About

Ready California is an independent online magazine of personal essays, short fiction and long-form interviews. We publish writing about work and family, illness and recovery, art and music, and the small ordinary moments that turn out to matter.

What we publish

Most of what appears here falls into a few recognisable shapes. Personal essays and memoir make up the largest part of the archive. Alongside them sit short fiction, conversations with writers, musicians and artists, book reviews and reading notes, and reported pieces on gender, culture and public life.

Every piece is edited to stand on its own. We are not interested in hot takes with a two-week shelf life; the essays in this archive are meant to be readable years after they were filed, which is why the archive stays online and openly accessible rather than disappearing behind a paywall.

How the archive is organised

Work is filed under seven standing sections: Essays & Fiction, Interviews & Profiles, Books & Writing, Music & Performance, Society & Advocacy, Craft & Outdoors, and Health & Wellbeing. Each section has its own index, and every piece carries its original publication date so the archive reads in the order it was written.

Reading and reuse

Copyright in each piece remains with its author. Quote us, link to us, and teach from us freely with attribution; ask first before reproducing a full piece elsewhere.

Getting in touch

Pitches, corrections and reader mail are all welcome. Corrections are made in place with a note at the foot of the piece, and we would rather hear about an error from a reader than leave it standing.