SUBMISSIONS

Two Russian womenRegrettably Verity La is currently closed for submissions – that’s so we can focus our attention on the many submissions that we have spread across the carpet and halfway up the chimney. 

Normally, however, we welcome submissions from all writers, whether you’re emerging or established.  Our mission is to publish as many new writers as possible, so even if you don’t yet have a publishing track-record we’re eager to hear from you.  Read on for more information.  And some tips – for when we open the front door again, and when we do we’ll open them with loving, loving arms.

Verity La publishes in the following streams:

How to get published in Verity La:

  • submit your best work, work that even you as the writer – or artist – is excited about
  • writing for the on-line environment means that you’re competing against an infinite amount of other stylish and interesting sites – aim to engage your readers within seconds.  How to do this?  Do it dramatically and succinctly.
  • edit your work, and edit it again, and edit it one more time; make sure that you search and destroy every typo, including punctuation errors – a misplaced apostrophe is like grit in the eye
  • include a simple covering email, which should briefly state your writing background so we know where you are coming from; don’t forget to include an email address
  • it may take up to six months for us to read your work and consider it for publication; if your work is published elsewhere during this period, please let us know
  • if we accept your work for publication, it may be up to another six months before it is actually published – we apologise for this, but so much good work comes our way we don’t want to let it slip between our fingers
  • please do not chase us up – this only distracts us from the main task, which is reading the work submitted
  • and, of course, subscribe to the journal, so you know what sort of work we’re into.

Other ways you can be involved:

  • review for us
  • interview for us
  • send us your artwork
  • volunteer to read submissions
  • spread the word through social media, or chat about us to a friend in real-life
  • light a specially crafted Verity La candle
  • offer up a prayer for all those Fairfax arts journalists who appear to be losing their jobs faster than Tony Abbott can say completely and utterly ridiculous things
  • turn everything off and enjoy the stillness

The Verity La review policy:

  • we operate within the best-practice review principles as articulated by the Australian Book Review, which can be found here
  • all publishers great and small are welcome to send us books to review
  • please note, however, that sending us a book does not necessarily mean that we will run a review
  • small publishers, and self-publishers – do tell us a little about yourself, including your background and what you’re trying to achieve, so we know where you’re coming from
  • all our reviewers are volunteers, so be patient with us

Send us your wonderful wonderful work:

Payment, or lack thereof:

Being a volunteer-run and free-to-net affair, we are currently unable to pay for work published.  That’s because no one gets paid in Verity La Land: those who keep the wheels turning pay all the bills out of their own pockets and a number of supporters provide their services pro bono. Do we believe that those who write for the journal should be paid?  Absolutely.  How do we feel about not paying writers?  Pretty bloody awful; it doesn’t sit at all well with us.  What’s our understanding of what you think about this issue?  In our 2012 survey of readers and writers, the issue was only mentioned once; more respondents suggested that it was better to be published.  But if we think it’s so important, what are we doing about it?  For an on-line only journal like Verity La we have four options: charge for subscriptions; apply for grants; attract philanthropic support; a combination of these things.  We’re on the case, we really are, and if we could change the world in an instant we’d make things financially better for writers, but in the meantime we’re ploughing on and hoping things improve in the near future.  As with anything we do, we’re open to hearing your thoughts.  And if you’d like to contribute financially, please email us on editor@verityla.com

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© 2013 by Verity La and individual contributors.  The views expressed by Verity La contributors are not necessarily those of the editor/publisher.  Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted if acknowledgement is made to Verity La. All images used on Verity La are found on the web and assumed to be in the public domain; if you would like acknowledgement for your work, or for your work to be removed, please contact the editor.