dSCRIBE
dSCRIBE is Darebin Arts’ annual literary magazine that publishes writers with a connection to the City of Darebin.
Submissions for dSCRIBE 17 are now open
dSCRIBE is Darebin's annual literary magazine that publishes all forms of creative writing (including but not limited to fiction, poetry, short stories, journalistic pieces, creative non-fiction) from writers living, working and or studying within the City of Darebin.
This year we’ll be publishing dSCRIBE 17 in September, edited by local Madison Pawle with a fresh look and new theme, ‘Desire Lines'.
"Desire lines are those unofficial paths softened, formed and eventually inscribed by the collective and ongoing tread of foot and paw: the quicker route across the park to the toilet block, the dirt trails snaking along the Merri. More conceptually, a desire line might be a way to think about our own associative patterns of thought and feeling.
Though it is not subversive by virtue of its existence, a desire line reveal tensions between the native and the built environment; between structure and collective will — alternative mappings of motion, place, and public life. We must also pause to consider the colonial implications here: the deep time desire lines that exist beneath – and are erased by – the city."
- Madison Pawle, dSCRIBE 17 Editor
Selected entries to dSCRIBE will go on for a chance to win the 2024 Darebin Mayor’s Writing Awards.
Entries close on Monday 3 June 2024 at 12pm.
Submit your work to dSCRIBE here.
See below for more information about eligibility and submission guidelines. For any further questions, please contact writingprojects@darebin.vic.gov.au.
All those who submit a work will be contacted some time during the week of 30 June 2024. dSCRIBE 17 will be published in September 2024. Make sure you follow us on Instagram @darebin_arts and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date!
Read more about our creative writing program, inSITU, here. We hope that you’ll make the most of Write Club and the free workshop series to work on making your submissions for dSCRIBE the best they can be.
Cover artwork: ‘Flower, Gold’ by Declan Kavanagh-Bugel (2024)
Cover artwork Artist Bio:
Declan Kavanagh-Bugel is an intuitive, abstract painter, practising on Wurundjeri land. His works are known for their layers of composition, colour, movement and graffiti-like tagging. Declan’s art is grounded in his experiences of place, family, friendship and the activities he loves – capturing his experiences as a neurodiverse young man. His practice offers him a modality through which he is able to share insights into his internal experiences, inviting others to become part of his personal journey.
Eligibility Criteria:
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Authors must live, work, study or play in the City of Darebin.
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Darebin Council Employees, including casuals are not eligible for the Darebin Mayors Writing Award, but will be considered for publication into dSCRIBE.
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Authors must be 18 years of age or older - if you are under 18 we highly recommended you check out Voiceworks mag run by our friends at Express Media.
Submissions Guidelines:
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All submissions must be based around the theme ‘Desire Lines’.
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Writing must be original and not have been published by any publisher including online blogs, journals.
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Word limit on submissions is up to 1,500 words for adult category. Up to three poems maximum.
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Submissions can be in your own language, however a translation in English must be provided for assessment.
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Limit of one submission per person.
Submission Instructions:
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Please make sure your name is not included in submitted work. We use a blind submission process, to be fair to all. If your uploaded writing appears with your name it will be disqualified.
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Your writing must be typed, double-spaced, and submitted online as a Word file. Any font is acceptable. Point size should be pt.11 or pt.12. If you need support accessing a computer or submitting online, Darebin libraries are on hand to assist you to submit your work.
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Each page must be numbered and include the title.
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Please name your file using the following format:
title of your work.file type
Eg. To the Lighthouse.docx
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The selection of works to be published is done by the assessment panel; no correspondence will be entered into.
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No hard copies or emailed writing will be accepted.
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No iPad documents, PDFs or photos accepted.
Access
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If you require assistance completing this form you can chat to a staff member at any Darebin Library Branch.
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You can also reach out at writingprojects@darebin.vic.gov.au.
Previous editions
Click on the covers below to read past issues of our annual print publication.
nSCRIBE 2020 JOGGING AT NIGHT by Becki Bouchier
Local writer Becki Bouchier reads her work JOGGING AT NIGHT published in n-SCRIBE 2020 - the latest edition of Darebin's annual literary magazine.
nSCRIBE 2020 THE MUAY THAI GRUNT by Jes Layton
Local writer Jes Layton reads his work THE MUAY THAI 'GRUNT' published in n-SCRIBE 2020 - the latest edition of Darebin's annual literary magazine.
nSCRIBE 2020 THE TREADMILL A HAIKU FOR MA by Nicholas Ling
Local writer Nicholas Ling reads his works THE TREADMILL + A HAIKU FOR MA published in n-SCRIBE 2020 - the latest edition of Darebin's annual literary magazine.