Middle Distance emerged, like many good things do at VUP, from our daily morning coffee meeting. We were discussing our literary magazine Sport, and thinking it might be time for it to evolve into something new. Middle Distance is part of a new suite of anthologies VUP plans to publish and will showcase new fiction by NZ writers that is about 10,000 words long.

We love the space and freedom that this form affords the writer, and all of the pleasures that a longer work can offer readers. And we’re aware that the longer form doesn’t always fit as well into many New Zealand media platforms.

The editor, Craig Gamble, is a fiction writer with a strong interest in the middle distance form. He wants to see more of it published and is particularly keen to hear from a wide range of diverse voices, representing as many parts of New Zealand as possible.

We’re opening up submissions on 11 January and closing them on 1 March 2021. So if you have work that you think fits the brief, please send it in!