Note from Submissions Manager

When the time came to decide the theme of Heroica’s second print issue (how has it been a year since Embolden?!), the team couldn’t wait to get our thinking caps on. Kyra, our amazing interns at the time (shoutout to Bethany, Drashti and Ana) and I all came back from our drawing boards and put forward a string of suggestions. Confessions was one of mine –my favourite, might I add. After the concept made it into the final round of selections, along with Acceptance, Reflection, and Redemption, I kept my fingers crossed. The choice of theme was not effortless or taken lightly; it would decide a whole creative direction of a magazine. Once all of you had given your input on social media and after more deliberation amongst ourselves, Confessions was finally crowned, much to my delight.

What intrigued me about Confessions?

The answer can be found with a quick google and a read of its various definitions. Among them is: ‘the act of admitting that you have done something wrong or illegal’, ‘a statement admitting something that you are ashamed or embarrassed about’, and ‘to disclose one’s faults.’ These are of course only some of the meanings assigned to the word, but they are the ones that make me sit up straight and pay attention.

Many of you, I’m sure, read fiction. We all know that characters without any flaws feel flat, boring and sometimes downright unlikeable. That’s because our flaws are what make us relatable and real; they are what make us human. It is worth noting too that what we perceive as flaws within ourselves are not always perceived as such by others: by confessing to our self-labelled sins, we may find relief and release when no one bats an eyelid.

Other times, there may be more judgement from certain groups – but then someone else steps forward to assure you that you are not alone, that they too have had these thoughts or committed certain actions, and there is relief and release again, if in a slightly different guise. Confessions can also be empowering, opening up much-needed conversations around taboo topics. And sometimes, they’re just damn fun.

However interpreted, Confessions seemed to touch a nerve with you because the submission forms were flying in. My workspace the booth, the divide between us my screen and hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles, I settled in for your words. You, dear contributors, did not disappoint. In these pages you will find articles on everything from the revealing truth about being a creative freelancer and explanations of how the economy works, to reflections on approaching porn through a feminist lens and the doubt and uncertainty around the decision of whether or not to have children. These are just some of the pieces that spoke to me and my own experiences and anxieties. For you, there will be a unique collection that will hit home, but I hope that all of them are at the very least insightful. All that’s left to say, then, is happy reading.

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