Westerly

What this publication wants

This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Poetry, Fiction, Creative nonfiction, Reviews. Official guideline: Westerly guidelines.

Topics, themes and styles they look for

• Poetry: a maximum of five poems, each a maximum of 50 lines.
• Fiction and creative non-fiction: maximum 3,500 words. Scholarly articles: maximum 5,000 words.
• Reviews of approximately 800 words, for online or print. Comics of up to four A5 pages.
• Manuscripts 1.5-spaced in Times New Roman 12, with a cover letter carrying a two-line bio and email.

Subjects they avoid

• More than one short story at any one time — wait for a response before submitting again.
• Separate files when submitting online: collate poems and material into a single document.

Key requirements

• Open window (scholarly articles anytime)
• 1.5-spaced Times New Roman 12
• Two-line bio in cover letter

Who can submit

No nationality restriction stated on the submit page. Westerly is based at the University of Western Australia.

Rights

Not fully stated on the submit page.

AI policy

Not stated in the guideline

How to write for them

Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.

BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.

How to pitch

Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.

1. Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
2. Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
3. Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
4. Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
5. Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
6. Say why it fits this publication.
7. Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
8. Close professionally and thank them for their time.
9. Send through the official channel only.

Opens in windows. Currently between reading periods.

Track this pitch

How to submit

Online submission during an open window

Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.

• Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
• Submission: Online submission during an open window

What the guideline asks you to prepare

• Check https://westerlymag.com.au/submit/ — the open window is advertised at the bottom of the page.
• Collate your work into a single 1.5-spaced document with a two-line bio.
• Submit online, and wait for a response before sending anything else.

What happens after submission

Expected response: Not stated; they endeavour to give brief feedback on request

If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.