Grattan Street Press is a trade publisher based in Melbourne. A start-up press, we aim to publish a range of work, including contemporary literature, trade non-fiction, and to re-publish culturally valuable works that are out of print. The press is an initiative of the Publishing and Communications program in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne, and is staffed by graduate students, who receive hands-on experience of every aspect of the publication process.

The press is a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to build long-term relationships within the Australian literary and publishing community. We also partner with community organisations in Melbourne and beyond to co-publish books that contribute to public knowledge and discussion.


Submit to MZ Blog Submissions

Welcome to the MZ Blog, where it’s all about the wonderfully unique world of Millennials and Gen Z!

If you’ve got something to say, then let yourself be heard and tell us how YOU navigate through this crazy world we live in. This space is all about YOUR thoughts, YOUR ideas, and everything that makes YOU tick.

Just dropping by for a juicy read?

Then strap in for a wild ride through everything that makes the Millennial and Gen Z experience so terrifically unique.

Feeling stuck and not sure what to write about?

Fret not! Shoot us an email at mz@grattanstresspress.com and convince us why your story is a must-read! Or check out our awesome prompt list below for some inspiration.

Just remember – keep it snappy! We’re talking pieces of 500 and 1500 words long that pack a punch.

All your juicy and mind-shattering think pieces can be sent in via Submittable.

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

Prompt List:

  • Embracing Our Inner Geeks: Celebrating Fandoms and Nerd Culture
  • How do trend cycles and the ‘aesthetic’ affect self-perception and the creation of our own identities?
  • Is there any room in the creative world for AI or is it all a slippery slope?
  • The Role of Millennials and Gen Z in Shaping Political Landscapes
  • Impactful Travel: Ethical Tourism and Giving Back to Local Communities
  • Financial Planning for Young Adults: Building a Secure Future
  • Transmedia meme-culture – how have memes and online references changed the way we socialise and perceive the world?
  • Capitalism, content creation, and commodifying hobbies – how have our hobbies and the way we practice them changed in the last decade?
  • How much ‘girl dinner’ is too much, and what does it mean to be a ‘girl’ in the first place?
  • Media literacy and the rise of anti-intellectualism.
  • The cost-of-living crisis, skyrocketing rent prices, and no place to call home: what does the future of homeownership look like for today’s youth?
  • What do we think about the lack of free third spaces in Melbourne? Where are people going to hang out without needing to spend money or be outside?
  • How has binge-watching influenced media consumption? How is this pattern of consuming content also reflected in other areas of our lives, such as fashion, music or social interactions?
  • Children of migrants – what are your experiences growing up in the liminal space between a migrant background and White Australian culture?
  • Entering the adult world – what surprised you in your first ‘adult’ job?
Submit to Manuscript Submissions

Grattan Street Press is seeking manuscripts for publication. We are keen to publish daring new works that are intelligent and engage with a wide audience. We are especially interested in works that have a distinctive voice and unique stories to tell. 

We are seeking both fiction and non-fiction of a wide variety including: short story collections, novellas, memoir, political and historical fiction. But if you have something brilliant hiding in your desk drawer that doesn’t fit that bracket, don’t let that deter you. Send it to us and see what happens.

In terms of nonfiction, we’re looking for well-written long-form work that explores contemporary social, political and cultural issues with insight and literary flair.

When submitting fiction, please include the following:

  • the first three chapters of your manuscript (or a maximum excerpt of 12,000 words)
  • a short summary of the complete work
  • a brief author CV

When submitting nonfiction, please include the following:

  • one draft chapter
  • a table of contents
  • a 500-word outline of the proposed work
  • a brief author CV

Thanks for your interest.

Note: Please send no more than two proposals. We’d love to read more of your work but we don’t have the staff right now.

Submit to Publishing Blog Submissions

The Publishing Blog

 

Do you have thoughts on books or literary culture that you want to share?

 

This blog is for conversations around all things publishing.

 

If you are passionate about this stuff (like we are!) then we would love to hear from you.

 

We are looking for original blog post submissions between 500 and 1500 words long. 

 

Below is a list of prompts if you are keen to write and need some inspiration. But we also encourage you to come to us with ideas of your own.

 

Submit your work via Submittable. If you need to get in touch about a pitch idea or if you have any other questions, please send an email to website@grattanstreetpress.com

 

Prompts:

· Popularity of celebrity memoirs

· Politics of continuation novels

· Retail price disparity for books - how can independents compete with Big W?

· The rise of new wave genres (e.g. sad girl lit)

· The cult of fancy coffee table books

· A look back at past publishing fads (e.g. adult colouring books)

· The influence of book accessories/merch

· Interview a professional in the industry

· Your experience in the industry

· Your favourite small publisher: what do they do well?

· Thoughts on book bans

· Using AI to write books

· Diversity in publishing

· Issues in academic publishing

· What’s happening in the web comic and graphic novel scene?

Submit to Book Review Submissions


Book Reviews Blog

 

Submission Guidelines and Booklist

 

Grattan Street Press is looking for literary book reviews of new contemporary works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry which promote and amplify the voices of Australian writers.

 

Reviews should be around 500-800 words and follow a conventional reviewing format - that is, beginning with an introduction of the book and author, and a summary of the plot before delving into your reflections and analysis of the work.

 

Included is a potential list of recent works that we would like to see reviewed. If you are interested in reviewing anything listed and would like to see it published on our site, please send your submissions for appraisal to: https://grattanstreetpress.submittable.com/submit.

 

Alternatively, if there are any reviews you would like to pitch outside of those listed, please email your ideas to: editorial@grattanstreetpress.com. We would love to hear from you!

 

Looking forward to reading all your brilliant thoughts on what is happening in the current Australian literary scene.

 

Yours truly,

Johanna (Literary Reviews Editor)


Booklist

Fiction

  • We All Lived in Bondi, Georgia Blain
  • Lola in the Mirror, Trent Dalton
  • All the Words We Know, Bruce Nash
  • Povo, edited by Adam Novaldy Anderson
  • Songs for the Dead and the Living, Sara M Saleh
  • My Brilliant Sister, Amy Brown

Nonfiction

  • The Lucky Ones, Melinda Ham
  • The Pulling, Adele Dumont
  • Right Story, Wrong Story, Tyson Yunkaporta
  • Reaching Through Time - Shauna Bostock

Poetry

  • Gawimarra Gathering, Jeanine Leane
  • Golden Repair, Louise Carter
  • At the Altar of Touch - Gavin Yuan Gao
  • Apollo Bay, William Fox

Authors

  • Helen Garner
  • Shaun Tan

 

Grattan Street Press