About Us
Banksia Journal is an online publication for emerging Australian voices in speculative fiction, a sadly underrepresented genre in the Australian publishing industry. Australian speculative fiction readers and writers are often left on the outside, submitting to and reading journals made for a foreign audience.
We feel your pain. We might be newbies to the literary magazine scene, but readers, we’re passionate about publishing stories that were written with you in mind. And writers, we’re passionate about being the first step in your professional author career.
Banksia Journal was started, in large part, in response to a question raised during our financial manager Lauren’s publishing studies: what’s the best way to start a speculative fiction literary journal, anyway? If you’re a sucker for academic research, her project goes a small way to answering that question.
So if you love speculative short stories as much as we do, check out our stories—a new one goes up each month—and our submission guidelines. We’d love to hear from you!
Fantasy, scifi, horror, and beyond. What is spec fic?
Speculative fiction refers to stories which include elements outside the bounds of everyday life: a wizard casting a magic spell, interstellar explorers on a spaceship travelling faster than light, the dead coming back to life, worlds that never existed. It’s magical, or supernatural, or futuristic, or otherwise imaginary. Any elements in a story that could not happen in the real world are speculative. Science fiction, fantasy, and horror (particularly supernatural horror) are considered speculative genres.
Here at Banksia Journal, we take a permissive approach to speculative fiction. If there is anything in your story not quite in line with reality, we would love to read it!
What are Australian voices?
We are looking for stories by Australian writers—whether you live here now or have done in the past—and stories influenced by Australian society, culture, or history.
Australia is a diverse and culturally rich nation, from Indigenous Australians with a long and storied connection to Country, to recent immigrants still finding their place in Australia, and everyone in between. We want to hear from all these different Australian voices.
What about Aotearoa New Zealand and other Australasian voices?
Yes, we want to hear from you! As Australians ourselves, we admit we’re biased towards our own community, and are less familiar with Aotearoa New Zealand and other Australasian voices. But, we know the whole region is diverse, culturally rich, and full of stories. If you are from anywhere in the Australasia region, or your story is influenced by any society, culture, or history from within this region, then please, send us your stories.
Where else can I find Australian spec fic?
And, while they are not a speculative fiction publisher, we’d also like to give a shout-out to Curtin University’s student press, Elephant Page Publishing.
Why start a spec fic journal?
As the above list indicates, Australia is pretty light-on for publications of short speculative fiction, especially compared to the USA. Coupled with a lack of scholarly research into speculative fiction journals, it’s an area begging to be explored.
Our financial manager Lauren is an avid fan of speculative fiction since she learned the concept of magic, and has been writing since quite literally before she can remember. But, she discovered that speculative fiction is severely underrepresented in the Australian publishing industry. And since there’s so little professional and scholarly information out there about starting a speculative fiction journal, she took the opportunity to provide some of that research herself through her Master of Arts studies.
Check out the summary of Lauren’s research project if you’re curious!
Why ‘Banksia’?
We wanted a symbol to represent the unique voices of Australian authors, so what better symbol than an example of Australia’s unique endemic flora? A beautiful and diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs, of the 180-odd species of banksia, only one is not endemic to Australia. Like the banksia, we want Banksia Journal to be home to beautiful, diverse, Australian stories.
Meet the team
About Brittany Lee
Hi, I’m Brittany, co-founder, and editor of Banksia Journal.
I’m also a writer from Perth; my fiction has appeared in AntipodeanSF, Dusty Attic Publishing, and of course here on Banksia Journal.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Indonesian Studies from the University of Western Australia, and postgraduate diploma in Multimedia Journalism from Curtin University.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, particularly fantasy and history, knitting, and taking photos of flowers (like banksias).
You can also find me at brittanyerinlee.com.
About Lauren Hancock-Coffey
Hi! I’m Lauren, co-founder and financial manager of Banksia Journal.
I’m also a writer and devourer of historical fiction with a speculative twist, a proud rabbit mum of Hercule the Flemish Giant, and an avid fantasy RPG-er with more books and games than sense.
I’m a full-time professional editor with a BA in Linguistics and an MA in Professional Writing and Publishing.
About Megan Rani
Hi, my name is Megan. I’m a current post graduate student at Curtin majoring in Creative Writing and Editing. I’m a curious writer, reader, researcher and a coffee enthusiast who enjoys analysing online cultural trends in politics, news, music, art and literature. I’m a writer with a knack for satire, short fiction and poetry pieces.
Having surfed the changing dimensions of the internet I like curate and analyse cultural content that impacts an audience, the realm of literature and creative art spaces in particular.
In my free time you’ll find me reading, editing, hiking, hitting the gym or curating playlists for my friends.
Former team members
About Vinessa Canda
Hello, my name is Vinessa! I am a Filipino writer based in Perth, Western Australia. I am an aspiring writer/author with a knack for words. I also enjoy copyediting, structural editing and proofreading.
I’m currently a 2nd-year Curtin University student doing a double degree. I’m studying BA in Professional Writing and Publishing and a BCom in Marketing. I am also currently pursuing my Cert III in Design Fundamentals (Graphic Design) at North Metropolitan TAFE.
I enjoy reading and writing horror, historical fiction, mystery, true crime and magical realism. Although I have a soft spot for romance.
When I’m not reading or writing, you will probably see me either crocheting, hip hop dancing, journaling, scrapbooking or on adobe programs creating graphic design-related projects.
You can also find me at @vanvividness on Instagram, and https://vinwiltabcan0611.wixsite.com/vinessa-canda.
About Isabel Buitrago Diaz
Hello, I am Isabel! I’m currently completing my degree in Professional Writing and Publishing with a specialisation in English and Cultural Studies at Curtin University.
I love books, writing and aspire to work in the publishing and/or communications field once I graduate. My favourite genres to read are literary fiction and fantasy, and have recently developed an interest in writing gothic stories.
In my free time I enjoy writing poetry, cuddling with my cats, watching video essays, trying out new food places in Perth, and of course, reading!
About Taya Dardengo
Hi! I’m Taya, a Perth student studying both Professional Writing and Publishing and Marketing with a love of all things books and writing.
I have surrounded myself with books in every way possible, that being my degree and my job. I work as a bookseller at my local QBD and thrive being able to recommend my favourite latest reads to customers (and be paid for it!).
When I am not buried in a book, I challenge myself with long distance running. I had a go at the HBF 12km and have another 10km race coming up. It’s actually surprising how much I am enjoying it.
You can also find me at @tayatalksbooks on Instagram.
