan Thomas’s lyrical poetry Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night to Roald Dahl’s Children’s fiction Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wales has been home to literary giants for many years, whose works have shaped the area’s cultural identity.
But where is the next generation of Welsh writers in an age dominated by digital media? Folding Rock is a literary magazine that has just been launched that thinks it has the solution to fostering the next generation of talent, and to provide a platform for both established and emerging writers.
Co-founder and editorial director Kathryn Tann said: “I think the support we give is in pipelining that that talent and showing it off to not just readers but publishers and agents. If we can prove we can get people to pay attention to the Welsh literary scene, then people coming into it are more likely to get noticed.”
“I think it’s more about what we could achieve with Folding Rock. We felt for a long time that there was a gap in Wales for a really high-quality, beautifully printed magazine that an opportunity to do justice to the great writing that we know. It wasn’t just about starting a magazine, but about creating something we could be proud of, something exciting to emerge from Wales,” said Kathryn.
Another co-founder Robert Harries said: “While Wales has had literary magazines before, they haven’t quite found a place in the readership culture that has resonated.” Their goal is to start a publication similar to Ireland’s The Stinging Fly, a magazine that not only showcases emerging voices, but also makes itself an important part of the literary world.
Robert believes that while the first issue features more well-known authors, future editions will increase the number of new voices: “We want to be the magazine that first-time writers submit to and get that crucial first step toward bigger things, whether it’s getting an agent, a publishing deal, or broader recognition.”
To achieve the goal, they have a strict blind selection process. Kathryn said: “We read everything anonymously to ensure we’re not influenced by prestige or prior recognition. You can be surprised if you go in without any preconceived ideas. Some of the best writing comes from voices we’ve never heard before.”
The commitment to discovering new talent was evident when three contributors, Rachel Dawson, Brigid Lowe and Anthony Shapland, read their work published in the first issue at the launch party. For Cardiff’s aspiring writing lovers, these authors offer valuable advice.
Brigid believes that originality is key: “The most important thing is to think about what it is that you have to say that no one else has said, and then to say it as precisely as you can. What makes great writers great, is that they have something new to say and something that sticks with you to stay about familiar parts of life.”
Rachel encourages new writers to immerse themselves in literary circles: “Get out and come to events like this. Meet people, collaborate, and talk to the team. Also, read literary magazines. If they’re unaffordable, ask your library to invest in them—libraries are usually very helpful.”
Anthony emphasizes the importance of polishing skills. “Being self-critical on the sentence level, sometimes writers are so keen to tell the story that they forget that every single sentence has to work. If you take it apart sentence by sentence, you’ll have a good direction,” he said.
When it comes to writing habits, Rachel highlighted the need for flexibility: “I work, and I have a baby, so I can’t afford to be precious about routines. I jot things down anywhere—on my phone, on the back of an envelope. Any practice is good practice.”
Anthony believes writing happens even when you’re not holding a pen: “A lot of writing happens when you’re just living your life. One day at my day building job, I was throwing something up to someone on scaffolding, and the way it hovered in the air gave me an idea. The best thing you can do as a writer is live life and notice things.”
Rejection is an inevitable thing of any writer’s journey. Brigid reminds writers that rejection is often not personal: “Editors receive a massive number of submissions. Sometimes, a rejection just means your piece wasn’t read at the right moment.”
Anthony gives himself 24 hours to be upset and then moves forward: “After that, you just have to let it go. It’s never a judgment on how good or bad something is—it’s just about how things fit together.”
Besides discovering new writers, choosing the suitable magazine name was not an easy task. Kathryn said: “We wanted something connected to Wales, but not in a way that was too obvious.” They eventually chose Folding Rock, drawing inspiration from Wales’s ancient geological formations.
Robert said: “Folding a rock is a slow and painstaking process that seems impossible, but with time and effort it takes shape. It’s a good metaphor for how we run the magazine.”
Folding Rock’s second issue centred around the theme of “Language”, it continues to build on its vision. Robert said: “We want so much to support a region that is so undervalued and neglected in the UK publishing industry, we’re prioritising the Welsh voice. I think ultimately we want to see more Welsh writers writing Welsh, and see those to whom we’ve given the honour of publishing for the first, second and third time actually make a career out of writing. They resonate beyond our borders and their work is read in the UK and elsewhere.”