Guide: How to Write for Westerly Magazine — a clear, step-by-step guide for beginners

Section 1 · What Westerly actually is

A quick orientation: history, mission, and practical facts

Westerly Magazine is a long-standing Australian literary journal based at the University of Western Australia (UWA). It publishes both creative work (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, comics and visual art) and scholarly material (peer-reviewed articles) and runs special issues and programs that support emerging writers.

A few practical facts to remember up front:

• Westerly publishes twice a year (June and November) and runs submission windows for those issues.
• Creative submissions are managed through Submittable while scholarly articles use a separate scholarly portal.
• Westerly is associated with UWA and its editorial and development programs are linked to the university’s writing initiatives.

Why this matters: understanding the journal’s institutional home and cadence helps you time your submissions (open calls, special issues) and tailor your work to the journal’s readers — who expect literary craft, careful style, and originality.

Section 2 · What Westerly publishes — categories, limits & style

Exactly which forms they accept, and the formal limits that matter

From the official Contribute page (read it carefully before you prepare anything) Westerly lists these categories and limits:

• Poetry: up to five poems, maximum 50 lines per poem.
• Fiction & creative non-fiction: maximum 3,500 words.
• Scholarly articles: up to 5,000 words (use the separate scholarly portal).
• Reviews: around 800 words (can be published online or in print).
• Comics: up to four pages (A5).
• Visual art / photo essays: specific image-file uploads requested.

A few style details to internalize:

• Use Australian English spelling (Westerly refers to the Macquarie Dictionary and Australian Oxford Dictionary for certain choices).
• Westerly uses endnotes, not footnotes — and prefers MLA-style parenthetical documentation when required.
• Manuscripts should be 1.5-spaced, Times New Roman 12 (or saved as Word/.pdf) — headings and titles must appear on each page.

Section 3 · Payment, rights & editorial policy (practical)

How Westerly pays, rights you keep, and what editors expect

Westerly posts explicit payment rates on the Contribute page. As of the current guidelines they list:

• Print work: Poems — AU$250 for one poem or AU$300 for a poetic sequence; Prose (including scholarly work) — AU$500; Visual art/photo essays/comics — AU$620.
• Online publication (including reviews): AU$250.
• Online Special Issues: as per print (check specific calls).

Rights & contracts — practical points:

• Westerly typically asks for first publication rights for selected pieces; check the acceptance email carefully for any exclusivity periods and republication rules.
• They state contributors retain copyright on their work, but publishing includes granting publication rights to Westerly for the agreed terms.
• For scholarly work, peer-review and editorial processes are part of acceptance — allow time for review and possible revision requests.

Section 4 · How to prepare your manuscript (format, style)

Hands-on rules for preparing a submission that matches Westerly’s house style

Follow these specific steps when you prepare a Word or PDF file for submission:

1. Formatting basics: Times New Roman (or similar serif), 12pt, 1.5 line spacing. Title on every page and page numbers in the header/footer if the portal allows multi-page uploads.
2. No identifying information: Westerly performs single- or double-blind reads in some cases. Do not include a cover page or your name within the document itself unless the submission portal asks for it separately — instead add bio/personal details in the portal’s fields.
3. Citations & notes: Use MLA-style parenthetical citations. If you need endnotes, include them at the end and keep them minimal.
4. Images: Upload images as separate files if requested. Follow pixel and DPI guidance on the submission page; caption images clearly and include credits.
5. File type: Save as .docx or .pdf unless the Submittable form requests otherwise. If you have accessibility issues uploading, the Contribute page lists a postal address as an alternative.

Practical copy-edit routine before you press submit:

• Run a spellcheck set to Australian English (Macquarie preferences) and run a pass for common differences like ‘-ise’ vs ‘-ize’.
• Read the piece aloud for rhythm and to catch dropped words or awkward sentences.
• Check any quoted material for accuracy and include proper references for scholarly pieces.
• Confirm that any previously published work is not under consideration elsewhere — Westerly requires original, unpublished submissions.

Section 5 · Step-by-step submission SOP (Submittable)

Exactly what to do, step-by-step, from opening the Contribute page to hitting submit

Follow these steps when Westerly’s creative submissions are open (the Submittable portal link appears at the bottom of the Contribute page while submissions are open). If submissions are closed, make note of their re-opening windows (they typically advertise submission calls per issue).

Section 6 · Build a submission-ready portfolio

How to create 3–5 strong samples (and where to publish them first)

If you are new to getting published, build a small “writing ladder” before sending work to Westerly:

• Start with your own blog, a local community magazine, or reliable platforms like Medium or Dev.to (for craft essays that cross into writing about process).
• Submit to smaller literary journals and local anthologies — the experience of working with editors is valuable and gives you clips to list in Westerly’s portal.
• Consider applying to Westerly’s own development programs or local writing centres (Westerly runs a Writers’ Development Program that supports emerging WA writers).

Why this helps: Westerly editors look for craft and seriousness. Having published clips (even in small magazines) shows you can finish a project, work with edits, and meet deadlines — all signals that improve your chance for acceptance.

Section 7 · Handling rejections, edits, and follow-ups

What to expect in the editorial process and professional ways to respond

Reality check: literary journals are competitive. Most writers will receive polite rejections. A well-crafted and polite response to either a rejection or revision request is part of the job.

Section 8 · Pre-submission checklist + templates

Downloadable checklist (copy/paste) and three short template letters you can adapt

Cover letter templates (short & direct)

Section 9 · FAQs & resources

Quick answers, and a long curated resources list with links you can use right away