The January ‘Making’ edition of PENning magazine is available to read for free online, via Issuu.

Here is a snapshot of Scottish PEN’s 2018, outlining our work protecting free expression in Scotland and across the globe.

We are excited to introduce our international guest writer for  International Women’s Group Glasgow North Many Voices writing group – Sepideh Jodeyri will join the group led by poet Marjorie Lotfi Gill for their final event in November. Read on to find out more about Sepideh and what attracted to her Many Voices project.

Ghazi Hussein took part in Scottish PEN’s event at this year’s Big Lit Festival in Gatehouse of Fleet, a joint Writers in Exile/Writers at Risk event chaired by Liz Niven. After performing several of his poems, Ghazi talked to Jean Rafferty about his years of suffering, not just in Syria but also in Scotland, where racist attacks made his flat in Sighthill more a prison than a home.

We are delighted to get to share with you the PENning anthology I’M COMING WITH YOU, edited by the Writers in Exile committee, with a foreword by Jackie Kay.

James Kelman argues that if we are to support Kurdish writers, we should demand proper media coverage and fully engage with their political cause.

Marjorie Lotfi Gill explores what censorship means for her when writing about friends, family, and the Iranian Revolution.

‘At Charlie Hebdo we knew we were targeted. All my colleagues knew they were risking their lives. Before the massacre I never took events seriously, but after what happened to my colleagues I do. I must be careful – all those who defend freedom of speech have to be careful now.’