Our themes for 2025 will be announced soon!

Writers’ Guidelines

This Magazine welcomes queries only, not already written pieces. A good This Magazine article offers background and context to ongoing national issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective, or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Subject matter includes politics, culture, the arts, social issues, labour, feminism, mental health, race/racism, Indigenous issues, and sexuality, with a focus on quality writing and in-depth reportage. Please note: This Magazine publishes Canadian residents only

Before you submit anything to the magazine, be sure you are familiar with its approach. Pay particular attention to writing style and content. Articles for This Magazine should have a journalistic approach, and be written in language simple enough to be comprehensible to a high school student, with enough research and insight to be interesting to a PhD. Assume that you’re talking to knowledgeable readers (because you are). We encourage writers to grapple with big ideas, but they must be conveyed with wit and style, avoiding artistic, journalistic, legal, or academic jargon.

Things to note:

• We do not accept submissions of previously published work or queries that are currently being considered by other publications.
• We do not accept unsolicited completed manuscripts. We consider it important to be involved in shaping an article early in the editorial process, and so completed articles will be deleted unread. (This measure protects writers against leaving their completed work open to copyright infringement, and protects us against accusations of the same.)
• We receive a high volume of article queries, and regret that we cannot guarantee a response in every case.
• Our publishing schedule means issues are planned months in advance. For instance, the Spring issue is in the planning stages throughout September and October, sometimes earlier; issue lineups are often finalized up to two months before the issue date. Please consider this when pitching stories tied to particular events or dates.

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Features A good This Magazine article offers background and context to ongoing Canadian issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Our readership is Canada-wide, so local issues are only covered when they have national interest or implications. International stories must have a strong Canadian angle. We love printing stories like:

• Hard-hitting, investigative reports exposing government cover-ups, corporate malfeasance, scientific myopia, or institutional fraud or hypocrisy.
• Thoughtful, provocative articles that challenge conventional wisdom concerning issues of national importance.
• Timely, people-oriented stories on issues such as the environment, education, labour, feminism, Indigenous affairs, the media, health care and cultural trends.
• Provocative satire exposing blinkered thinking on the left or right; revealing media blind-spots, skewering trends in pop culture, business culture etc.
• In-depth, service-driven pieces offering practical information not generally available in the mainstream media.
• Literary journalism, essays and memoir, in which strong narrative, unique voice and compelling subject matter are paramount.

Generally, we are likely to favour stories that stake out strong positions, feature compelling characters, tell an untold story (or tell a well-known story from a novel perspective), and propose concrete solutions to pressing problems. Features pay between $150 and $300. Send pitches and questions to editor at this dot org

This & That

A bit of an overview:

• We cover Canadian news from a social justice perspective. We look at national and regional issues that have had little to no mainstream or national media coverage.
• Some topics we cover are: housing/homelessness, reproductive rights, race/racism, LGBTQ2S+ issues, harm reduction, labour, immigration, prisoner justice, food security, and more.
• We prioritize the perspective of people organizing on the ground and as part of grassroots movements and those with lived experience.
• We try to have the section reflect the diverse population of Canada. (We appreciate people writing about communities they’re a part of, when that’s of interest. We always try to find appropriate writers for stories.)
• We aim to cover the regional diversity of Canada. This includes places often left out of the mainstream press: rural areas, The North, and places outside of big cities. Please note: though we do cover Toronto at all, we tend to get more GTA-focused pitches than we can use.
• We run six slugs per issue and one is always a profile.

Our regular slugs:

Profile: highlighting the compelling work of an interesting person or organization. We often lean toward profiling organizations, but profiles of individuals are possible. Must include an interview. Word count: 500 words.

What’s Inside: an “under-the-hood”–style slug that explores and “decodes” the inner workings of a concept/object/law/bill/etc. Ideally includes an interview. Word count: 400 words.

Timeline: a way of tracking history, events, etc. Word count: 400 words.

Easily Missed: an important Canadian news event/trend that’s being under-reported or ignored by the mainstream press—something that may have been covered in community/regional or student media, but hasn’t had national coverage. Should include an interview. Word count: 350 words.

Spotlight: think of this space as a mini-profile on a particular cause, organization or idea. Again, we usually focus on organizations or short news stories the mainstream press hasn’t covered. Must include an interview. Word count: 350 words.

Mapping Canada: a map that denotes a particular issue or goings-on within Canada. For example: places in need of safer consumption sites; progressive summer camps, Land Back movements. Word count: varies, 1-2 pages, about 350-400 words.

By the numbers: breaking down a particular issue by numbers—area, cost, volume, percentages, etc. For example: Textile waste in Canada; How student debt during the pandemic affects women. Word count: 350 words.

Think Again: exploring something progressive people think is a positive, that might not be as good as they sound. Examples: how electric scooters play into ableism; The problem with zero waste stores; The truth about the plastic straw ban. Word count: 350 words.

Send pitches and questions to Aysha White, news at this dot org

Columns Have a hot take on a current event? Want to write a first-person memoir that taps into the state of modern society and politics? Our columns section is for you. We assign both 500-600 and 1,000-1,200-word opinion-based columns each issue, ranging from personal stories to third-person op-eds. Each story, regardless of its tone and voice, is thoroughly researched and well supported by a strong thesis. Columns pay between $60 and $100. Send pitches and questions to editor at this dot org

Arts & Ideas

This Magazine’s arts section covers Canadian independent artists and arts projects overlooked by the mainstream press. The section provides readers with cultural inspiration and showcases the individuals and groups who make independent culture happen in Canada. Each arts piece should include an interview with the artist or group being profiled. Pieces should be interesting to art practitioners and enthusiasts, but accessible to the merely curious.

• We try to have the section reflect the diverse population of Canada. (We appreciate people writing about communities they’re a part of, when that’s of interest. We always try to find appropriate writers for stories.)
• We aim to cover the regional diversity of Canada. This includes places often left out of the mainstream press: rural areas, The North, and places outside of big cities. Please note: though we do cover Toronto, we tend to get more GTA-focused pitches than we can use.

Subjects/topics covered include: independent and underground film, video, books, music, zines, digital publications, dance, art, photography, performance art, theatre. We like work that has a political edge and looks at issues of social justice and/or identity. Keep in mind that our audience is national and stories and issues covered in the section should be timely. Story pitches should include or link to at least one writing sample. Our regular sections:

• Profile (1 per issue, 600 words)
• Long capsule (1 per issue, 400 words)
• Short capsules (2 per issue, 300-350 words)

When pitching to the arts section, consider:

• Does this promote a new/emerging Canadian artist?
• Is the artist independent? (Artists signed with a small label or publisher are fine.)
• Has the artist had any mainstream or national press coverage?
• Is there a timely hook? (Upcoming exhibit, album release, etc. or work available online while the issue is on stands)
• Is this person or group in an under-represented part of the country? (They don’t have to be, but we do look for regional diversity. Please include the location of the artist or group in your pitch.)
• Does this pitch have a political angle?
• Does this pitch work with the mandate to promote and represent artists from a diverse range of backgrounds?

Send pitches and questions to Ashlynn Chand, arts at this dot org

If you are looking to review for us, please contact Michaela Stephen, reviews at this dot org

Back page letter

This Magazine‘s back page is devoted to writers who want to write an open letter to a person, thing, place, idea, or concept. This piece showcases a strong voice and a compelling thesis, and addresses a thought or issue that is relevant to Canadians today. The piece is no longer than 600 words. Send pitches and questions to editor at this dot org

Poetry & Fiction Submissions 

From the Fiction Editor, H Felix Chau Bradley: Fiction submissions are now open at This Magazine! Fiction editor H Felix Chau Bradley is accepting stories for publication in spring 2025, with a special interest in queer and trans perspectives, and Black, Indigenous and racialized voices. All writers will go through a revision process, with the aim of pushing you to hone your story, while always respecting your vision. To submit please email fiction editor H Felix Chau Bradley at fiction at this dot org and attach your story (no more than 2500 words) in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. Please include a short bio, indicating your geographical location. Note that we can’t accept submissions from writers who are not Canadian residents. Deadline for submissions is January 26, 2025.

There is no fee for submitting and simultaneous submissions are more than welcome; just let us know if your work has been accepted elsewhere by replying to your original submission e-mail. This will save us from falling in love with your story and getting our hearts broken. Also, please do not submit more than once every 12 months, unless requested by the editors. Multiple submissions are not accepted. Please do not submit to the poetry editor and the fiction editor at the same time. No previously published work, either, please. We pay $125 per accepted short story up to 2500 words. We pay 60$ per flash fiction story under 1000 words (we will run two flash stories in an issue in this case). We pay $50 per accepted poem.  We acquire first serial rights (print and web).

Submissions by BIPOC, Q2ST, disabled, and other marginalized writers are especially welcomed. Feel free to tell us if you are a marginalized writer—although there is no requirement to do so. We recognize that CanLit needs to change. We believe in representing the many writers’ voices who live within Canada’s colonial borders. We believe in structural racism and want to work to actively dismantle it here. Responses should be expected within 4 weeks of submission; but up to 8 weeks may be required during extremely busy times. Please feel free to check in by replying to your original submission e-mail after 8 weeks have passed.  As a reminder, we only publish Canadian residents. Please include a short bio including your location when submitting fiction or poetry. Thank you for trusting This Magazine with your work!

From the Poetry Editor, David Ly: All writers will work with our Poetry Editor. He will ensure your poem’s voice and form stays true to what you intend, and will mainly give suggestions to further refine details in your writing. We will not publish anything if you are not happy with, though. This Magazine publishes in print so please be mindful of what the physical page allows for your poem(s).  To submit please email poetry editor David Ly at poetry at this dot org and attach no more than 3 poems in a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file, where each poem starts on a new page. Including a short cover letter and biography would be nice, but isn’t required.

If you are interested in contributing visual work to the magazine, please contact our Art Director, Valerie Thai, at design at this dot org.

Things we don’t publish

This Magazine does not publish celebrity profiles, product reviews, crossword puzzles, word games, trivia quizzes, humour columns, horoscopes, academic theses, or predictable rants. These submissions will be discarded without reply. Nothing personal! We’re sure you’re all lovely people, but we just don’t publish that stuff.

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Internships

***We are not currently taking on new interns.*** We may, however, have other opportunities for students and new graduates to get involved with the magazine; if that interests you please contact [email protected] for more info.*** Under Ontario Ministry of Labour legislation, This Magazine only accepts applications for internships supported by post-secondary institutions in Canada. Please contact us for more information if you have any questions about whether you qualify.

Why be a This intern?

This Magazine is an exciting place to be. Our interns are able to see the entire process of putting together the magazine, from researching stories to newsstand marketing campaigns. Because the magazine has a small staff, interns at This Magazine are given a substantial amount of responsibility. The small staff also means that self-motivated interns will benefit most from the program. Past interns have gone on to positions at the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Now Magazine, Xtra, Saturday Night, enRoute, Canadian Forum, Precedent, Quill & Quire, Columbia Journalism School, Reuters, the CBC, editorial or communications positions at book publishers and non-profits, and more.

What This interns do

Part of our mandate as a magazine is to foster the next generation of writers, reporters, photographers, illustrators, poets, and editors. So the interns work with the editor and publisher to make almost every aspect of the magazine happen. They help with the creative, administrative and, yes, sometimes even the menial tasks necessary to putting out a national magazine. You’ll get a chance to help with assessing story ideas, fact checking, copy editing and proofreading, event planning, fundraising and learning how to run a magazine on a shoestring budget. The internship also provides a chance to sharpen your writing skills. Bylines are expected, both in print and online. Additionally, you will be given an opportunity to learn and practice key research skills (reporting, library and online background research, and more) that will serve you well for a career in magazine publishing. The work as an intern is plentiful and varied, and so is the range of skills and aptitudes needed: the ability to produce snappy, sharp writing for stories and press releases, patience for the detail-oriented world of fact-checking and circulation, and the financial savvy necessary to pull together an event with next to no budget. And of course, publishing a small, independent magazine requires an ability to take risks and work under the pressure of deadlines. Interns often take on projects in their own area of interest, after getting a taste for each of the areas of magazine publishing. In addition, interns will help prepare for board meetings, help with display writing (headlines and coverlines), customer service, sorting mail, updating subscriber files, running errands and some tasks like envelope-stuffing—but no coffee-fetching!

How to apply Send us a package, containing the following:

1. Your resume.
2. A cover letter, stating when you are available and explaining why you would like to be a This Magazine intern. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your concerns and interests, and how your political views affect the way you interact with the media.
3. Three—five writing samples of published or unpublished editorial or promotional writing you’ve done in the past.

Any other questions? We accept applications by mail or by email. Our mailing address is 417-401 Richmond St. West, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3A8. Please email applications to editor /at/ thismagazine /dot/ ca. Please feel free to ask us your questions about the internship program by emailing Sarah at editor at this dot org.