Setu Editorial: August 2018

Sunil Sharma

This issue is lean by design and plans to retain that look in future as well.

A lot of flab has been cut down. Internal quality checks by the editorial team have been undertaken rigorously and consistency ensured for the continual reading delight. A tough task--- selecting the best from a large number of multi-genre and multi-national submissions in a variety of Englishes for the faithful patrons! Often selection involves subjective preferences but certain well-defined rules--- grammar; syntax; themes and their exploration in creative way; style and voice---become the guiding stars on the literary firmament. Despite reluctant rejections on certain grounds---poor grammar and lack of communication of ideas in an appropriate mode, and, quite often, non-compliance with the guidelines--- the  doors of  the Setu remain open and it continues to be welcoming, warm and polite to its contributing writers from across the world; it manages to remain a preferred humble home to their talents as literary communicators of particular visions, histories and tones.

Serving the arts has been always a motto and a pleasure via this monthly, online, bilingual and mainly two-city project.

Another significant initiative in this ongoing service is an open call, a public invitation for nomination and self-nomination of individual writers and artistic organizations for consideration for the e-awards for excellence in arts for the year 2018, by the interested authors and groups, promoting liberal thinking, values and serious artistic culture. Some friends felt that the process for nomination and self-nomination should be started by the e-zine for a wider engagement of the global writing- and reading-community. The proposed selection should be based on certain tough standards so that the prolific writers with great following might be given these prizes by a jury consisting of the editors and some writers from outside invited for this job---both having impeccable credentials on the world literary stage. USA-based editor-in-chief and publisher, Anurag Sharma and I bowed to this demand and came up with a list of conditions as the guiding framework. The announcement is carried elsewhere in this issue and entries are solicited for the same. Distinguished artist and senior editor from Australia, Rob Harle has kindly agreed to be the chair of the jury. We will be updating you on that front soon.

Spread the word about this--- or nominate the best writers. In case you feel you deserve the e-award, please do nominate your name.

We welcome members of the tribe that continues to question official narratives through the political act of reading and writing. We also reserve the right to nominate, in case the entries fail to meet the set norms or the general expectations of the high-profile committee of judges.

The agenda is to recognise the work or the voices that are making a huge difference.

Hope you find the current edition as fulfilling as the last ones.

Keep on visiting the site, please!

I thank the contributors and the editorial team for their support and encouragement.

All the best.

Sunil Sharma

Editor, Setu, English

Kalyan (MMR), India
August 31, 2018

Setu, August 2018