What does this list contain?

35 magazines and journals (which consider themselves to be literary) that accept fiction submissions in Australia. Most don’t need you to be Australian to submit and they all accept work from established and emerging writers.

 

Won’t details Change?

Yes, so please check current submission deadlines, copyright and formatting guidelines by going directly to the relevant website.

 

What NOT to include in a submission.

The following two blogs are really helpful if any of you are interested in finding out how editors view submissions;

1. ‘Writing Short Stories? Don’t Make These 4 Submission Mistakes’ by Patrick Icasas.
2. ‘5 Faux Pas That Will Prevent You Getting Published’ by Jess Gately.

35 Journals and Magazines that Accept Fiction

 

Antic Magazine

Type	online literary fiction
Fiction	accepted on a commission basis
Description	an online magazine that publishes edgy, diverse writing by new and established writers from Australia and worldwide.

The Australian Book Review – (ABR) Print and online literary review that will accept fiction and poetry. They don’t accept fiction submissions while they are accepting stories for the ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize.

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	2000 to 5000 words/3 months
Payment/fee to submit	$400 – $500/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	no

 

Djed Press – is an online publication that seeks to ‘address the insufficient representation of marginalised peoples within the Australian literary landscape today. We are committed to increasing diversity and visibility especially in a time where racial tensions around migrants, people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, Muslims and Indigenous Australian peoples are high, both here on home soil and overseas.’

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	if > 3,000 words, please email the editor first/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$25 – $100 for stories up to 3,000 words(it depends on length)/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Yes/unsure
Multiple submissions	Yes

Feminartsy – ‘Feminartsy is an online feminist literature and arts journal, founded in 2014.’

Open	rolling – pitch an idea to them first
Word limit/time taken	unknown/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$50/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	no

Gargouille Literary Journal – ‘Gargouille is a printed, bi-annual literary journal of short stories, poetry, scripts, aesthetic essays, lost and found words.’

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	10 000 /unknown
Payment/fee to submit	yes – determined by subscriber status, editing time and length/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	one only

Going Down Swinging – Going Down Swinging is one of Australia’s longest-running and most respected literary journals.

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	5000 words preferable although they’ll take up to 15000/3 months
Payment/fee to submit	$100 – $250/no
Submission	online
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	2 stories

Griffith Review  – Literary themed magazine – published quarterly. ‘Our aim is to provide the opportunity for established and emerging writers, thinkers and artists to tease out complexity and contradiction and propose new ways of thinking and seeing.’ They accept fiction and poetry. They also hold an annual novella competition with a prize pool of $25,000 to be shared among the five winners (15,000 – 25,000 words).

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	2000 to 6000/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	yes – payment negotiated by word length/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	unsure/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	no

Island – Print magazine. ‘Island is one of Australia’s leading literary magazines, a print-only quarterly of ideas, writing and culture.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	2000 to 5000/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$150 to $200/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Unknown/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	no

Kill Your Darlings – ‘Kill Your Darlings (KYD) is one of Australia’s most lively and entertaining cultural magazines.’ You must be a paid member to submit.

Open	unknown
Word limit/time taken	unknown
Payment/fee to submit	yes/no but you must be a paid member (from $20)
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unknown
Multiple submissions	unknown

Marauder Literary Journal – ‘Marauder Literary Journal is new platform for over-worked or unappreciated, emerging and established literary rogues, who want to network and share their brave, captivating and original work.’

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	500 for flash fiction, 2000 words for short fiction/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	none/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unknown
Multiple submissions	1 story

Mascara – Biannual literary journal. They are particularly interested in the writing of ‘contemporary migrant, Asian Australian and Indigenous writers.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	> 3500 words or 1000 for flash fiction/3 months
Payment/fee to submit	none/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Meanjin – Print and online magazine that will accept fiction and poetry.

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	100 to 3000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	20c per word in printed version only/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	Unknown

Overland – Quarterly print journal/ biannual online magazine.  ‘Overland publishes fiction by new and diverse writers (as well as some established authors) with a focus on work that is politically engaged, intellectually challenging and emotionally charged, across a range of genres and styles. We actively look for new work from emerging writers in regional Australia.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	didn’t specify/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$500 print/$150 online/no fee
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	2 stories per quarter

Pencilled In – Quarterly print journal/ biannual online magazine. They ‘seek(s) to highlight and showcase art by young Asian Australians.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	check their website – pitches always welcome
Word limit/Time taken	unknown/4 weeks after submission closing date
Payment/fee to submit	$50 for artists (do they mean writers, too – not sure)
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	no/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 only

Peril – Online magazine. They are ‘focused on issues of Asian Australian arts and culture.’ They also welcome submissions in creative and new media, including video, audio and sound.

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	1000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$50 – $100/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	> 5 pieces – Asian Australian interest and connected to issue theme!

Quadrant – Print and online literary journal. Although it ‘retains its founding bias towards cultural freedom, anti-totalitarianism and classical liberalism, its pages are open to any well-written and thoughtful contribution’. They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	rolling – published ten times/year
Word limit/time taken	1000 to 5000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	yes but unspecified/no
Submission	mail
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Right Now – An online organisation for human rights issues and justice in Australia. They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	1000 words. They suggest you send them a pitch first/1 to 2 weeks
Payment/fee to submit	none/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Scum – ‘Scum is an online literary magazine, launched in February 2013. We aim to deliver new writing a couple times a week and publish fiction, memoir, rants, and basically whatevz.  Scum has filthy feminist leanings and a disregard for propriety.’

Open	1st to 7th of every month
Word limit/time taken	> 1000 words
Payment/fee to submit	$60/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Seizure – ‘Flashers is the online home of Australian flash fiction.’

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	50 to 500 words.
Payment/fee to submit	$50/no
Submission	online
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Social Alternatives – An independent quarterly journal ‘committed to the principles of social justice and to creating spaces of dialogue intended to stimulate social alternatives to current conditions.’

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	1000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	none/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Southerly – A peer reviewed journal published three times a year. Launched in 1939, Southerly is a journal of literary criticism, cultural debate and reviews. They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	rolling plus calls for themed editions
Word limit/time taken	2000 to 8000 words/12 weeks
Payment/fee to submit	unknown/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Spineless Wonders – SPINELESS WONDERS is a multi-platform publishing company devoted to short, quality fiction produced by Australian writers.

Open	rolling plus calls for themed editions
Word limit/time taken	200 to 2000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	unknown/there was a $10 fee for their current themed issue
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Stereo Stories – A boutique website – stories have to be connected with music in some way. See their website for examples.

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	800 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	none/no
Submission	email or their contact page
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

StylusLit – A bi-annual online literary journal that accepts fiction and poetry. They publish in March and September and have set submission periods.

Open	check their website for set reading periods
Word limit/time taken	5000 words
Payment/fee to submit	unknown/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Sweaty City is Australia’s first magazine dedicated to climate change and urban ecology.

Open	check their website for pitches
Word limit/time taken	unknown
Payment/fee to submit	no/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown
Multiple submissions	unknown

The Big Issue Fiction Edition – ‘the annual fiction edition is one of the biggest-selling fiction magazines in Australia, and is a highlight of the publishing calendar.’

Open	check their website – in 2017 submissions opened in March
Word limit/time taken	300 to 3000 words
Payment/fee to submit	yes/no
Submission	post
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

The Blue Nib Literary Magazine ‘has dedicated itself to discovering the very best new voices in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The mission of The Blue Nib has always been to encourage and promote the development of creative writing and writers and to promote an appreciation among our readership of outstanding literary work.’ 

Open	check their website
Word limit/time taken	750 to 3000 words
Payment/fee to submit	unknown/unknown
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unknown
Multiple submissions	1 story per submission/multiple separate submissions accepted

The Lifted Brow – A quarterly ebook and print magazine. ‘Those wishing to submit material are very strongly urged to first read The Lifted Brow or our website, depending on for what you are submitting.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	Check their website
Word limit/time taken	2000 to 4000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	Yes/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

The Suburban Review – ‘The Suburban Review is a literary collective that worships creativity. We publish a quarterly digital journal of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and art.’

Open	Check their website
Word limit/time taken	unknown/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	Yes/US $2 to cover submittable
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unknown
Multiple submissions	unknown

Tulpa Magazine – ‘Tulpa is an Adelaide-based magazine focusing on the Arts Community in South Australia. Our aim is to give emerging and marginalised writers a safe space to publish their work.’

Open	rolling
Word limit/time taken	1000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	no/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	unknown/unknown
Multiple submissions	unknown

Underground Writers – A quarterly ebook and print magazine. They are ‘a team of volunteers who gather and curate creative writing from talented authors and put it together into Underground Creative Writing zine.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	Check their website
Word limit/time taken	2000 words – themed/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$50/no
Submission	email
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Verity La – Online, not-for-profit journal. ‘As it says on the mast-head, bravery is essential in the Verity La neck of the woods, which means creative risk-taking, freedom, and – above all else – being no one but yourself.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	March and August
Word limit/time taken	No limit but up to 5,000 is preferred/3 months
Payment/fee to submit	$100/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	No/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Voiceworks – Quarterly journal that features writing by authors under the age of twenty five/Australian residents, nationals only. They are ‘keen to read more experimental writing—think stylistically playful stuff, and work that blurs the boundaries between nonfiction, fiction and poetry.’

Open	Rolling – themed
Word limit/time taken	3000 words/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	$100/no
Submission	online via submittable
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	2 stories

Westerly – Print magazine published twice a year/online is ongoing.  ‘It covers literature and culture throughout the world, but maintains a special emphasis on Australia, particularly Western Australia, and the Asian region.’ They accept fiction and poetry.

Open	July edition – March 31st deadline/Nov edition – Aug 31st deadline
Word limit/time taken	3500 words/3 months
Payment/fee to submit	$180/no
Submission	online
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unpublished only
Multiple submissions	1 story

Writers Edit – Online literary magazine. ‘Based in Sydney, Australia, Writer’s Edit is a young online literary magazine created especially for writers and book lovers.’

Open	check their website for submission windows
Word limit/time taken	unknown/unknown
Payment/fee to submit	None/no
Submission	unknown
Simultaneous/reprints	Ok/unknown
Multiple submissions	unknown

Have I missed anything? – please let me know. I’d love to hear your comments.

Do you love poetry?

You might like: List of 31 Magazines and Journals that accept poetry – Australia

Do you write flash fiction?

You might like: Flash Fiction – a list of publications which accept submissions