Writers’ Guidelines

This Magazine welcomes queries. 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.

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, 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 bimonthly publishing schedule means issues are planned months in advance. For instance, the January-February 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.

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.

Send pitches and questions to editor at this dot org

This & That

Our front section provides readers with political inspiration and ammunition. Writing is sharp, stylish and alive with wit. Topics include: Canadian party politics/legislation, legal issues, labour, the environment, Indigenous affairs, social services, public policy, education, health care, foreign policy, defence, race/racism, youth, media, science, queer issues, feminism. This section also includes the bulk of the magazine’s more visual stories—pieces that require imagery of some sort to aid in their telling. To get a better sense of the type of stories we run in the This & That section, please check out our archives.

Keep in mind that our audience is national. Stories should be so important that they deserve support from progressives across the country; emblematic of struggles going on from coast to coast; evidence of a significant systemic problem; or demonstrate something that progressives across the country can learn from.

Word counts for This & That pieces are generally 200-400 words.

Story pitches should include or link to at least one writing sample and should detail which of the following departments the story should appear in:

• Profile: As the main news feature in the magazine, the profile is the first piece This Magazine readers see. Here, we highlight the compelling work of an interesting person or organization.
• Easily Missed: Know of an important Canadian news event/trend that’s being underreported or ignored by the mainstream press? Then give it some national exposure here.
• Spotlight: Think of this space as a mini-profile on a particular cause, organization or idea.
• Newsmaker: Who’s in the headlines? This brief story profiles someone noteworthy—a politician, celebrity, activist—who’s making the news and why.
• Mapping Canada: Use this space to break down a regional issue or going-on with the aid of maps
• Big In…: This column explores something that’s gaining steam in a particular province or territory and why
• What’s Inside: Deconstructing an item, issue, idea, bill, etc.

Send pitches and questions to news at this dot org

Arts & Ideas

This Magazine’s arts section covers Canadian independent artists and cultural issues overlooked by the mainstream press. The section provides readers with cultural inspiration and showcases the individuals who make independent culture happen in Canada. Writing is sharp, stylish and alive with wit. It should be interesting to art practitioners and enthusiasts, but accessible to the merely curious.

Subjects/topics covered include: independent and underground film, video, books, music, zines, websites, e-zines, dance, art, photography, performance art, theatre. Is it art? If you have to ask, it probably is. We like work that has a political edge, a cheeky sense of humour—or both. 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 and should detail which of the following departments the story should appear in:

• In Profile: A tiny polished gem of a profile of a working artist and their work, with an emphasis on the political and social message or context of what they do. Although the word count is short, In Profile gets a two-page spread, with a big visual, so the reader gets a close-up look at the artwork itself. (650 words)
• Spotlight: The main arts feature in the magazine. (600 words)
• Capsules: Shorter arts and culture articles. (150-350 words)
• Read This: Reviews of independent and small-press novels, short-story collections, and poetry.

Send pitches and questions to arts 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

Fiction & poetry

This Magazine now accepts submissions of poetry and fiction. Send no more than six poems or one story (maximum length: 2,500 words) at one time. We do receive a high volume of submissions. Please wait at least 12 weeks before e-mailing to check the status of your submission.

Send pitches and questions to poetry at this dot org and fiction at this dot org.

Other 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.

Internships

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.

We are currently not accepting applications for new interns. Please check back, or email editor@this.org with questions.

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 calling 416-979-8400 or emailing Erica at editor at thismagazine dot ca.