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Presence is an independent, UK-based print journal, founded in 1996 and principally edited until 2014 by Martin Lucas and since then by Ian Storr, to provide a forum for high-quality English-language haiku, tanka, haibun and other short poetry, and for essays, book reviews and other articles relating to these forms. Although it is based in the UK, Presence has an international outlook, as reflected in both its worldwide subscribers and its welcoming ethos of diversity and equality of opportunity. It is published three times a year, in March, July and November.

We welcome submissions from experienced and new haiku writers alike. Before submitting for the first time, please have a look round the website, or ideally take out a subscription, to get an idea of the sort of work we are looking for.

Vacancy for General Editor

The role

As mentioned in issue #79, Ian Storr will be standing down as General Editor of Presence after #81, to be published in March 2025. A new editor (or joint editors) will therefore need to be appointed by early March 2025, otherwise Presence will need to have a hiatus until the role is filled – or, in the worst-case scenario, will have to fold, which we are obviously very keen to avoid.

The editorial team would like to hear from anyone, preferably UK-based, interested in this prestigious and exciting role, or any aspects of it (see next paragraph). We are open to reshaping the role, by, for example, having joint General Editors and/or creating separate finance or production roles; and also to reshaping the journal itself – maybe by reducing its output to two issues per annum and, less ideally, by moving it online – as necessary.

Current role description for General Editor

The General Editor is responsible for the journal’s overall: ethos and direction; editorship, including general correspondence; selection of haiku, haibun and other poetry; finance; management of subscriptions; and production and distribution. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the postholder liaises with the editors for the journal’s tanka, essays and reviews sections and for the website, and, at all times, acts in accordance with the journal’s ethos.

Expressions of interest

Interested persons should contact Ian Storr – at: i.storr@btinternet.com – to arrange an informal chat as to what the role, and the appointment process, might involve. A full profile for the current role is available, but, as above, its duties could be divided in accordance with any appropriate reconfiguration.

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Updated: 24th September 2024