takahē Magazine

• Submit up to four poems in one document. Sequences are accepted. There are no hard and fast length restrictions, but bear in mind that two of our three issues every year are physical magazines, so space is not unlimited.
• 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$35 for the first poem and NZ$25 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 Work must be previously unpublished and formatted in a single Word document (doc.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 notify us immediately (by sending a message or withdrawing the submission) 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.)
• 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. 
• 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, illustrated work, 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$35 for the first page and NZ$25 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 by 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 notify us 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$75. 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. 

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 black and white photographs or illustrations, but the contributor is responsible for ensuring that the relevant copyright clearances have been obtained. Essays accompanied by such images may be no longer than 2000 words.
• Work can be in English, or in te reo Māori with English translation.
• Payment is NZ$250. 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. 

• Entries close at midnight 31st August 2023. 
• Your poem must be previously unpublished and no more than 50 lines, excluding the title. 
• Multiple entries are welcome. Each entry must be submitted separately with a separate entry fee paid. The entry fee is $5 (NZD) per poem. 
• No simultaneous submissions. The longlist will be announced around 15th November; the shortlist around 25th November. The winner and runners up be announced around 5th December 2022.
• The Submission Title is the title of your poem.
• Your name, initials or pseudonym must NOT appear on the poem, the Submission Title, or in the name of the file that contains your poem.
• Include a third-person bio of no more than 50 words in your Submittable form. 
• takahē acquires first publication rights only, and only for published winners and runners-up. All copyright then reverts to the poet. We appreciate the acknowledgment of takahē as the first publisher if your work is subsequently republished.
• The results and judge's comments will be published in the December 2022 print/online issue of the magazine, available on our website http://www.takahe.org.nz. Only those placed will receive individual notification of the results.
• No member of the takahē board is eligible to enter the competition.
• In the event of the competition being cancelled, entry fees will be refunded.