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

Isobel Murray

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

Isobel Murray

Magi Gibson

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

Magi Gibson

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

Esther Woolfson

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

Esther Woolfson

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

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

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

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

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

Shane Strachan

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

Shane Strachan

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

Our current issue

Pushing Out the Boat Issue 18 was launched on 18 May 2025 and is a veritable feast of stories, poems and art, thoughtful, humorous, poignant and colourful. For the first time we have included Gaelic entries, including a poem by Scotland’s new makar Pàdraig MacAoidh, along with the usual cornucopia of Scots, Doric and English. Contributors hail from all across Scotland and the UK and as far afield as Finland, USA and Australia.

We are delighted to welcome renowned North East writer, Sheena Blackhall as foreword writer for this issue. Her enthusiastic introduction provides an excellent foretaste for the reader as she highlights the images, stories and poems that have caught her attention, closing with the words ‘Read and Enjoy. You won’t regret it’.

Click on the cover image to take a peek into the magazine – read Sheena’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 19.

Copies of Issue 18 can be ordered here for postal delivery or purchased from one of our retail outlets.

Our Magazines

This year, we are celebrating twenty five years of Pushing Out the Boat, the first edition of which was published in the year 2000. There followed 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 Issue 18, published in 2025. Within its pages you will find a rich variety of theme and style from the contributing authors, poets and artists. Extracts from the magazine and a gallery of art can be sampled on the Issue 18 webpage.

Image from Issue 18
An image from Issue 18

Issue 18 can be purchased from our retail outlets or ordered from our online store.

After looking at Issue 18, 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

4 days ago

Pushing Out the Boat
⛴️ 🌊 We’re looking forward to being a part of Festival of the Sea again this year. Details coming soon…🌊 Festival of the Sea ship-shape and ready for launch! 🚢 With the Tall Ships on the horizon, art, heritage, sport and leisure organisations across Aberdeen are set to present a raft of maritime-themed events for local people and visitors to the city.The Festival of the Sea takes place from 12 to 27 July, the two weeks either side of the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen (19-22 July). From sports camps to singing and storytelling, theatre and dancing to sea dragons and coastal discovery tours, and from exhibitions and creative writing to watercolour workshops, there's something for all ages to discover and enjoy. Twenty organisations are presenting around 40 free and paid-for events in indoor and outdoor locations across the city.📰 read all about it! 🔗 orlo.uk/Q6D2h👉 Check out the full programme here 🔗 orlo.uk/uzquvAberdeen City Council Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums Aberdeen Inspired VisitAberdeenshire Tall Ships Aberdeen Aberdeen Sports Village Aberdeen Performing Arts Aberdeen City Libraries Creative Learning Open Road Pushing Out the Boat Citymoves Dance Agency Deemouth Artist Studios Torry Greyhope Bay #aberdeen #aberdeenevents #TSR2025 #tallshipsaberdeen #FestivaloftheSea #FestivaloftheSea2025 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

1 week ago

Pushing Out the Boat
💡Vendor Spotlight✨Charles Michies recently hosted Pushing Out the Boat for one of their esteemed Aberdeen Talks, with ex editor Martin Walsh treating the audience to a history of the magazine as well as some of his own writing. ☕🍰We are pleased that Michie's now stock Pushing Out the Boat Issue 18 - why not stop by their cafe and treat yourself to the magazine while you refresh yourself with one of their goodie#michiesaberdeenr#pushingouttheboate#aberdeeneventsvents ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

2 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
📚For those in attendance at the Launch of our 18th Issue on Sunday 18th May, I’m sure you will agree it was a successful and happy occasion. For those who couldn’t make it, our PR Manager recounts the event in our latest blog post - take a look:www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/blog/#Launch%20of%20Issue%2018 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

2 weeks ago

Pushing Out the Boat
💡Vendor Spotlight✨Now that we have officially launched Issue 18 of Pushing Out the Boat, it is time once again to highlight some of the vendors where it is available for purchase. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿One of these is the Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh - a first-time vendor of the magazine. We are pleased to be stocked in this cultural hub in a location accessible to our central belt readers.#scottishpoetrylibrary #scottishpoetry #pushingouttheboat ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

1 month ago

Pushing Out the Boat
📷What a day! We had a blast launching our 18th Issue today at Newton Dee’s Phoenix Hall. Beautiful artwork, fascinating poetry and insightful prose were showcased by some amazing contributors. Thank you 👏🏻 💥SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!💥We were delighted to have special guests, the Lord and Lady Provost of Aberdeen, David and Hazel Cameron, in attendance. Dr Cameron announced on behalf of Pushing Out the Boat that in celebration of our 25th anniversary, we will be releasing an anthology publication later this year compiled of works from all of our existing Issues! We are delighted that Aberdeen Council has provided a grant to support the production of this special project 🎉Watch this space! You can order copies of Issue 18 at www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/issue-18/?doing_wp_cron=1747595454.8369340896606445312500! ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

1 month ago

Pushing Out the Boat
Excited to be featured once again by POST Exploring Aberdeen Culture advertising the Issue 18 launch this Sunday😊Read the article here: postabdn.com/pushing-out-the-boat-sets-sail-with-issue-18/And don’t forget you can preorder Issue 18 at www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/order-online/ 📚 ... See MoreSee Less

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Pushing Out the Boat

2 months 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

2 months 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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