Headland Literary Journal And Massey University Forge Exciting New Partnership

Almost two years since their last issue was published, Headland is coming out of hibernation. Submissions for Headland Issue 15 will open soon, and an exciting new partnership with Massey University’s Creative Writing programme will help both parties to better support local literary talent.

Headland will continue to give voice to new and aspiring writers alongside established authors, publishing some of the best literary fiction and creative non-fiction from New Zealand and around the world. The partnership with Massey University means that the journal will be able to pay writers $50 per piece, as well as considering all published pieces for their annual cash prizes (currently $500 and $250). This payment model will help the journal to continue attracting high quality writing, while better rewarding and supporting those authors whose work finds a home with Headland.

“Headland’s mission is to promote new and emerging writing in Aotearoa. This is exactly what we’re focused on in Massey’s Creative Writing programme as well, so the partnership is a perfect fit and one we hope introduces the country to some voices that might not otherwise have been heard,” says Dr Thom Conroy, who is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Massey University, and also Headland’s newly appointed Editor-in-Chief.

The Headland masthead has also expanded and features a range of excellent people from New Zealand’s literary community. The editorial team are thrilled to partner with Massey, and are looking forward to reading exciting new writing after the submissions window for Issue 15 opens in November.

In another change, the journal will be publishing all future issues straight to the Headland website, so they are free to read and easy to share.

The partnership will offer Massey’s Creative Writing students and staff the opportunity to be involved behind-the-scenes in a literary journal. This will offer valuable insights for student writers into the other side of a literary publishing relationship.

Thom Conroy says, “I hope this partnership opens new opportunities for writers and gives our creative writing students the chance to participate in the operation of a literary journal. I think I’m most enthusiastic about the fact that we’re committing to now paying all Headland authors.”

The journal will be open to submissions for Issue 15 from 1 November 2020 to 28 February 2021. Past issues and further information can be found at headland.org.nz.

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[About Headland: Headland is an online journal publishing quality short literary fiction and creative non-fiction. The journal gives voice to aspiring writers alongside established authors, from New Zealand and around the world. New Zealand is home to remarkable talent, and Headland aims to explore literary frontiers at home and abroad. Headland is staffed by volunteers and produced in partnership with Massey University's Creative Writing programme.]

[About Massey University Creative Writing programme: Massey University’s Creative Writing programme sits within the School of Humanities, Media, and Creative Communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. A variety of academic pathways and qualifications, including a BA in Creative Writing, a Masters of Creative Writing, and a Creative PhD, are available on Massey’s three campuses and via distance learning. Students are offered flexibility to create original work in a variety of genres, including fiction, scripts for the stage and screen, poetry, creative non-fiction, life writing and travel writing. Massey’s award-winning teachers are also internationally acclaimed writers who teach from their own first-hand experience. Graduates have gone on to publish their work widely as well as win many of the nation’s top writing prizes.]

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