$5.00

Submit your poetry, essay, comics, or fiction here to also support the running of takahē magazine - we hugely appreciate it! 

Your contribution goes directly towards the costs of publishing the magazine, paying contributors, and running our Submittable account. All our editors and board members are volunteers.

Please carefully follow the submission guidelines of the relevant department, and note that Tip Jar Submissions receive the same care and consideration as our free submissions. 


  • Submit up to four poems in one document.
  • There is no preferred style or mode of poetry at takahē. Our poetry editor, Erik Kennedy, says: 'Send us the sort of poems that only you can write. I value poems that engage with the world with urgency, sensitivity, authenticity, and flair. Poetry is not just a game (although it can be one); it is a way of counting our losses and honouring what we have.'
  • Simultaneous submissions are welcome (truly!), but please notify us immediately (using the Messages function) if your work is accepted elsewhere.
  • During a given submissions period, please only submit in one category of the following: poetry, fiction, or comics. (This is so we can represent as broad a range of writers as possible.)
  • Please wait for a response before submitting again. One submission only per submissions period. We have a large volume of submissions, we read with care, and response times may vary. 
  • Work can be in English, or in Te Reo Māori with English translation.
  • Guest Poetry places are by solicitation only. 
  • Submissions are accepted year-round, but the deadlines for each issue are as follows: 31 December for the April issue, 30 April for the August issue, and 31 August for the December issue.
  • Payment for published work is NZ$45 for the first poem and NZ$35 for each additional poem. Payments are via bank transfer domestically. Payments to contributors outside Aotearoa New Zealand are via PayPal and may not be possible where there are excessive fees.
  • For questions about submitting, or about individual submissions, get in touch at poetry@takahe.org.nz.


FOR FICTION:

  • Submit no more than 3000 words. This can be a single story or several shorter ones. Work must be previously unpublished and formatted in a single Word document (doc. or docx.), 12-pt Times New Roman double-spaced. No multiple submissions. 
  • Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please withdraw your submission if it is accepted elsewhere, or send a note to let us know which piece is no longer available.
  • During a given submissions period, please only submit in one category of the following: poetry, fiction, or comics. This is so we can represent as broad a range of writers as possible.
  • Work can be in English, or in Te Reo Māori with English translation.
  • Please wait for a response before submitting again. We have a large volume of submissions, we read with care, and response times can be slow. If you haven't had a response within four months, you're welcome to query via Submittable. 
  • Please take the time to enjoy some back issues of takahē. If you receive several rejections from us, we might not be the best readers for your work. 
  • We cannot consider novel excerpts or work generated or assisted by AI. 
  • We occasionally include audio recordings of fiction pieces alongside the text. We do not consider audio-only pieces. 
  • Guest Fiction places are by invitation only. 
  • Payment for published work is NZ$45 for the first page and NZ$35 for each page thereafter. No invoice required. Payments are via bank transfer domestically. Payments to contributors outside Aotearoa New Zealand are via PayPal and may not be possible where there are excessive fees. 
  • takahē acquires first publication rights only. All copyright then reverts to the author. We appreciate the acknowledgment of takahē as the first publisher if your work is subsequently republished. 
  • We do not issue publication contracts, even on request. 

FOR COMICS:

  • During a given submissions period, please only submit in one category of the following: poetry, fiction, or comics. (This is so we can represent as broad a range of writers as possible.)
  • No pitches or multiple submissions. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but please withdraw your submission immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere. 
  • We prefer work of up to 3 pages. Up to a maximum of 5 is acceptable. 
  • Submit a single JPEG of around 300ppi. 
  • Work can be in English, or in Te Reo Māori with English translation.
  • Include a bio of up to 50 words. 
  • Payment for published work is NZ$100. Payments are via bank transfer domestically. Payments to contributors outside Aotearoa New Zealand are via PayPal and may not be possible where there are excessive fees.

FOR REVIEWS ENQUIRIES:

  • Send our Reviews Editor a message if you'd like to send us review copies, or are interested in writing book reviews. 
  • Payments for review writers are NZ$85 for reviews of between 500 and 1000 words, and $120 for reviews of over 1000 words. 

FOR ESSAY PITCHES:

  • The editor invites pitches, especially for creative non-fiction and works of cultural criticism, between 1000 and 2500 words.
  • The essay may, at the discretion of the editor, include photographs or illustrations, but the contributor is responsible for ensuring that the relevant copyright clearances have been obtained. 
  • Work can be in English, or in te reo Māori with English translation.
  • Payment is NZ$300. Payments are via bank transfer domestically. Payments to contributors outside Aotearoa New Zealand are via PayPal and may not be possible where there are excessive fees. 
  • takahē acquires first publication rights only. All copyright then reverts to the author. We appreciate the acknowledgment of takahē as the first publisher if your work is subsequently republished. 
  • We do not issue publication contracts, even by request. 


 

takahē Magazine