The Letters to a Friend Edition: Writers Without Margins, Volume VII

Volume VII: Letters to a Friend is the first journal pieced together from 21 separate spaces. And, as the first journal crafted from Zoom groups, it exudes a different sense of intentionally shared intimacy. These are pieces written in private bedrooms rather than public breakrooms. Yet, this year, like every year, our collection is a reflection of each individual contributor’s unique experiences as well as a collaborative story. With nearly every external convention and institution called into question, these writers take the opportunity to also challenge their own personal imprints and influences in order to evolve. Even formative, familial, and romantic relationships that had once been assumed to be sacred or safe are reconsidered and reconstructed. Unmasked and vulnerable, we sat with one another, through grief and gratitude. And, now, as year two of the global pandemic lingers, we welcome you into our community and offer you these essential works as an act of friendship: every line, every word and every letter.

Dedicated to the fusion of art and advocacy, Writers Without Margins is a nonprofit which takes literature beyond conventional spaces. Our mission is to expand access to the literary arts for unheard and under-resourced communities - including those isolated by the challenges of addiction recovery, trauma, racism, poverty, disability, and mental illness - through free, collaborative, writing workshops, public readings, and publication opportunities intended to empower community, amplify the voices of individuals, and to share stories with the world. All profits from sales of this journal go directly to continue our mission.