Editorial Team 2018/2019

Editorial Team 2018/2019

Mubanga Mweemba

Editor-at-Large

I am a final year English student and I am also the current President for Creative Writing Society. I decided to set up the journal, ENIGMA, as part of my presidency as I wanted to provide a platform for writers to showcase their work and develop their craft. I consider myself a curator as well as a creator, and when I’m not writing my own work (as a poet and an essayist) I like to gather writers and artists together and work collaboratively. I was Arts and Lit editor for Exeposé 2017/18, a member of the Exeter UNISLAM team for the past two years, I am currently one of two hosts for the radio show Flagged Up, and I was an organiser for the annual Women of Colour Poetry Night.

Claudia Kelley

Assistant Editor

My name is Claudia and I am a second year English student. I’ve loved literature pretty indiscriminately for as long as I can remember, from reading and writing poetry, to devouring novels, to more recently having my mind blown by theoretical, political or activist essays. The irony of being an English student is that despite literally spending my life reading, I find myself wishing I had time to read, so I’m really excited to discover a wide range of poetry and prose through my involvement in this journal. And, it has to be said, I can’t wait to edit something that isn’t my younger brother’s A Level essays. As I go through my degree, I am continually struck by the incredible power of the written word— ENIGMA is a great opportunity for your words to be heard.

Zach Mayford

Assistant Editor

I’m Zach Mayford and I’m twenty-one. Most of my writing is inspired by reading. I can remember the first word I ever read, which was the word ‘stop’, from a button on a washing machine. Although I read this word, I did not obey it, as I kept reading and now study English Literature. For me, the best writing is about economy of words, by which I mean a high word:meaning ratio. Writers who can grip with the plainest of phrases demand my respect. I aspire to do this and facilitate it in others. I’m a fan of experimenting with language and I think it’s important that we, who have had so many other worlds forced on us by fiction, manage to give our equally important worlds some air-time too.

George Richards

Poetry Editor

I’m in my third and final year here at Exeter and am currently writing a collection of poetry for my dissertation. Long ago I tried my hand at a few novels (all of which have been cheap ripoffs of far superior writers —think God awful fanfiction for Game of Thrones but worse…). Then I turned to poetry five or so years ago and found it to be a far easier fit. Since then I write as often as I can and have even gotten the chance to read at Poltimore Festival. It’s a space where the musicality of language is what shines and where the nuance and complexity of words can be explored. I think that this kind of attention to language is so important today as an alternative to the cliched, disingenuous words thrown about in politics. The fact that I get to read any original poetry submissions is so exciting to me.

James Wijesinghe

Poetry Editor

When I’m not busy procrastinating, I spend my time wasting it. Before becoming a Poetry Editor at ENIGMA, I edited with The Undergraduate Journal, Poltimore Festival, Exeposé, Reverb Music and Doin’ Bits Magazine. I’m in a relationship with puns, and am currently taking bookings for spoken word performances at weddings, raves and society initiations. You can find me picking up litter with my DVP Sustainability hat on, or writing bios in bed. As writers, our validation is rare. Submit to ENIGMA to get your great work embraced by people and pages.