MISFIT MAGAZINE | themisfitproject

The Misfit Project is now accepting submissions for the very first edition of Misfit Magazine! The theme of our first edition will be...

Overcoming: Finding capability in the challenge

Life is full of challenges! Overcome an obstacle? Break a new personal best? Challenge a status quo? We want to hear about it! With capability in mind, what have you learned, earned or gained from what's been overcome?

Do you want to get involved? Well, you've come to the right place! Read below, get creative, and submit your work via the 'SUBMIT' button.

THE BRIEF

We are seeking any type of creative piece, whether that be creative writing, poetry, comics, artwork, puzzles, or so much more that we haven't even thought of yet! This year we are also seeking non-creative pieces such as journalistic articles, book reviews (and other media), interviews, advice columns, educational articles, how-to's/instructional, and resource collections you would like to recommend [to be workshopped in group].

MAXIMUM LENGTH
o Poems: 100 lines
o Creative Writing: 2500 words
o Non-creative Writing: 750 words
o Visual Media: 1-2 pieces to fit on an A4 page
o Comics: 2 A4 pages
o Scripts: 2 pages
o Other Media: 2 A4 pages

ELIGIBILITY
o 8-26 years, live in Australia
o Submitted work must not have been previously published.
o Work must in some way relate to the theme; Facing Fears.

PLEASE NOTE: It is not guaranteed that your piece will feature in the magazine, each piece will go through a selection process.

For more details on submissions, please see our pFAQs (probably Frequently Asked Questions).

For queries please email themisfitproject@outlook.com with the subject line “Misfit Magazine Submission Query” and we will get back to you when we can. Please keep in mind this may take up to a week or so.

To submit, please fill out our Submission Form ensuring you follow our Formatting Guidelines.

DEADLINE: 19TH APRIL 2026

pFAQs

What are we looking for?

We are looking for any original work that fits with our current issue’s theme from people aged between 8 and 26 years old, and who live in Australia. You are welcome to interpret the theme however you choose. We will accept work up to a certain word or page limit. Please see the specific submission page for details on this. We are open to all genres, forms and mediums of creative work. We will accept the following forms of non-creative writing: journalistic articles, media reviews (e.g. books, movies), interviews, advice columns, educational articles, how-to's/instructional articles, and resource collections you would like to recommend.

What will not be accepted?

We won’t be able to accept more than one submission per person. Work must be original (written by you) and not published anywhere else. The use of AI to make your work is permitted ONLY for accessibility purposes (for example, transcription) and must be disclosed at the beginning of your piece. Work containing any derogatory, defamatory, or otherwise discriminatory language or themes will not be accepted. Work that does not have content warnings attached will not be read by our team, for safety reasons.

How should I format my submission?

Please see below for specific details depending on the form of your work.

Written Work (excluding scripts):

Submissions must be in Word format (.doc or .docx)
The work must be under the relevant word limit: Poems: 100 lines, Creative Writing: 2500 words, Non-creative writing: 750 words. This limit excludes the title.
Format the work in Open Sans, size 11, black text, 1.5 line spacing, with standard margins.
Creative writing should have 0pt paragraph spacing, and a 1-inch indent at the beginning of each line, excluding the first paragraph of a piece.
If your work requires experimental formatting, include instructions on a cover page. This is not included in the word count.
Name the file according to the title of your piece.
Do not include your name in the document name or in the document. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

Scripts:

Submissions must be in Word format (.doc or .docx)
The work must be no more than 2 pages in length. This excluded the cover page. Excerpts of longer pieces will be accepted.
Format the work according to Screen Australia guidelines
Name the file according to the title of your piece.
Do not include your name in the document name or in the document. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

Visual Media:

Submissions must be a PNG file (.png) of 300dpi minimum. Digital artwork must use CMYK. Physical artwork must be scanned rather than photographed.
One standalone piece, or two paired pieces can be submitted. Unpaired visual media will not be accepted.
Visual media must fit on an A4 page, and will have margins surrounding them. Pieces will not be edge-printed.
Visual media may be landscape or portrait in orientation, though portrait is encouraged.
Name the file according to the title of your piece.
Do not include your name in the document name or in the document. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

Comics:

Submissions must be a PNG file (.png) of 300dpi minimum. Digital artwork must use CMYK. Physical artwork must be scanned rather than photographed.
Comics must fit on no more than two A4 pages and will have margins surrounding them. Pieces will not be edge-printed.
Comics must read loosely left to right and be presented in a portrait orientation.
Name the file according to the title of your piece.
Do not include your name in the document name or in the document. Submissions will be judged anonymously.

Other Media:

For other media requirements, please contact themisfitproject@outlook.com for details.

How do I submit?

Open our Submission Form via the submit button and fill out the fields. At the bottom there will be a spot for you to upload your work. Make sure you’ve formatted it correctly. If you’re not sure how to format your piece make check out our Formatting Guidelines.

What happens after I submit?

You should receive an email confirming your submission. If you don’t receive this email within 24 hours, please check with us to see if we’ve received your submission. After the closing date, your work will be read by our team of reviewers working on this issue. It will take a while for us to read through everything, so don’t worry if you don’t hear back from us for a bit. Once decisions have been made, we will be in contact to let you know. If you don’t get in, don’t worry. You are welcome to try again next time. If you get accepted, we might want to do some edits with you. Nothing will be changed about your work without your permission. Once it’s all been approved, it goes into the final copy for proofreading and printing!

What’s the difference between creative non-fiction and non-creative writing?

The term “non-creative” can be a little confusing. It doesn’t mean you haven’t created the piece yourself, or that you weren’t creative in doing so. Keep in mind that what belongs to which category is highly contentious, so our explanation here is a bit oversimplified.

Non-creative writing intends to inform, educate or persuade objectively. It uses direct communication and facts to do this.
Creative non-fiction aims to explore a real-life topic or retell a true story in a creative, compelling, or narrative way. It uses techniques of literature, such as poetry and fiction to do this.

Some examples include:

Non-creative Writing:

Journalistic articles

Reviews

Interviews

Advice columns

Educational articles

How-to's/instructional articles

Resource collections

Creative Non-fiction:

Memoirs

Personal essays

Lyric essays

Literary journalism.

Nature writing

Ekphrastic essays

Where can I buy the magazine?

The Magazine will be available in both print and digital formats on on the Misfit Project website.

How does copyright work?

We hold exclusive publication rights for your work for one year. You retain authorship and may submit your work to competitions and other publications, provided prior publication is permitted and properly attributed.