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Wisely, the tortoise ignores both jasmine and stars.
Isn't it enough, she says, to carry the sky on your back,
a sky that is solid, mathematical and delicately coloured ...

by Maurice Riordan (Matter 9)

Sheffield Hallam University
mews press

Launched in 2001, Matter provides a feast for lovers of good writing – from short stories and poetry to extracts from novels, children’s fiction and scripts. Previous guest contributors are some of the best writers of their generation - Ali Smith, Hilary Mantel, Michel Faber, T. C. Boyle, Jackie Kay and Marina Lewycka to name just a few.


In the new issue, Matter 9, we feature two new stunning stories by masters of the craft, Alison MacLeod and Adam Marek. Whitbread Award and T. S. Eliot Prize nominee Maurice Riordan also presents two new poems as do two poets who were both previously shortlisted for the Forward Prize’s Best First Collection award, Julia Copus and Tim Turnbull.


And we also publish pieces by new voices from the MA at Hallam: Angelina Ayers, Ruby Robinson, Noel Williams, Rebecca Swirsky, Susan Clegg, Kate Mitchell, Kate Hainsworth, Louise Wilford, Helen Cadbury, Marian Iseard and Fay Musselwhite. With a foreword by acclaimed writer Maggie Gee, Matter 9 promises to be a real treat for all those who enjoy a good read.


Matter is on Facebook and also Twitter at twitter.com/Mattermagazine so please join us there too.



Previous issues are: Matter 1 (with work by guest writers Jill Dawson and Lesley Glaister); Matter 2 (Janice Galloway, E. A. Markham, Michel Faber and Ali Smith); Matter 3 (Sean O’Brien, Toby Litt, Mario Petrucci and Monique Roffey); Matter 4 (Jane Rogers, Nicholas Royle, Sophie Woolley and Benjamin Zephaniah); Matter 5 (T. C. Boyle, Simon Crump, Jacob Polley, Scarlett Thomas and Rana Dasgupta); Matter 6 (David Constantine, Helen Farish, Romesh Gunesekera, Jackie Kay and Marina Lewycka); Matter 7 (David Harsent, Liz Kettle, Frances Leviston, Hilary Mantel and a foreword by Marina Lewycka); Matter 8 (Malcolm Cumberbatch, E. A. Markham and Mike Harris).


Latest News

9 Mar 2010 | 11:13 am | Speakers2 | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Exploding Poetry, the exhibition by Noel Williams and hosted by Bank Street Arts, Sheffield, has now closed. It was a wonderful exploration into women and warfare, and randomness in poetry. There are more installations and events planned at Bank Street. Visit their website www.bankstreetarts.com for more information. Noel has put a selection of the audio installation from the exhibition onto a CD, Speakers 2. This features many of the writers who participated in Noel’s collab... [read more]


2 Mar 2010 | 9:08 am | Reading by the Tuesday Poets | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Performing at Bank Street Arts
The Tuesday Poets are reading at Bank Street Arts this Friday 5th March. This is the last reading event of the Exploding Poetry Exhi... [read more]


22 Feb 2010 | 1:54 pm | Adam Marek longlisted | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Adam MarekAdam Marek
Adam Marek, guest writer from Matter 9, has been longlisted for The Sunday Times Short Story Award, alongside Rose Tremain, AL Kennedy and Jackie Kay, amongst others ... [read more]


22 Feb 2010 | 1:44 pm | Exploding Poetry Exhibition | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


A poem made of stonesA poem made of stones
Noel Williams’s Exploding Poetry Exhibition runs until 6th March at Bank Street Arts, Sheffield. The exhibition takes some of ... [read more]


10 Feb 2010 | 9:55 am | Coming Soon … | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


The Matter 9 team might have signed off, but Matter 9 is still on sale in Blackwell’s, Waterstone’s and here via PayPal. Matter 10 is in the pipeline, but while you’re waiting, we have a feature-length interview with Hilary Mantel by Helen Meller, which will be posted here in the coming weeks. We’re also planning a new page to celebrate Matter’s 10th anniversary.  Matter was launched in 2001, and 2010 marks its 10th year.  Over that time, many wri... [read more]


13 Jan 2010 | 3:45 pm | Matter 9 team signs off | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Well, it’s been an interesting year and I’m sure I can speak on behalf of all of us when I say Matter 9 has been a joy to work on. The team and I are now preparing to bow out and pass the baton to a new, fresh-faced bunch (I won’t give anything away – I’ll let the new editor make his or her own introductions). So I just wanted to say a final thank you to everyone who has bought copies of Matter 9, bought back issues, looked at our website, followed us on Twitter,... [read more]


6 Dec 2009 | 10:40 am | Jane Rogers shortlisted for story prize | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Sheffield Hallam’s Professor of Writing, Jane Rogers, has been shortlisted for the prestigious BBC National Short Story Award. Jane’s story ‘Hitting Trees With Sticks’ was plucked from 700 submissions as one of five to be considered for the £15,000 prize. Other shortlisted writers include Naomi Alderman, Kate Clanchy, Sara Maitland and Lionel Shriver. Speaking to the Story website (www.theshortstory.org.uk), Jane said: ... [read more]


9 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm | Buying copies | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


As well as buying copies of Matter 9 via this website, you can also buy from selected bookshops. Our current list of stores include Blackwell’s, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, 1 Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 2LW; Waterstones, 24-26 Orchard Square, Sheffield, S1 2FB; Blackwell’s, 100 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0JG. Watch this space for any new stockists. Copies can also be purchased from the university by sending a cheque (for the correct amount) made payable to She... [read more]


4 Nov 2009 | 9:55 am | A night in the capital | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


Matter 9 had a fantastic launch night in London on October 29th with great readings from a number of students. The launch was held as part of Sheffield Hallam’s ‘London Showcase’ – an event which enables students to showcase their work to agents, staff, fellow students and members of the public. There was a great turnout at the Poetry Cafe, Betterton Street, Covent Garden with a number of copies of Matter 9 being sold. Acclaimed poet and Hallam Professor of Poetry Maur... [read more]


27 Oct 2009 | 11:02 am | Come and see us in London! | makingwritingmatter.co.uk/news.php


cafepicMatter 9 will hold its London launch on Thursday, October 29 as part of Sheffield Hallam’s London Showcase. The showcase is an opportunity for students to present their work to invited agents as well as f... [read more]