It is with profound sadness that I announce the closure of Broken Pencil Magazine, an independent publication I co-founded 30 years ago to celebrate and support zine culture and independent media.
This is a decision I have not made lightly. Broken Pencil was more than a magazine: it was like a light in the cultural darkness, a beacon for alternative voices and aspiring creators. But what began as a platform for creativity and free expression has been undermined to such an extent that it no longer reflects the values it was built on, and I can no longer pour my heart and soul into its publication.
The greatest loss is not to me, however, but to the community Broken Pencil built in Canada and beyond. Each year of its existence, Broken Pencil platformed over four-hundred writers and creators, publishing over its almost 30 year run thousands of reviews of small press books, zines, comics plus interviews, excerpts and more. For some, a notice in Broken Pencil was a first and only public acknowledgement of their creative act – a single star in a dark sky. For others, it was just the beginning – their work appearing in Broken Pencil led them to book deals, grants, awards and other amazing opportunities.
Broken Pencil gave creators, particularly from small Canadian publishers and underrepresented voices, a rare chance to be seen, heard, and celebrated. We took great pride in connecting the many creators we worked with over the years with our large and ever growing audience. With several thousand subscribers, over three thousand visitors to our website a week, a mailing list of fifteen thousand and almost forty thousand followers on social media, Broken Pencil was a cultural force that reached far beyond its humble beginnings in a Toronto basement apartment. With its sister organization Canzine, Broken Pencil contributed over a hundred thousand dollars a year to the creative sector in Canada, directly funding writers, artists, editors, illustrators, designers, and performers.
I have been honoured to hear directly over the years from so many zine makers and authors who told me that a review in Broken Pencil changed their lives, giving them a sense of community and direction when they felt alone in their creative pursuits. For 30 years, Broken Pencil stood for self-expression, a celebration of the unconventional, and a home for self-described “weirdos” – like me – who sought refuge from mainstream culture. Our coverage ranged from showcasing Hong Kong democracy agitators and indigenous environmental artists to exploring niche creative works, from punk rock to vegan cooking to Afro-futurism, always in the spirit of free speech.
Unfortunately, the values of the zine and small press community have shifted. In recent years, the relentless pursuit of ideological purity and identity politics has overshadowed the core mission of Broken Pencil. Recent events, including online harassment over my personal beliefs, a petition demanding that I resign from the publication I founded, that the magazine formally support the Boycott Divest And Sanction Israel movement and devote an entire issue to the conflict in Gaza, and the withdrawal of authors and sponsors from our Canzine festivals in Ottawa and Toronto, are emblematic of a broader issue. This cultural environment has become incompatible with the values of free speech, independent thought, and meaningful dialogue.
I had hoped Broken Pencil would outlive me, passing into the hands of the next generation to continue fostering zany, offbeat and outside-the-box ideas free from constraints. Instead, I find myself closing this chapter with a heavy heart. This is not a decision based on a single controversy, but the product of a cultural moment that no longer reflects the principles on which Broken Pencil was founded.
I remain immensely proud of what we accomplished. Together, we created a literary home that changed lives, built careers, and amplified voices. I hope that legacy will endure in the memories of the creators, readers, and contributors who made Broken Pencil what it was.
Thank you all for 30 incredible years. And thank you to all who worked with and beside me through our ups, downs and in betweens. While I am closing this door, I look forward to continuing to champion the ideals of free speech, creativity and countercultural expression in new and wonderful ways.
Hal Niedzviecki
Founder and co-publisher, Broken Pencil