Non-fiction
Got an idea for a non-fiction article? Feature article, obituary, personal essay, memoir, travel writing, gonzo journalism - we want it all. Send your pitch to Ryan Paine: editor (at) expressmedia (dot) org (dot) au. Voiceworks Contribution Guidelines apply, and pitches must be received 3 weeks before the Contribution Deadline to be considered. Upcoming issues and exact pitch deadlines are on the How to Submit page.
Columns
Until now, Voiceworks has published 7 regular columns – music, media, books, sex, comics, zines and films – and we're often searching for regular writers. We are currently seeking applications for the sex and zines columnist positions to begin with the CARNIVALE issue. Voiceworks Contribution Guidelines apply, but see below for more details.
Voiceworks is expanding its staff of columnists. For the first time ever, when applying to become a Voiceworks columnist, you are invited to propose your own column topic. If selected, you will be published regularly as Voiceworks’ columnist on that topic.
As always, new columnists will be selected on the basis of their writing talent but much consideration will be given to the proposed topic. Successful topic proposals will fill a niche while being of sufficiently broad appeal to satisfy the idly curious. Successful topic proposals will also provide ample scope for critical and literary engagement by the author over 6 issues of Voiceworks.
So a proposal for a new column on the topic 'Contents of my Belly Button' will not meet with any success. Some more suitable topics might include:
• Art / Performing Arts / Street Art / Culture-Jamming
• Trends
• Travel
• Food
• Theatre/Performance
• Politics/Economics/Satire
• Fashion
• Ephemera
As Voiceworks is a magazine that focuses on the work of young Australian artists, columns that address issues related to youngsters and / or Aussies will be looked upon favourably.
Go to www.expressmedia.org.au/ vw_submit.php for further submission guidelines – we also consider visual work: comics, photography, portraiture – then send your applications to Ryan Paine at editor@expressmedia.org.au.
A full position description is available here.
Current column topics
BOOKS
This is more than just a book-review page: it is a chance to investigate obscure, neglected subgenres; to meditate on the nature of the publishing industry; to discuss the triumphs/failures of specific books; and much much more … just about anything really, as long as it's book-related and well-written.
COMICS
Comics are for kids, which is perfect, because so is Voiceworks. We want to bust these myths, so come write for us: enlighten the world to the misunderstood cultural value of comics; promote those underground comics that would change everyone else’s life, too; discuss the anticipation-cumfrustration- cum-joy of attaining the final installation of a graphic novel series; gain an excuse to approach Neil Gaiman. Come write for Voiceworks.
FILMS
Can you tell the difference between Mike Myers and Mike Leigh? Know the Dogme Manifesto off by heart? Passionate about adaptation theory? Are you able to pronounce ‘mise-en-scene’ correctly? In other words, do you dig films? Great. Now: can you write about film articulately, accessibly and with something approaching originality? The Voiceworks film column is 1600-ish words long, so there’s the space to get into detail about a particular auteur, discussions about genre, historical developments in the industry (recent or ancient) … all sorts of things, really. We are looking for more than just a clump of glowing/scathing reviews of the latest Thai kickboxing blockbuster/Jane Austen-meets-Bollywood spectacular. Ideally, the column would be from the point-of-view of a young FILM-MAKER as well as a young film critic. A column addressing film-making PRACTICE will excite us more than a column on just film-making THEORY.
MEDIA
The media column is where you can write about journalism in a way that the Big Media won’t allow. You can express your dissent about media practices, counteract right- and left-wing propaganda, and discuss media issues affecting youth. You could even start a revolution.
MUSIC
Blow your own trumpet! Each issue of Voiceworks features a random music column written by a different person, and we’d like to add your opinions to the mix. As the magazine comes out quarterly, though, don’t just send us reviews. Send us your impassioned 1600–1700 word columns that dig a bit deeper or get more creative than your local street press – stories, musings, essays, insights, genre stuff ...
SEX
You can’t deny it: sex in on everyone’s mind. Sex is used to sell just about everything except a cardigan to your grandma. It’s the focus of numerous TV shows, music recordings, and most teenagers’ bedroom walls. Yet, sex and its implications for gender issues, domestic relations and government policy are shamefully under-represented in the media. Where can people turn to for indepth discussions of how sex infiltrates our lives and minds, or the role of sexuality in determining our sense of self? Cleo? Ralph? Girlfriend? No! Voiceworks! Dedicated to inspiring and continuing debate on important sex and gender issues, Voiceworks needs a sex columnist who can tackle the tough issues with tact and diplomacy. A Shakespearean eunuch would be nice, but they tend to be uneducated. You’ll do!
ZINES
Zines are an important aspect of youth culture – they allow young people to create and express themselves free from the constraints of the mainstream, commercial and more established media outlets. Just like Voiceworks. But they’re photocopied, folded, stapled and … well, haphazard. But that’s part of their charm, yeah? So if you are passionate about the photocopied arts, have 1600-ish words to say about it, and love getting paid to express yourself, WE WANT YOU. Go on, apply to be the next resident Voiceworks zine guru!