The Woman Inc. started its journey just as I restarted mine. In the last couple of years, the magazine has had its ups and downs, parallel to my life’s turns. And so it seems fitting that as I find my own pace and begin some new chapters in my life, the magazine too should take new shape as a quarterly. Just as it seems fitting that our first issue should be one to talk about closure.

What I have learnt along my journey is how hard it is to find closure, and how easy it is to slip into what one thinks is a fresh start, only to realize that one has been carrying a lot of baggage along the way.

So as we enter a new year and a new decade, I wish for you all to find your own closure. To have closure is to be a huge step closer to fresh beginnings.

As I curated this issue, I had the support of my great team of editors with me – Anu Mahadev and Nalini Priyadarshni.

In TWI Interview, I had a wonderful opportunity for an interview with Joya Dass who opened up about her own journey to closure as she finishes her memoir.

In TWI Candid, Alka Writes shares her own journey and Vani Vinay writes about her family member’s journey seeking closure.

In TWI Empowerment Series, Bhavana Nissima gives us a counseling perspective into closure and how to get there.

In TWI Poetry, we have poems on closure from Gayatri Chawla, Mallika Bhaumik, Anu Mahadev and Nalini Priyadarshni

In TWI Fiction, we have short stories on closure – The Missive by Priya N Iyer and The Invitation by Supreet Bains Sharma.

In TWI Art, we have an especially commissioned artwork on closure from Deepa Pisupati.

In TWI Opinion, Nalini Priyadarshini explores if it is possible for domestic violence victims to find closure, while Sonali Pokhriyal discusses the Transgender Bill.

In TWI Review, Ashini Desai reviews Soniah Kamal’s Unmarriageable and Anu Mahadev reviews Bhanu Kapil’s Schizophrene.

In Fall of 2019, we had an opportunity to partner with Connect + Create for a Poetry Salon. And so, in TWI Events, we take a look at the poetry event that was.

We loved the process so much, we have decided to partner with more such events going forward. And one such initiative is a TWI Events Conversation Series with Supreet Bains Sharma. Do check it out.

This year TWI Sakhi Annual Poetry Awards return bigger, better and enriched from their partnership with Beyond Black, the art and culture initiative by Safecity and RedDot Foundation. I have long admired work done by Elsa D’Silva and Supreet Singh, and am honored that they should choose to partner with TWI for Sakhi Poetry Awards.

We have explored how best to offer opportunities of growth to winners. So we have mentorship opportunities with both organizations for winners while shortlisted poems have an opportunity to be a part of an annual poetry anthology.

Submission guidelines for Sakhi Annual Poetry Awards 2019 for the awards can be found here.

What should follow closure, but new beginnings? And so our next issue is slated to be one on Renewal. Submission guidelines for Spring Issue 2020 can be found here.

So I leave you with this read on Closure. I hope you find yours sooner than later. Either way, the journey is worth it.

Much love,

Pooja