Small press
Puncher & Wattmann
Poetry, Fiction, Literary fiction
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Puncher & Wattmann
Puncher & Wattmann is open to authors based in Australia, with submissions through Submittable for poetry, fiction and nonfiction. You send a bio with a full manuscript or a detailed synopsis. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, and you should allow three months for a reply.
Puncher & Wattmann is a small press in Newcastle, NSW, founded in 2003. It publishes literary writing: poetry, fiction, life writing, poetry anthologies and critical nonfiction. It has published over 350 titles since 2004. Its Slow Loris imprint publishes chapbooks, sometimes curated by a commissioned editor, but chapbooks are not taken through general submissions.
Submissions are open through Submittable to authors currently based in Australia, and you do not need an agent. You choose the right category, then send a bio and your manuscript as a PDF or Word file, or a detailed synopsis with a proposed timeline. Poetry runs 40 to 250 pages and prose up to 100,000 words. Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Allow three months; successful authors are emailed.
What Puncher & Wattmann is looking for
- Poetry collections of 40 to 250 pages
- Literary fiction up to 100,000 words
- Life writing and critical nonfiction up to 100,000 words
- Poetry anthologies
- Authors currently based in Australia
Publishes
- Fiction
- Literary fiction
- Memoir
- Nonfiction
- Poetry
Specialties
- Literary fiction
How to submit to Puncher & Wattmann
From its own guidelines- Choose the correct Submittable category: poetry, fiction or nonfiction.
- Write a bio with your name, publishing name, pronouns and contact details.
- Attach your manuscript as a PDF or Word file, or a detailed synopsis with a proposed timeline.
- Send each manuscript as a separate submission and tick the box if it is under submission elsewhere.
- Allow three months for a reply.
Is Puncher & Wattmann right for your book?
A good fit if
Puncher & Wattmann suits poets and literary prose writers based in Australia, including those who are submitting to other publishers at the same time.
Look elsewhere if
Look elsewhere if you live outside Australia or want to place a chapbook, since neither is accepted through general submissions.
Puncher & Wattmann imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Slow Loris | No | Chapbook imprint, occasionally curated by a commissioned editor; chapbooks not accepted via general submissions. |
Questions about Puncher & Wattmann
Does Puncher & Wattmann accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Yes. Puncher & Wattmann takes unsolicited poetry, fiction and nonfiction through Submittable from authors currently based in Australia, and you do not need an agent. It does not take chapbooks through general submissions or work from authors outside Australia. Poetry should run 40 to 250 pages, and fiction and nonfiction up to 100,000 words.
How do I submit to Puncher & Wattmann?
Submit through Submittable under the correct category. Include a bio with your name, publishing name, pronouns and contact details, plus your manuscript as a PDF or Word file, or a detailed synopsis with a proposed timeline. Send each manuscript as a separate submission. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, so tick the box if your work is under submission elsewhere.
How long does Puncher & Wattmann take to reply?
Allow three months for a reply. Puncher & Wattmann emails successful authors, so watch your inbox during that period. Because simultaneous submissions are allowed, you can send the same manuscript to other publishers while you wait, as long as you tick the box on the Submittable form to say it is under consideration elsewhere.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
