Tell Us What You Really Think!
For 25 issues now, Headland has been published in blind faith. In our meetings and online discussions, we nail bite over language, deliberate over story, and dare ourselves to imagine that our sweat and tears will be worth it—but you never know. Are readers invested in our kaupapa? Do they appreciate the diversity of the voices Headland shares? Are we reaching them?
In the (Southern Hemisphere) spring of 2025, we asked our submitters to send us statements about what Headland means to them—and then we worried. What would our readers have to say? After receiving over 80 replies, I’m pleased to share that our worry was unfounded. Our readers get us; they are moved. And their responses moved us.
We can’t possibly cover so many responses in a single post, but I’d like to share a handful that spoke to me.
Peter Raynes from Auckland told us, ‘Headland feels less like a platform and more like a place: somewhere attentive writing can pause, take stock, and allow meaning to emerge through landscape, movement, and encounter.’ Though none of us have quite managed to put it this way before, this is exactly the vibe Headland is aiming for—to create the feeling of place and, ideally, a place that’s home.
Headland's mission is to promote new and emerging writers, and so many of our readers reacted enthusiastically to this project. ‘The editors,’ writes Mandira Pattnaik from New Delhi, ‘have promoted new voices (something I believe many others in countries across the planet must emulate) time and again. Some of the most risk-taking and experimental work that I have read in recent times was published in Headland.’
This focus on new and emerging writers spoke to Roly Andrews from Christchurch, who wrote, ‘As an early-career writer, Headland Journal offers me the chance to read and absorb diverse styles and voices I might not otherwise encounter. Every edition makes me think and, in small but meaningful ways, improves my craft. This gradual accumulation of insight has strengthened my prose and sharpened my stylistic choices. Seeing what others do makes me braver, gives me greater freedom, and encourages me to take creative risks.’
We work hard to be an inclusive platform, and—to our great delight—many of our readers prized this inclusivity. Jared Gulian from Martinborough told us, ‘As an immigrant to Aotearoa New Zealand and a gay man who often writes from a queer perspective, whenever I see any kind of diversity in a journal, I see safety and inclusion… Headland provides a space for distinctive voices from New Zealand and overseas, and there’s something magical about that. It feels like an act of inverting the pyramid, putting unique and distinctive voices at the top.’ Wow—we couldn’t have put it better ourselves!
We were thrilled that Rajiv Thind from Christchurch also recognised Headland’s quest to include diversity and ‘outward-looking’ voices: ‘I see Headland as a space of wider possibility—one that reflects a contemporary New Zealand literature that is diverse, outward-looking, and intellectually generous, rather than confined by narrow or inherited ideas of “literary nationalism”.’
Others drew attention to Headland’s intentional mix of creative work that is both finely tuned in its craft but assuredly unorthodox. Emily Codling from Melbourne put it succinctly: ‘Headland carries the authority of a university press yet the feel of an indie publication.’
Linda Collins from Kākaunui kindly expressed her gratitude for the wide-ranging assemblage of work that manages to showcase substance while side-stepping the expected. ‘Thank you, Headland,’ Linda writes, ‘for honouring the important narratives of our humanity, for holding a demanding, art-driven space for beautifully crafted lived experience that's important to share, no matter how difficult, for all our histories, and futures to come.’
There’s so much more to share, but this blog is already running long! In the end, what struck me most about the statements we received was that they felt like the other side of the conversation Headland wants to have with the world.
I’ll end with a comment from Emily Winter of Wellington that makes us feel truly seen as editors: ‘Reading Headland is akin to rifling through a treasure chest. There are fresh perspectives to uncover; fine writing to admire. Publications like this one are vital to the growth of the local literary community. Headland creates a space for authors to engage with each other’s work, supporting a lively literary culture based upon the cross-pollination of ideas. Moreover, the journal’s focus on new voices provides a rare and valuable opportunity for emerging writers to learn and develop their craft. Many thanks are due to the people whose joy and dedication make Headland possible.’
Thank you, dear readers! Keep believing, keep reading, and keep sharing your stories!
With thanks to:
Emily Codling: Emily is an emerging writer who recently graduated with a double major in Classical Studies and Creative Writing. She is currently working on her manuscript and is due to be published in the upcoming issue of the UK-based Homeric magazine. Emily was born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand and currently lives in Naarm Melbourne, Australia.
Though social media continues to baffle Emily, you can follow her on Instagram for semi-regular updates @emzee.writes
Emily Winter: Emily is a writer and musician raised on stories in Magandjin, Brisbane, Australia. Her writing has appeared between the pages of Jacaranda Journal and Loom, and received recognition in the shortlist of the Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer. She is a core member of Cerulean Collective, a chamber ensemble exploring new music by Australian composers. Recently she completed studies in Music (Hons I) and Arts at the University of Queensland, threading together writing, history, and performance. Emily is currently writing and musicking in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington, pursuing an MA in Creative Writing at the IIML.
Instagram: @emilywinterwrites
Jared Gulian: Jared writes memoir and speculative fiction. His olive farming memoir Moon Over Martinborough (2013) chronicles the adventure of two American city boys building a new life on a rural property in the Wairarapa. It is available internationally under the title An Olive Grove at the Edge of the World (2018). His sci-fi thriller The Last Beekeeper followed in 2022. Born and raised in Michigan, he now lives in Martinborough.
Website: https://jaredgulian.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaredgulian/
Linda Collins: Kākaunui-based Linda is the author of the memoir Loss Adjustment (Awa Press). Her essays have been in Otherhood (Massey University Press), Newsroom, The Spinoff, Undertow (Faction Press, Singapore), Journal of Poetry Therapy, and Quarterly Literary Review of Singapore. Most recently, she has a poem in Poto | Short (MUP). She has a Master’s in Creative Writing from both the University of East Anglia and the International Institute of Modern Letters at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.
Read Linda's nonfiction work, Galloping at the Estuary, in issue 25 of Headland.
Mandira Pattnaik: Mandira's work has been included in over 375 venues in 17 countries, including SAND Journal Berlin, The McNeese Review, Cincinnati Review miCRo, The Rumpus, Wigleaf Top 50 (2023, 2025), Best Microfiction (2024) and BSF Anthologies (2021, 2024). Longlisted in Commonwealth Prize 2025, she writes across categories/genres. Her books include Glass/Fire (2024), Where We Set Our Easel (2023) and White Hot Moon (forthcoming). Visit her at mandirapattnaik.com
Peter Raynes: Since 1992, Peter has lived and worked across the Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Kiribati and Vanuatu, building a career in the international development sector. He writes about his experiences in the rich and diverse region of Oceania — its peoples, places, and challenges. He now lives with his family in Auckland, where he continues to support development priorities across the Pacific islands.
Rajiv Thind: Rajiv is a Christchurch-based critic, fiction writer, and visiting academic at the University of Canterbury. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Queensland. He is working on two novels set in Christchurch.
Retribution draws on the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks to explore themes of trauma, immigration, racism and far-right subcultures in New Zealand. The Dreamland is a psychological thriller and metafiction about identity, alienation, global capitalism and crime. For more information or to get in touch, visit https://rajivwriter.weebly.com/.
Roly Andrews: Roly lives in Christchurch. He enjoys tramping in his spare time and, and after many years of practising, he is still trying to learn to play the trombone—dreaming that he might one day be good enough to play in a ska band. A champion for everyone, he has mentored rough sleepers and supported people affected by suicide. He advocates for the rights of people living with disabilities. He has self-published two novels, a collection of short stories and has twice been shortlisted for Te Tauihu Short Story Awards.
Visit: https://rolyandrewsauthor.com/ and https://www.amazon.com/Front-Step-Roly-Andrews-ebook/dp/B0F25944W1
