Paying market, The School Magazine, pays $270 for prose/ $47-$198 for poetry (Australia)

The School Magazine is Australia’s top literary magazine for children, with a distinguished 95-year history of showcasing some of Australia’s best-loved children’s authors and artists. Published by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, The School Magazine is typically read in a classroom context. Four magazine titles for different readership levels are issued ten times a year:

COUNTDOWN 8–9 year olds
BLAST OFF 9–10 year olds
ORBIT 10–11 year olds
TOUCHDOWN advanced readers in primary school;
NESB and reluctant readers in high school

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES AND GENERAL GUIDELINES

High quality stories, poems, plays, activities and nonfiction texts on any topic suitable for our readership are invited for all four levels. We are particularly interested in material with strong literary qualities (excellence and innovation in genre, theme, language and style). As The School Magazine is primarily for Australian children, manuscripts need to address this audience’s interests and point of view. Before you submit material, please study past issues (widely available in local, state and university libraries or by subscription) and familiarise yourself with contemporary writing for children. Contributors should ensure that material contains gender and culturally inclusive language and content. Department policies are available at https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies

SUBMISSIONS: POETRY, STORIES, PLAYS, ACTIVITIES

Poetry

•• Poems can be in any contemporary or traditional genre and should generally be a maximum of 30 lines.
•• We welcome high-quality poetry that is dynamic, evocative and original. If using traditional metre and rhyme, please check that the metre is consistent and the rhyme unforced.
•• When punctuating, please keep in mind the developing skills of our apprentice poetry readers.

Stories

•• We welcome stories with both contemporary and historical settings—in realistic, fantastical or humorous genres—demonstrating clear, intriguing prose, originality of characters and fresh story-lines.
•• Word lengths: up to 2000 words (generally shorter for our youngest readers). Occasionally a longer story may be considered for serialisation.

Plays

•• We encourage plays that display literary qualities in characterisation, language and dramatic plot.
•• We prefer plays that make it possible for many members of the class (both girls and boys) to perform.
•• Please follow standard dramatic conventions in presenting your manuscript and familiarise yourself with our magazine’s format for playscripts.
•• Maximum word length: up to 2000 words for younger readers, 2500 for older readers.
Activities
•• For crosswords, puzzles, word games and other activities, please email the Editor first indicating the type of activity you have in mind: School.Magazine@det.nsw.edu.au

SUBMISSIONS: NONFICTION

• We accept well-written and soundly researched texts across traditional nonfiction, journalistic and creative nonfiction genres: i.e. articles, procedural (how-to) texts, reports, profiles, short features, nonfiction narratives, etc.
• Before submitting any nonfiction material, please email the Editor first with a query at: School.Magazine@det.nsw.edu.au
• Your query should include the following information:
•• Proposed title and topic
•• Indication of why our readers will be interested in your article
•• Brief synopsis of what you plan to cover and indication of word count (typically 800 words for Countdown, 1200 for Blast Off, 1600 for Orbit and 2000 for Touchdown)
•• Your opening paragraph (please make sure your lead is engaging and age-appropriate)
•• Brief list of the major sources you expect to consult in preparing your article
•• An indication of whether you can supply any images/photos (not essential)
•• Any relevant information about your expertise in the topic or as a writer.

PRESENTATION OF SUBMISSIONS

• Manuscripts should be double-spaced and cleanly printed on one side of the paper only, with a header on each page showing your name, email address and the manuscript title.
• Please provide an accurate word count on each manuscript submitted, as well as your email and full postal address.
• Multiple submissions (more than three poems or more than three stories submitted at one time) are unlikely to be considered.
• If you are a local contributor, in your cover letter please include your ABN, if you have one, and state whether or not you are registered to pay GST.
• For all nonfiction articles and retold folklore, please include a full bibliography of sources consulted in writing the work, including website addresses and the names of any experts consulted. Be prepared to provide other back-up materials such as photos—if applicable—on request.
• Please do not include: a return envelope (we do not return manuscripts), international reply coupons, your résumé, original photographs or artwork.
• Post your manuscript to the address at the end of these Guidelines.

RESPONSE TO CONTRIBUTORS

• All manuscripts are evaluated by at least three editors. We do not return any manuscripts. Make sure you keep a copy of your work. We recycle all paper.
• All notifications—acceptances or rejections—are sent by email only. You must include a current email address with your submission.
• Successful contributors will be emailed a letter which sets out the details of our offer. The accepted work is purchased at this point (not at publication), but the processing of the payment may take some weeks.
• If we accept your work, we will ask you to email us a Word file of the text.
• Response time for unsolicited manuscripts can be approximately 6–8 weeks.

RIGHTS, PAYMENT AND TAX

One-time serial rights only are purchased, but we request acknowledgment if a work is later published elsewhere.

Rates of payment at 1 September 2009 are:

Prose per 1000 words $270 (where substantial rewriting is required $162)

Poetry:
1–12 lines $47
13–24 lines $90
25–40 lines $146
41–100 $198

Payments to overseas contributors are converted to the currency of the payee’s country. If we subsequently request permission to reprint your text, we offer half of the original manuscript fee.

EDITORIAL PRACTICE AND PUBLICATION

We reserve the right to edit manuscripts according to the needs of the magazine. Material is selected far in advance of publication; it is rare for a piece of writing to appear sooner than six months after its purchase, and an author may wait some years. On publication, two complimentary copies of the relevant magazine are sent to the author.

ADDRESS FOR SUBMISSION

Queries for nonfiction texts, puzzles and activities should be emailed to: school.Magazine@det.nsw.edu.au

All contributions should be addressed to: Alan Edwards, The Editor, The School Magazine, Private Bag 3, Ryde NSW 2112, Australia

Contact Information:

For inquiries: school.Magazine@det.nsw.edu.au

For submissions: Alan Edwards, The Editor, The School Magazine, Private Bag 3, Ryde NSW 2112, Australia

Website: http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/services/schoolmagazine/index.htm