Literary magazines and journals
A selection of print and online literary magazines and journals - also, arts, culture and news sites with literature sections …
Academy of New Zealand Literature
The Academy of New Zealand Literature site is a rich source of long-form interviews, features, extracts, essays and conversations about contemporary New Zealand fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction. Long book reviews run on Wednesdays and Fridays, with short versions of many also appearing in Canvas magazine (NZ Herald).
Best New Zealand Poems/Ōrongohau
Published annually by Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters. It aims to introduce readers—especially internationally—to leading contemporary New Zealand poets.
An online poetry journal, created to give poets, students and poetry lovers in New Zealand a site to find great poetry, focused on promoting new and contemporary poets from New Zealand and abroad, seeking to diversify the poetry available to readers and writers of poetry online in New Zealand. Issue 44 is out in Spring 2020.
An online Sunday magazine run by the Mana Trust, which is dedicated to building a stronger Māori and Pacific presence in the New Zealand media. The website is not-for-profit and is largely a labour of love by a part-time team of accomplished journalists and writers who want to see, throughout the mainstream media, a more balanced and better informed reflection of New Zealand lives and issues. Includes articles on writers and key individuals in the book world of Aotearoa.
Short fiction: published quarterly.
Established in 2015, 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 Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad. Headland is staffed by volunteers and produced in partnership with Massey University's Creative Writing programme.
A New Zealand journal of poetry and poetics (this is part of the new zealand electronic poetry centre and based at the University of Auckland).
New Zealand’s foremost and longest-running arts and literary journal (in print), published by Otago University Press and edited by Emma Neale. It showcases new fiction and poetry, as well as biographical and critical essays, and cultural commentary.
As well as the reviews included in the two print issues each year, Landfall publishes additional review pages online, each month featuring six to eight reviews. An archive of all previous online reviews is a feature of the site. LRO is edited by Landfall editor Emma Neale and was initially published with the assistance of Creative New Zealand as a one-year pilot project. Typically the reviews are substantial and are commissioned by Neale from a mix of leading and emerging writers.
A literary journal showcasing creative writing from contributors who both live in and/or are from Aotearoa New Zealand – emerged from the creative writing programme at the University of Waikato run by Tracey Slaughter and Catherine Chidgey. (New issue due out in October 2020)
Established in 2011, punchy arts and cultural commentary, personal essays to criticism and reviews to interviews and analysis. The literature section includes essays, poems, extracts, reading lists, conversations, festival picks, reviews and author interviews.
Established in 1951 by Louis Johnson, New Zealand’s longest running poetry magazine showcasing new writing from NZ and elsewhere. This international print journal, based in Aotearoa, is devoted exclusively to poetry and poetics. Published by Massey University Press.
The books section of NewsRoom edited by Steve Braunias – reviews, stories, poems, interviews, articles and the Nielsen weekly bestseller list.
READ NZ offers a substantial directory of New Zealand publications, including blogs.
Since 2012, the Young Writers Programme of the Michael King Writers Centre has published an annual literary journal showcasing a selection of work students have produced during the year. These pieces may be poetry, prose, comic-art or journalistic writing. (This publication is on hold in 2020 due to Covid-19.)
An online magazine covering politics, pop culture and social issues. The Books section is edited by Catherine Woulfe and includes the weekly Unity Books Bestseller Chart, a monthly Unity Children’s Bestseller Chart, the Friday Poem, book reviews, interviews, news and articles.
Established in 1988 by Fergus Barrowman, Elizabeth Knox, Nigel Cox and Damien Wilkins (with support from Bill Manhire, Alan Preston and Andrew Mason), Sport publishes new short fiction, poetry and non-fiction annually in print and as an ebook. The most recent issue, Sport 47 (November 2019), was guest edited by poet Tayi Tibble (with Fergus Barrowman, Kirsten McDougall and Ashleigh Young).
An online literary journal showcasing the best new poetry and prose from young New Zealand writers. Issue 10 was published in Winter 2020.
A live digital journal, publishing new writing, poetry and visual art in New Zealand during June/July 2020.
A New Zealand literary journal which comes out of a wish to see more good, new writing out in the world.
Established in 1989, Takahē Magazine brings literature and art from Aotearoa New Zealand to the world, published three times a year - in print in April and December, and online in August.
Online bilingual Māori literature journal launched October 2020, featuring poetry, short stories and essays in Te Reo Māori and English, the journal includes work from some of Aotearoa’s most talented Māori writers.
Established in 2001, this is an online literary journal published annually by the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) at Victoria University of Wellington. It presents new work by creative writing students alongside poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction by emerging and established writers.
Publishes essays, short stories and readings lists on their site.