Why publish in literary journals

I was chatting to Steve Grimwade, one of the editors of the fab literary journal Going Down Swinging. Here's what he had to say about the journal and why you should try to get published in it.

Valerie: What do you enjoy most about putting together a literary journal like GDS and why?
Steve: The best thing about editing GDS is reading and listening to great new literary talent. We're always excited about the 1000 or so submissions we get, as we know that there'll be so many gems hidden throughout the many stories, poems, spoken word pieces and comics. We get to make a beautiful object that represents the best in new Australian writing - what could make you feel better?!

Valerie: What kind of writers and submissions are you looking for?
Steve: We publish GDS to present great new writers to the broadest possible audience, and therefore we want work that speaks to people, that excites people, that challenges and enthralls them. We're not very interested in work that requires the reader to have a PhD, but we're not going to shy away from work that may be difficult either.

We don't publish any one type of writing and we're interested in all literary forms; hence the fact that we are Australia's best publishers of 'spoken word', and that we regularly publish comic artists too.

Valerie: Why is it beneficial for writers to contribute to journals such as GDS?
Steve: GDS and the other literary journals provide one of the first and most important steps in a literary career. By publishing the work of up to 150 Australian writers each year, GDS is publishing more new Australian writers than Penguin! (OK, I haven't really done the stats on this, but...) Without finding readers through Australia's finest literary mags, writers won't be able to build their confidence and craft.

It's so important to read and know what is happening in the literary culture around you - to place your work in context and then break new ground. Importantly, literary mags provide an essential service in boosting a writer's CV. If a writer has never been published before, how do they expect Text Publishing or Penguin or Giramondo to take them seriously?

Submissions to the next issue of GDS close on June 30. But if you miss that deadline, don’t worry, just make sure you submit for future issues of the journal. www.goingdownswinging.org.au