Pushing Out the Boat

  • probably the best regional literary magazine in Scotland,
  • high quality writing, with a unique blend of the local and the global.
  • a thrilling place to be published alongside writers and artists from around the world

Tom Hammick

... a fantastic magazine ... essential for highlighting and enriching local culture. I’m a huge fan of literary publications and the work within POTB is of such high standard.

Tom Hammick

J Graeme Roberts

…a high quality magazine like Pushing Out the Boat encourages and enables North-East writers and artists to bring their best work to the attention of a wide and discerning audience…

J Graeme Roberts

Christine de Luca

. . . it continues to delight in its eclectic range of literary and visual contributions and in the care with which it is produced

Christine de Luca

John Aberdein

Seafaring and mindfaring are vital to our city: more power to the elbows of those who push out this handsome vessel.

John Aberdein

Magi Gibson

. . . a fantastic and quality showpiece for art and new literature from the North East of Scotland

Magi Gibson

Duncan McLean

. . . sharp-eyed, open minded . . . helping to launch the careers of many new writers and to publish high quality work by established writers

Duncan McLean

Isobel Murray

Its standards remain exceptionally high, and format makes it a delight to handle

Isobel Murray

Wayne Price

... more than just another literary magazine ... its 14 issues comprise an extraordinary and beautifully produced treasure house of new writing and art.

Wayne Price

Shane Strachan

a visual feast across beautiful artworks and well-crafted images of language which has much to be savoured throughout.

Shane Strachan

Mindy Grewar

I find that if you tap the covers, Pushing Out the Boat becomes a Marauders Map and Phrasebook, indispensable for sojourns in this space of sea and peak, couth and cheek…

Mindy Grewar

Esther Woolfson

It has expanded its horizons while maintaining the tone and savour of place which has always made it unique.

Esther Woolfson

Alan Spence

Well-produced, nicely balanced... one of the most attractive magazines of its kind in Scotland, providing an important forum for new poetry and prose

Alan Spence

Our next issue – coming very soon

Issue 18 is with the printer and scheduled to be launched on 18 May. Tickets are now available for the launch event.

Our current issue

Pushing Out the Boat Issue 17 was launched in May 2023 and is jam-packed with a hundred pages of wonderful stories, poems and art by writers and artists not only from our ‘home turf’ but from across Scotland and the UK and as far afield as Germany, Netherlands and the USA.

In his generous foreword to the magazine, the National Library of Scotland’s Scots Scriever, Shane Strachan, describes this edition of Pushing Out the Boat as ‘one of the strongest issues yet … a visual feast across beautiful artworks and well-crafted images of language which has much to be savoured throughout,’ and who are we to disagree?

Click on the cover image to take a peek into the magazine – read Shane’s foreword, view the Contents page, sample some extracts and browse through a photo gallery of the art that appears within. Perhaps you will be inspired to submit to Issue 18.

Copies of Issue 17 can be ordered here for postal delivery or purchased from one of our retail outlets.

Our Magazines

The first issue of Pushing Out the Boat was published in the year 2000, since when there have been a sequence high quality magazines leading up to our latest publication. You can read about how we work, who we are and how the magazines are produced on the About POTB page and the full back catalogue of magazines can be viewed on Our Magazines page.

Our current edition is  POTB Issue 17. Within its pages you will find humour, pathos and drama in Doric, Scots and English, along with stimulating works of art. There’s a rich variety of theme and style from the contributing authors, poets and artists – with a mixture of new voices along with more familiar names.

Image from Issue 17
An image from Issue 17

Issue 17 can be purchased from our retail outlets or ordered from our online store.

After looking at Issue 17, why not browse through other editions of the magazine. Online versions of Issues 9 – 16 can be read in full and sample extracts from Issues 6 – 8 offer a flavour of earlier editions. Then visit our online shop where all editions of the magazine are available for purchase.

Donations

POTB is an entirely voluntary and not-for-profit enterprise. The costs of producing this beautiful magazine are met by magazine sales, fund-raising events and donations. Any contributions, however small, are hugely appreciated and will help keep us afloat. Use the button below to donate via PayPal.


Step on board

Would you like to join the POTB community? Sign up here to join our mailing list and keep up to date with our news and events.

The POTB Blog

News

  • Check out our Useful Links page for literary organisations, publications, events and POTB contributors.

Facebook Posts

Pushing Out the Boat

7 days ago

Pushing Out the Boat
Submissions are open for Way WORD Festival's ‘Gothic Aberdeen’ short story competition!Writers are invited to compose a gothic story inspired by the city of Aberdeen with the chance to win £300. The competition winner and runner-up(s) will be announced at the 2025 WayWORD Festival in October and the winning short story read by competition judge Heather Parry.For more details head to the WayWORD website: www.waywordfestival.com/aberdeen-gothic-competition-25 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

7 days ago

Pushing Out the Boat
🗣️ Thank you to Martin Walsh for coming along to our ABERDEEN TALKS series yesterday! Martin is ex-editor of 'Pushing Out the Boat', North East Scotland's Magazine of New Writing and Visual Arts, and his talk covered a brief history of the magazine, as well as Martin reading 2 or 3 of his own stories. We also got the chance to meet the current team behind the magazine!If you’d like to pick up a copy, pop in past the gift dept at Michies Union Street. #aberdeentalks #ourunionstreet #aberdeen Aberdeen Inspired Our Union Street Aberdeen City Centre Community Council VisitAberdeenshire ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

1 week ago

Pushing Out the Boat
🎤📚A most enjoyable afternoon at Michies, Union Street hearing from our ex-editor, Martin Walsh, who spoke to an enthusiastic audience about the history and mission of the magazine and performed two pieces of his own prose and poetry published in Issues gone by of Pushing Out the Boat. One take away from the event is that Martin has an impressive affinity for accents! 👏🏻 Thank you, Martin! ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

1 week ago

Pushing Out the Boat
🎟️Issue 18 Launch🎟️Tickets are still available for the launch of Issue 18 on Sunday 18 May! We hope to see you at Phoenix Hall, Newton Dee for an exciting showcase celebrating local and international talent. Tickets and further details available on our website:www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/news/?doing_wp_cron=1746536664.8167889118194580078125#launch18 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

2 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
🗓️Don’t forget - Martin Walsh presents at Aberdeen Talks this Thursday, 2.30-3.30pm!🎙✨We are excited to highlight an event for your diaries: Aberdeen Talks with our ex-editor, Martin Walsh!📅Thursday 8th May, 2.30-3.30pm, 391 Union Street (Charles Michies Cafe and Event Space)."Join Martin Walsh to hear more about 'Pushing Out the Boat', North East Scotland's Magazine of New Writing and Visual Arts. Martin was the editor of the magazine for several years... the talk will cover a brief history of the magazine, as well as Martin reading 2 or 3 of his own stories."🎟This is a free event - to book, call 01224 33 33 26 or click the link below.www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aberdeen-talks-pushing-out-the-boat-tickets-1234609382899?aff=oddtdtcreator ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

3 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
📚☕Our thanks to Poetry at Books and Beans last night for featuring six authors from our next issue! A great taster session, and all well read - although of course many more will be featured in the published magazine 👀As always, a lovely atmosphere in Books and Beans. Oh, and delicious chocolate and raspberry cake. ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat updated their cover photo.

4 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
Pushing Out the Boat's cover photo ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

4 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
💥Issue 18 Launch!💥Issue 18 is with the printer and we excitedly await its return ready for the launch of the new magazine. 🎨Be among the first to see the new magazine at our Newton Dee launch afternoon, Sunday 18 May.📝More details and purchase tickets below:www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/news/#launch18 ... See MoreSee Less

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