As Editor-in-Chief of The Broken Spine, I’ve always harboured a passion for poetry that challenges and transcends conventional boundaries. It’s this drive that led to the inception of The Whiskey Tree project, a venture close to my heart and reflective of our ethos at The Broken Spine. Today, I’m eager to share with you the vision behind this initiative, our ambitions, and the remarkable journey we’re embarking on with poets and writers.
The inspiration for The Whiskey Tree sprouted from a desire to carve out a niche within the poetry community, a haven far removed from the tumult of social media platforms like Twitter. Despite finding pockets of beauty and camaraderie there, the overarching atmosphere can often be disheartening. I longed for a space where the discourse revolves solely around writing, unfettered by external noise. This vision was not just about retreating from negativity but about fostering strategic engagement across various platforms, elevating our collective voice in the literary landscape.
Moreover, the project was born out of an aspiration to deliver content that’s both concise and impactful, embodying the spirit and vision of The Broken Spine. We sought to push the envelope, not just by adhering to our love for nature poetry, but by infusing it with an edgier, more provocative flair. Following the closure of our Artist Collectives, a significant chapter for us, The Whiskey Tree emerged as a fresh canvas, reflecting my personal aesthetic and conceptual ideals, from its inception through to the inclusion of each work.
Our aim with The Whiskey Tree is to nurture a supportive, engaged poetry community. We’ve handpicked writers not just for the quality of their work but for their commitment to fostering camaraderie and mutual support. Through interviews, podcasts, and reviews, we’ve created avenues for promotion and engagement, further solidifying the project as a collaborative endeavour. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, leading to an expansion of our initial vision.
The Whiskey Tree is evolving into a trilogy of themes—Untamed Nature, Untamed Love, and Untamed Identity—culminating in a final, open-themed collection. This progression from a single collection of fourteen poems to a comprehensive project spanning three years is a testament to our ambition and the enthusiasm of our contributors. It represents not just the growth of The Whiskey Tree but of our community and its potential to inspire and engage.
Looking ahead, our vision for The Whiskey Tree is ambitious. We envisage it as a cornerstone for collaboration and support within the literary community, a repository of resources for promotion and engagement, accessible to all. Drawing inspiration from the organisational prowess of the music industry, we aim to cultivate a network of writers, editors, and literary enthusiasts who share our dedication to lifting each other up, ensuring the vast talents within our community receive the recognition they deserve.
I’m immensely proud of what we’ve built and excited for what the future holds. I invite you to join us on this journey, to be a part of The Whiskey Tree project, and help us write the next chapter in the story of contemporary poetry. Together, we can create something truly extraordinary.