Creating a literary journal is both exciting and nerve-racking.

We’re excited to be setting up a platform for new writers as well as established ones to share their ideas, curiosities, and explorations. We’re also looking forward to giving back to the literary community by contributing to the contemporary debates from which we have learnt and benefited.

Simultaneously, indicating that one wishes to be a part of a conversation can feel vulnerable. How can we know that what we have to offer is of value, particularly at this early stage? In this way, founding a journal is like clearing one’s throat while standing at a circle’s edge at a party: one wants to join in, but signalling as much means putting oneself forward. This requires a leap of faith.

Nevertheless, this is a leap of faith we must take.

We want to provide opportunities to writers, both emerging and established, to share their work with others. Yet we do not wish to foster the insularity and closedness of which publishing spaces are sometimes accused; rather, we aim to remain open and inclusive. For example, we intend to work with contributors to develop their submissions, especially if expression is the primary barrier between them and publication as opposed to the quality of their ideas. This is a driving force behind why we have founded Cicerone Journal: we seek to bring people into conversations and to amplify new voices.

Cicerone Journal is developed from the Canberra literary community, and owes much to it for our existence. Canberra is often overlooked in favour of its more urbane neighbours to the north and south. Yet we have benefited from the presence of such a broad-reaching local arts scene and the vibrancy and diversity which it fosters. We hope to build upon and share with the world what is unique to Canberra, but also bring more of the world to Canberra.

This first editorial is effectively Cicerone Journal clearing its throat. If you’re curious about who we are and what we aim to achieve, we want to hear from you.

Get in touch with us at contact@ciceronejournal.com

Send your submissions to submissions@ciceronejournal.com