Submissions

Electronic submissions should be sent to dotlitsubmissions@qut.edu.au

dotlit will consider the following forms of writing:

  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Creative non-fiction
  • Hypertexts and digital stories
  • Reviews
  • Scholarly articles (which will go through a refereeing process)

How to submit:

  • Submit to dotlitsubmissions@qut.edu.au
  • Only unpublished work is accepted
  • Pieces should be submitted electronically, double spaced, in MS Word
  • Allow up to ten weeks for a response
  • dotlit is currently negotiating funds and hopes to offer payment for non-academic contributions in the future

Submissions should be accompanied by a 50-100 word biography of the author, including a relevant email address.

Creative Prose

Submissions of up to 4,000 words are accepted

dotlit publishes a selection of the best new and innovative fiction, creative non-fiction and hypertexts, including commissioned pieces by established authors and new works by emerging writers. The journal’s emphasis is on quality stories well told. Although it is by no means a prescriptive requirement, stories that innovate in terms of voice, structure, or other literary convention, will be highly regarded.

dotlit will also publish excerpts from forthcoming novels on a commissioned basis only (i.e. no unsolicited submissions of excerpts). Please contact us beforehand if you’re planning to submit large files and digital storytelling as part of hypertext work.

Poetry

No more than two poems (up to five pages in total) are to be submitted

dotlit has eclectic taste in poetry, but eschews self-indulgence and appreciates technical competence. dotlit aims to provide space for Australian and international poetry, and considers poetry an important form of intensive, intellectual, inventive, evocative and questioning creative writing. The journal publishes a mix of established and emerging poets.

Reviews

Can be up to 2000 words in length for reviews of individual titles, and up to 4000 words for reviews of multiple titles

dotlit reviews books that engage with an aspect of writing. These may be fiction, creative non-fiction, ‘how to’ guides, or scholarly titles.

dotlit publishes both commissioned and unsolicited reviews. Response time can be up to 10 weeks. In the first instance, solicited reviews will not be paid, but reviewers will keep the book they review. Specially commissioned reviews or review essays will be paid at a rate to be negotiated. Unsolicited reviews will not be paid.

Should you have a book you wish to review, or would like to receive a list of books available for review, email Dr Glen Thomas gj.thomas@qut.edu.au. Please supply a brief pitch including publication details for the book and suggested angle.

All completed reviews should include the recommended retail price and a title that features the book’s own name. For example,

“Hope Surfs Eternal: The True Green of Hope.”

N. A. Bourke. The True Green of Hope. Brisbane: UQP

2005. RRP: A$29.95

Digital Stories

Files must be no longer than 2 minutes in length

Dotlit publishes a selection of the finest fresh and original digital stories, combining spoken narrative with images to create a reminiscent personal story. By compressing storytelling elements, chosen words bring a crisp, exposed element – intensity to the life writing. The writer can select, manoeuvre, and juxtapose an assortment of media to tribute or arouse the narrative.

General specifications:

  • Digital stories must be your own personal story
  • Digital stories must be no longer than two minutes long (approximately 200 words), and must include a transcript of the audio file
  • Use of photographs/ documents of other people must not be defamatory
  • All music/sound/ images must comply with copyright laws

Technical specifications:

Digital stories must be submitted in one of the following formats:

  1. Quicktime Movie (.MOV)
    • Minimum 640px x 480px
    • Commonly-used Video codec (e.g. Sorenson, Cinepak, MPEG4) at no more than 75% compression
    • Commonly-used Audio codec (e.g. MACE, MP3, IMA)
  2. Windows-Compatible Movie (.AVI)
    • Minimum 640px x 480px
    • Commonly-used Video codec (e.g. Indeo, Cinepak) at no more than 75% compression
    • Commonly-used Audio codec (e.g. MACE, MP3, IMA)
  3. DVD-Compliant Video File (.VOB)
    • PAL-Compliant (25fps, 720px x 576px)
    • Prefer Physical Delivery on CD-R or DVD-R

Digital stories will be uploaded in easily readable formats and alternate file-sizes (typically QuickTime MOVs and Windows AVIs).

Helpful links:

Please contact us beforehand if you’re planning to submit large files and digital storytelling as part of hypertext work.

Scholarly Articles

Ordinarily, manuscripts (including notes) should not exceed 7,000 words

dotlit invites submissions of previously unpublished scholarly articles that explore writing about writing and address significant issues in creative writing practice. Our editors are sympathetic to a broad range of theoretical and critical approaches. These articles will then be refereed.

dotlit does not publish brief articles or notes. Articles published in the journal will also be accessible thereafter in the archive section. There is no payment for academic articles.

Manuscript style for scholarly articles:

Submissions should be in MS Word, double-spaced, and have generous margins. Footnotes should be numbered consecutively and typed separately on pages following the text. In general, contributors should follow the format suggested by The MLA Style Manual (1985) and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 3rd ed. (1988). This involves (among other things) using parenthetical documentation whenever possible and providing a list of works cited at the end of the essay.