Previous Anthologies
Breach
‘Unpredictable endings that emerge organically from what has come before, boundaries pushed, prodded and abandoned, irony, venturous and transformative journeys.’ - Olga Lorenzo
In the 28th edition of Visible Ink, our authors and artists were asked to push boundaries. They did.
Again! Again! Again!
Do life’s unceasing rhythms soothe or stress you? What moment, idea, or image are you still stuck on after all this time? Have you ever found yourself caught in an echo chamber, a hall of mirrors, or an unexpected menage a trois?
some of the incredible writers included in this year’s journal including:
Bring along your doppelgänger, your ex-boyfriend’s dad, or that charming goblin from your recurring childhood nightmares as you crack open the 31st edition of Visible Ink, filled with gorgeous, thought-provoking pieces from writers such as Grace Costello, Bridie Mills, Megan Payne and Amanda Johnston.
Trace
Our 30th anniversary edition is a collection of twenty-five incredible works of art, fiction, nonfiction and poetry around the theme ‘trace’: to trace the call or hang up, to cast a trace or disappear without one, but never to copy.
With house plants and boyfriends, churning oceans and concrete lakes, dustpans and deluvials and even Dostoyevsky, this is one you don’t want to miss.
Petrichor
Petrichor (def.) a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather. From the Ancient Greek pétra, 'rock', and ikhṓr, the golden blood of the gods.
This anthology both delicate and brisk in its exploration of the theme ‘After the Rain’ is Visible Ink’s 27th edition.
Alchemy
For the first time, Visible Ink opened its doors to contributors outside the PWE course. 1999 also heralded the launch of VI’s first website and, in a year of firsts, the committee also held a writing competition. Highlights of this edition include stories by Louise Swinn of Sleepers Publishing; Carrie Tiffany, who went on to pick up a stack of awards for Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living; and Jeff Sparrow, co-author of Radical Melbourne: A Secret History. This year the committee favoured Brunswick Street’s Perseverance Hotel.
The Words Have Eyes
In a large square format, this edition of Visible Ink had a record 66 entries and comprised 200 pages. Custom illustrations accompanied many of the pieces. One of the many contributors was Myfanwy Jones, who went on to publish the novel The Rainy Season and the best-selling Parlour Games for Modern Families. In 1997, the committee chose to spend time at The Lounge in Swanston St.
Untitled
The oldest of our archived collection, this edition of Visible Ink was published in 1993. Highlights include an ode to Doris Day by Judy Horacek, the acclaimed cartoonist, artist and author of children’s books. This edition is notable for the complete absence of capital letters in the foreword and contents . . . a classic sign of the times and the start of a long lasting tradition!
Feel
Award-winning author M.J. Hyland contributed a short story to this edition of Visible Ink. On the committee, and also a contributor was Eric Dando, who has since published two books, and Adam Carey, now a journalist with The Age. For the first (and perhaps last) time, author photos were included. Capital letters had begun to make their way back into the titles.
Fleshy Husks and Brittle Bones
There is life in this book; it may bear a resemblance to your own. Featuring prose, poetry and art from some of Australia’s best up-and-coming talent (and a few deft hands for good measure), Fleshy husks and brittle bones is an exploration of the human condition. Loved ones are lost, politics is subverted and putting the bins out at night becomes a matter of the boldest philosophical examination since Toy Story. Get on it.
Untitled
Featuring the best of Australia’s up and coming writers and poets, this 2010 edition of Visible Ink is a great addition to the bookshelves of anyone interested in getting a sneak preview of our future award winners and bestselling authors.
Launched
This edition of Visible Ink should be prescribed reading for all RMIT writing students. On the committee were Zoë Dattner and Louise Swinn, who went on to found Sleepers Publishing. Both contributed stories and poems, and Dattner designed the cover. By this year, the committee had swapped its allegiance to The Empress in North Fitzroy.
Lost and Found
A small, hardcore team of four produced this Visible Ink edition in 2009. Committee member Anthony Noack went on to have two plays produced in the 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Featuring work by Melbourne poet Michael Crane, this edition also includes beautifully reproduced artworks in colour.
On the Ledge of the World
The 25th anniversary anthology is an exercise in evolution.
It begins with the survival of the fittest, and ends on a boat on a lake. In between, there are op shops, prison visits and house parties, old loves, old furniture and tear gas.
Shift
To celebrate the new millennium, Visible Ink published its first film script in this sleek, matte black edition.
Contributors include Rose Mulready, since published in several anthologies of Australian short stories; George Dunford, who is now a freelance writer and producer working for the ABC and Lonely Planet; and Prudence Flint, an award-winning visual artist. The committee were now drinking at Carlton’s Lincoln Hotel.
1908
The contributors of the unusually titled 1908 include Jenny Sinclair, author of When We Think About Melbourne: The Imagination of a City and Jason Cotter, and editor of Readings and Writings: Forty Years in Books. In 2008, the committee made no mention in their acknowledgements of a favourite watering hole, but did thank suppliers of chocolate. How times change.