Australian literary journals

Listed below are Australian literary journals and publishers, as well as a selection of international publications, that are open for submissions. This list os not exhaustive and guidelines do change regularly, so check their websites for the latest information.

If you are seeking publication for a manuscript, you can also consider securing a literary agent; please see the Australian Literary Agents Association for more information. Please note that inclusion on this page is not an endorsement, you should always carefully check terms and conditions for information on rights and eligibility. Writers should never have to pay for publication through a legitimate publisher, for more information on vanity publishing see here.

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AUSTRALIAN JOURNALS + PUBLICATIONS

Antithesis Journal
Antithesis is Australia’s long-running graduate journal of contemporary theory, criticism and culture.

Antler Velvet
An indie online arts magazine welcoming poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and art.

Archer Magazine
An award-winning print publication about sexuality, gender and identity. It is published twice-yearly in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on lesser-heard voices and the uniqueness of our experiences.

Aniko Magazine
Welcomes flash fiction, short stories, creative non-fiction, and poetry. Contributors are paid $125.

Arena Online
Provides weekly online commentary on emerging social and political issues. It accepts unsolicited submissions of 800-1200 words.

Aurealis
Science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories that are of a “speculative” nature are considered.

Australian Book Review
ABR is one of Australia’s major cultural magazines, presenting high-quality journalism and new writing.

Australian Poetry Journal
The Journal, published six-monthly, is guest-edited each issue by different voices, to ensure excellence and inclusivity. It also publishes insightful, curious articles.

Axon: Creative Explorations
An international peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the characteristics of creativity and the creative process. It is published twice a year (usually in March and September) and encourages research into and discussion of the broad domain of creativity.

Baby Teeth Journal
A literature and multi-media arts journal, supporting emerging artists.

Backslash Lit
They invite pieces that use digital and electronic mediums as a vessel for creativity, including but not limited to source code poetry, hypertext poetry, interactive fiction, ASCII art, and generative art.

BAD Western Sydney a new crime anthology
BAD Western Sydney is a new crime anthology set in the urban/suburban sprawl of Western Sydney. We are looking for short stories and microfiction to include in the anthology that evoke that strong sense of place. 12 September.

The Big Issue
An independent magazine that publishes informative and entertaining articles on a variety of subjects including arts and entertainment, street culture, lifestyle and personal profiles, as well as fiction.

Bramble
Bramble is a new journal based in the Illawarra that is edited – and solely publishes creative works – by disabled writers and artists.

Curioser Magazine
Accepts poetry and short fiction in the magical realism genre.

Cordite
Cordite Poetry Review accepts poetry on an ongoing basis, as well as peer-reviewed research on Australian and international poetry and poetics.

Creatrix
Creatrix is the online journal of poetry and haiku published quarterly by West Australian Poets Inc., the peak poetry body in Western Australia.

DEBRIS
*On hiatus*. DEBRIS is a story-driven literary magazine.

DJed Press
An online publication that exclusively works with and publishes Bla(c)k creatives and other creatives of colour (POC).

The Font
A literary journal about teaching and learning languages at home and abroad. It looks at the topic from a more creative, literary, and humanistic perspective than the more traditional academic publications.

Frankie
A bi-monthly magazine that celebrates and inspires a community of creatively inclined, curious and kind-hearted people, featuring interviews, rants, and research pieces.

Griffith Review
Accepts essays, reportage, creative non-fiction, fiction, memoir, visual essays and poetry.

Going Down Swinging
Publishes fiction, creative non-fiction, spoken word, commentary, essays, comics, poetry and experimental work online.

HEAT
HEAT is a distinguished Australian literary journal renowned for its dedication to literary quality, and its commitment to publishing innovative and imaginative poetry, fiction, essays, criticism and the hybrid forms.

The Human Writers
Looking for unpublished writing by older adults 60+ who may or may not have writing experience. Accepting memoir, musings, fiction, poetry of 1000 words or under.

Hyades magazine
A new online magazine that seeks to publish the best poetry and short fiction.

InScribe
inScribe is a bi-annual print journal and perennial website that aims to share and inspire meaningful encounters with the world through the diverse art of creative writing.

InReview poetry
Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.

Island Magazine
Island welcomes submissions from Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific and Australians living abroad, of fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

Kill Your Darlings
KYD is an eclectic online magazine of commentary, essays, interviews, fiction and reviews.

Liminal
Liminal magazine is an online space for the exploration, interrogation and celebration of the Asian-Australian experience.

Mascara Review
Submissions by e-mail, considering previously unpublished work. Submissions are currently open for Mascara Literary Review’s very first print anthology, to be published with Ultimo Press. They seek writing that addresses and explores the theme of RESILIENCE through fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Meanjin
One of Australia’s oldest homes for new writing. Publishes Australian fiction, essays, long-form journalism, poetry, memoir, interviews, and more.

Meniscus
An online, free access literary journal that publishes high quality, innovative poetry, short fiction, and creative essays in English, or in other languages with a good parallel translation.

Overland
Overland is a quarterly print journal (publishing essays, stories and poetry) and an online magazine, publishing non-fiction articles each week day.

Peril Magazine
An online magazine focused on issues of Asian Australian arts and culture, showcasing new literature and stories through diverse forms, including poetry, drama, translations, creative writing, memoir, essays, biographical profiles, interviews as well as critical and reflective writing about the visual arts, music, performance, theatre, film and other cultural arts practices.

Portside Review
Poetry, prose (essay, review, interview, short story). There is no limit to how many times you can submit. Submissions are free and open all year.

Puentes Review
Puentes Review is published twice a year and welcomes submissions from Latinx artists and writers in Australia. They are looking for previously unpublished fiction, non-fiction, poetry, translations and artwork. All successful contributions are paid.

Pure Slush
Established in 2010, Pure Slush currently publishes print anthologies of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry
.

Plumwood Mountain
An Australian and international
journal of ecopoetry and ecopoetics.

Quadrant
Quadrant is published ten times a year, monthly, except for combined issues in January-February and July-August. Each year we publish more than 200 articles, 200 poems, 70 book reviews, 20 short stories and 75 letters to the editor.

Right Now Magazine
Accepts pitches on human rights issues in Australia. Unpaid.

Rabbit Poetry
A pioneer in the field, Rabbit intends to celebrate the potential for poetry to explore and interrogate the boundaries of nonfiction writing.

The Saltbush Review
For the inaugural issue of Adelaide’s new literary journal, to be launched in August, they are seeking submissions of short fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir of up to 2,500 words on the theme of ‘Water.’ Shorter works such as flash fiction are also welcome, as are works that challenge genre boundaries.

Social Alternatives
Accepts refereed academic papers, commentaries, book reviews and essays, short stories and poetry related to the aims of the journal. The journal also accepts proposals for themed issues from guest editors. Proposals may emerge from workshops, networks and conferences.

Sojournal
Sojournal publishes travel stories. They are looking for one black and white image (taken by contributor and/or free from any form of copyright) and an accompanying non-fiction travel story/poem of no more than 800 words. Unpaid.

Southerly
One of Australia’s oldest continuous literary journals. Southerly continues to publish the best in new fiction and poetry, reviews and criticism, from and about Australian and New Zealand authors.

Stereo Stories
Publishing evocative, concise stories and short memoir based around a song.

StylusLit
An Australian, bi-annual online literary journal, publishing poetry, short fiction, novel excerpts, creative non-fiction, interviews and reviews.

The Suburban Review
Celebrates work which might otherwise fall through the cracks of mainstream publishing, providing a platform for under-represented and structurally excluded voices.

TEXT
TEXT is an international peer reviewed journal published by the Australasian Association of Writing Programs. TEXT publishes two general issues per year and between two and four special issues per year.

trash to treasure lit
Accepts the writings that you self-rejected, deemed ‘not good enough’, trashed, binned, or have forgotten about.

Voiceworks
Voiceworks is a national literary journal that features exciting new writing and art by young Australians.

Westerly
Publishes short stories, micro-fiction, poetry, memoir and creative non-fiction, artwork, essays and literary criticism.

Witcraft
Member and author Doug Jacquier has launched a new magazine project, Witcraf, dedicated to skillfully written stories that are brief, humorous and engaging.

AUSTRALIAN PUBLISHERS

Affirm Press
An independent Melbourne-based publisher dedicated to publishing great Australian stories, big ideas, and engaging local and international authors. Publishes Australian literary and genre fiction, non-fiction and children’s books; does not accept unsolicited short stories, poetry or novellas. Accept email submissions on the first Monday of each month only.

Aboriginal Studies Press (AIATSIS)
Scholarly and general works, children’s books, biographies, research papers and monographs about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. Accept website submissions.

Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin is Australia’s leading independent publisher and is the 2020 Publisher of the Year. The Friday Pitch allows for writers of all genres to have their work considered by one of their in-house Submission Editors.

Australian Scholarly Publishing
Publishes scholarly and general books under its Australian Scholarly & International Scholarly (academic), Arcadia & Arden (general & art books), Tantanoola (fiction) and Chancery Bold (law) imprints. Submissions open.

Black Inc. Books
Accepts general and commercial non-fiction – including history, current affairs, sports, and biography – and literary, YA, and commercial fiction.

Brio Books
A boutique, independent Australian publisher, publishing fiction and non-fiction books by Australian and New Zealand authors under four imprints.

Buon-Cattivi Press
A small Adelaide-based press house that publishes unique Australian literature and promotes new and emerging authors, publishing “original stories that challenge established genre boundaries and disrupt traditional writing styles”.

Currency Press
Accepts plays for consideration that have had a professional production. In the case of established writers, they also consider plays for publication that have a professional production contracted for the near future.

Debut Books
A platform to amplify great storytelling, welcoming submissions from first-time Australian authors, across all genres of fiction (especially Australian-based genre fiction).

Echo Publishing
Publishes fiction and nonfiction, with a focus on resilience and survival, history, strong women, and the transgression of boundaries and breaking down of barriers.

Escape Publishing (Harlequin)
A small, specialist publisher of romance fiction, including contemporary, historical, paranormal, fantasy, thriller, sci-fi, erotic romance and LGBTQIA+.

Federation Press
Publishes non-fiction law and related subjects.

Giramondo Publishing Company
An independent, Australian, university-based literary publisher of award-winning poetry, fiction and non-fiction, renowned for the quality of its writing, editing and book design, accepting unsolicited submissions.

Glimmer Press
A new, Adelaide-based small publisher.

Hachette Australia
One of Australia’s largest publishers, welcoming submissions from fiction, non-fiction and children’s book writers who are residents of Australia or New Zealand.

Hardie Grant
A creative global publisher of quality, stylish, cutting-edge books. Not currently open to unsolicited submissions, but check back.

Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Accepts fresh, exciting and well-written stories that kids and teenagers will love to read.

HarperCollins
While HarperCollins only considers material submitted by literary agents, they do accept entries to the Banjo Prize, find out more here. HarperCollins publishes fiction (commercial, literary, science fiction and fantasy) and general nonfiction, including biography/autobiography, memoir, history, health/wellness, sport, politics, culture, lifestyle, cookery and humour.

HQ (Harlequin)
HQ is a boutique publishing division under the auspices of the multinational publishing house HarperCollins. They publish a wide range of fiction from psychological thrillers, gripping family sagas and gritty crime to layered historical novels, romance and contemporary book-club fiction.

Joan Press
A publishing imprint for Allen & Unwin, curated by Nakkiah Lui, publishing books across all genres with the hope of finding a home for “the voices that get pushed to the fringes”.

Larrikin House
Publish quirky, original, and humorous kid-focussed books. Open to picture books and junior fiction.

La Trobe University Press
Publishes leading scholars and experts, producing books of high intellectual quality, substance and originality.

Magabala Books
Australia’s leading Indigenous publishing house, accepts a limited number of unsolicited manuscripts directly from authors and literary agents.

MidnightSun
An Adelaide-based small press publishing new and unknown writers and ‘unusual’ topics.

Melbourne University Publishing
MUP accepts political, history and current affairs submission; illustrated art and lifestyle books and the best in Australian academic research and writing.

Murdoch Books (a division of Allen and Unwin)
Publishes a wide range of food, gardening and lifestyle titles.

National Library of Australia Publishing
NLA Publishing creates books that tell stories by and about Australians, publishing non-fiction and children’s titles in the fields of history, art, photography, the environment and literature.

Pan Macmillan Australia
Publish a wide range of bestselling, award-winning and high-quality titles. Submit fiction, nonfiction, children’s books and YA.

Penguin Random House Australia
From future classics to cherished favourites, PRH champion emerging voices and bring readers the highest-quality books from established, award-winning and bestselling authors. PRH Australia comprises an adult publishing division and a children’s publishing division, see guidelines for each.

Pantera Press
Home to the next generation of talented Australian writers, Pantera Press is proudly all about great storytelling.

Puncher and Wattmann
Poetry, fiction, life writing, poetry anthologies and critical non-fiction. Puncher and Wattmann books have won or been shortlisted for a number of literary awards including the Miles Franklin, Prime Minister’s awards and various state and Premiers’ literary awards. Their titles treasure eclecticism, wit and iconoclasm. Usually receive submissions from 15 November to 30 January.

Seizure
An imprint of Brio books, publishes fiction novellas via annual Viva la Novella competition, open between September and December.

Scribe
Scribe accepts unsolicited and un-agented submissions in a three week window, in 2021: 1 April through to 21 April
1 September through to 21 September.

Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster are currently not accepting unsolicited material including manuscripts, but will consider agented work; they publish and distribute a variety of books in Australia and New Zealand across a range of genres including fiction, non-fiction and children’s books under local and international imprints.

Spineless Wonders
A Sydney-based multi-platform publishing house devoted to working collaboratively to produce books, ebooks and audiobooks as well as immersive and engaging literary-based experiences. Since 2011, Spineless Wonders has specialised in short fiction.

Text Publishing
An independent, Melbourne-based publisher of literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction.

Thames & Hudson Australia
Publish Australian illustrated, children’s books and narrative nonfiction in the following areas: arts (fine or decorative), history (Australian, natural or cultural), architecture, science, design, fashion, gardens, photography and popular culture.

Ultimo
Ultimo Press is an independent publisher established in 2020 with the simple ambition to become home to Australia’s best storytellers; they accept submissions of general literary fiction and nonfiction.

UNSW Press
Accept submissions for general, scholarly and literary non-fiction.

UQP
UQP publishes books across non-fiction (history, politics, current affairs, biography and memoir, environmental issues); literary fiction, including short stories; children’s and young adult (YA) books (fiction and non-fiction); and poetry.

UWAP
UWAP shares stories, research and education with the world to encourage thought, inspire action and create and connect with engaged communities, publishing award-winning fiction, non-fiction and scholarly works.

Ventura Press
Sydney-based independent book publisher.

Wakefield Press
A leading independent publishing company based in Adelaide, publishing literary and popular fiction, young adult fiction, history, biography, art, poetry, food, wine, the environment, education and true life.

Wombat Books
Publishes books for children including picture books, early readers and middle fiction.

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Photo via Express Media

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

**For a thorough database of international publications, visit Chill Subs.

The American Reader
Bimonthly magazine publishing fiction, poetry and criticism.

Apex Magazine
An online zine of fantastical fiction, accepting short stories.

Asimov’s Science Fiction
An established market for science fiction stories, pays 8-10 cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words.

Barrelhouse
Barrelhouse is an independent non-profit literary organisation that aims to bridge the gap between serious art and pop culture.

Clarkesworld Magazine
An award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles, and audio fiction

Creative Nonfiction
Accepts nonfiction from emerging and unpublished writers, rom immersion reportage to personal essay to memoir.

Epoch Press
Epoch Press is an independent press dedicated to publishing exceptional creative nonfiction. We currently publish a literary journal three times a year and aspire to include publications of manuscripts in the future.

Fantasy and Science Fiction
One of the major magazines of the genre. They pay 8-12 cents a word.

The Fiction Desk
A short story publisher specialising in anthologies of new short fiction from debut and established authors, based in the UK.

Granta
Granta is committed to championing new voices and is open to unsolicited submissions of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, for both print and online publication.

Harvard Review Online
Harvard Review publishes short fiction, poetry, essays, drama, and book reviews.

International OCD Foundation
Welcomes submissions from those living with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or a related disorder, including BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder), their family/friends, researchers, and medical professionals.

Lightspeed Magazine
A digital science fiction and fantasy magazine, publishing short stories and novellas.

The Moderate Review
Established in 2020, The Moderate is a lynx eye dedicated to discovering and promoting new voices in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and art in all its forms.

Narrative magazine
Accepts previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works for serialization.

N+1
A print and digital magazine of literature, culture, and politics published three times yearly.

The New Yorker
One of the most prestigious publications in the world, accepting fiction and poetry submissions.

One Story
Publishes one literary fiction story at a time. Submission periods: January 15th – May 31st and September 7th – November 14th.

Reed Magazine
California’s oldest literary journal. Publishes fiction, poetry, non-fiction, art and emerging voices.

Structo magazine
A UK-based literary magazine.

Story Unlikely
Story Unlikely is a monthly E-zine that publishes fiction and memoir short stories in an array of genres and styles. Payment is 5 cents a word for previously unpublished stories, and 1 cent a word for reprints.

Uncanny
An online speculative/ SF magazine, accepting short story, nonfiction, poetry, and novella submissions.

Virginia Review
Accepts poetry, non-fiction and short fiction.

The Zodiac Review
An online, semi-annual literary magazine presenting short fiction by both emerging and established authors.

Photo via Voiceworks

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