Folly is an international, bestselling and award winning, print-only literary journal and press based in New Zealand. Folly books and journals are stocked in indie bookstores around the world.
We publish writing and art that reflects the cultural moment as it actually is - intimate, political, funny, uncomfortable and alive. Much of our content explores desire, power, class, sex and society.
Awarded a silver medal at the Best Indie Book Awards 2025, and named as one of the 'Coolest' lit mags in the world by ChillSubs, Folly is home for work that both entertains and unsettles (which is probably why Issue 003 was banned from 47 stores of a national book chain in New Zealand).
Each issue of Folly is produced as a limited edition physical object. We care deeply about design, print quality, and the pleasure of reading something that can’t be scrolled.
We publish emerging voices alongside established writers, and we’re particularly interested in work that might not fit neatly elsewhere. We've built a reputation for doing things differently — sometimes contentiously, often joyfully, and always with intent.
We are a member of the Community of International Magazines and Presses. In 2025 we received a silver medal at the Best Indie Book Awards, and won the NZ National Geographic Cover Image award for Issue 002.
SUBMISSIONS
We publish a bi-annual bestselling literary journal of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. In 2026, we have launched Folly Press, publishing themed anthologies and standalone novellas and collections.
We strongly recommend that you read a copy of Folly prior to submitting to our publishing house.
Visit our website to order directly.
'A magazine of contradictions that doesn't mind ruffling a few feathers.' - Stack Magazines UK
What happens when a literary journal has a torrid love affair with a Victorian gossip rag? Folly happens - documenting our cultural moment in all its messy, magnificent glory. Touted by media as one of the best literary magazines of 2025, winner of the ChillSubs Literary Incubator and a silver medal at the 2025 Best Indie Awards, Folly is a literary magazine that does things differently.
For Issue 005 and 006, Folly's editors are seeking more light literary fiction and essays about desire, power, class, sex - and any other topic you believe fits in Folly.
What we’re looking for
- Short stories: 1,000–2,000 words
- Nonfiction: Up to 2500 words
These are not targets, most of our published fiction works are around 900-1300 words.
We’re not interested in Westerns, detective stories or work that couldn't be classified as 'fun and entertaining'. For Folly's fictional works, we are looking for work that will make our readers laugh, leave them in (happy) shock, or beautiful wonder at the emotional intensity of your work.
To submit
Saved as Word Document (no pDF's), readable font and 1.5 spacing.
Save as: firstname_lastname_title
Folly is an award winning international indie press publishing voices from around the world.
Touted by media as the rebel child of the lit scene, selling out and lingering on Best Seller lists, Folly publishes poetry that explores sex and desire, culture and society and love.
Folly publishes around eight pieces of poetry in each issue.
We are looking for work of no more than one page, that is accessible to a general audience of readers (people who wouldn't usually go out of their way to read poetry). We strongly recommend you read Folly before submitting your poetry.
Submission guidelines:
- Work must be in English and saved as firstname_lastname
- Work must be in Ariel or Times New Roman, in a type size of 10 or 12pt, with 1.5 spacing.
- Each submission must be individually submitted (Up to three poems per submission)
- Copyright remains with the author.
Folly presents Divorce Diet, a Folly-esque collection of works from divorcees for divorcees. Curated by our newly divorced Art Director Dana Turner, this special edition of Folly aims to detail the love, renewal, chaos and strife of the newly divorced through entertaining, frank and honest accounts of what it is to divorce in our current modern era.
All stories, all genders, all demographics are welcome to submit their tale to Folly for Divorce Diet. Works generally are not to exceed 2500 words.
Note, each submission may contain up to three poems (or one page of chaotic text messages) or one work of prose of up to 2,500 words.
For any direct queries, contact dana@follyjournal.com
Folly Press welcomes submissions for standalone books that remind readers why literature still matters - and why it is fun when it’s done properly. We’re interested in manuscripts from writers exploring the usual Folly topics: love and relationships, sex and desire, culture and society - work that looks beautiful, is entertaining and would be passed around friends.
What we’re looking for
- Manuscripts: Up to 70,000 words
- Essay collections: up to 30,000 words approx
- Novellas: 17,500– 30,000 words approx
- Short story collections: Up to 30,000 words approx
We like writing that’s smart without being academic, and accessible while still being intelligent and beautifully executed. We favour emotional honesty, confessional and gonzo style writing. If the work is sexy, confrontational, funny, or uncomfortable it should done so to provoke and enlighten, not for shock factor. We encourage any work based on trauma to have been thoroughly distilled before submission.
To submit
- Complete manuscript as a single document (.doc, .docx, or .pdf)
- Cover letter with a brief bio and a one-paragraph synopsis
- Table of contents (for collections)
- Save the manuscript as firstname_lastname_title
We respond within 90 days. Simultaneous submissions are fine — just withdraw promptly if the work is accepted elsewhere.