Please contact Sylvia Skene if you do not see your deadline listed here. We reserve the right to post only those contests, submission periods and deadlines of interest to or from our members.
Tip 1: please only submit or pitch to a magazine after you have read and met the submission requirements and have judged your piece or idea to be a good fit for the magazine’s usual content. Submitting or pitching to any and all magazines, a.k.a. a shotgun approach, just marks you out as lazy and annoys the editors.
Tip 2: if you wish to submit your work to a magazine by deadline, sooner is better, as by the closing date most pieces have been selected. Any other work–however great–that doesn’t complement these pieces will likely not be picked up for publication.
Note: for information on industry and professional awards and deadlines, please visit our Awards resources page.
Deadlines – Arts & Literary Magazines
EVENT magazine
Next submission period, for fiction only, no poetry, from September 1, 2019 until have reached capacity.
October 15, 2019: Non-Fiction Contest
Geist
September 30, 2019: Erasure Poetry Contest
The Malahat Review
November 1, 2019: Open Season Awards Poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction.
February 1, 2020: Novella Prize. Biennial.
May 1, 2020: Far Horizons Award for Poetry. Biennial.
August 1, 2020: Constance Rooke Creative Nonfiction Prize.
Portal magazine
October 15, 2019: Portent Prize for Fiction Best work from a Canadian author … for a genre that embraces, but is not limited to fantasy, science fiction, young adult, adventure, speculative, or horror.
November 1, 2019: Submissions. Vancouver Island University (VIU) students only. (Not yet open.)
PRISM international
Self-identifying Indigenous writers can submit for free.
Low-income writers may contact PRISM to request that a contest fee be waived.
October 15, 2019: The Pacific Spirit Poetry Prize
January 15, 2020: The Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction (opens Nov. 1)
July 15, 2020: Creative Non-fiction Contest
PULP Literature
October 15, 2019: The Raven Short Story Contest
May 15, 2020: The Magpie Award For Poetry (opens March 1)
ROOM magazine
October 31, 2019: Call for Submissions, issue 43.2.
November 1, 2019: Short Forms Contest. Judge, Gwen Benaway.
January 15, 2020: Cover Art Contest (opens Nov. 15)
March 8, 2020: Fiction Contest (opens Jan. 8, 2020)
June 1, 2020: Creative Non-Fiction Contest (opens April 1, 2020)
August 15, 2020: Poetry (opens June 15, 2020).
TCR: The Capilano Review
October 1, 2019: Robin Blaser Poetry Contest Judge, Jen Currin.
October 31, 2019: Call for Submissions, poetry and prose, Winter 2020 issue.
WordWorks. Federation of BC Writers.
Articles, interviews, poetry and prose.
October 21, 2019: Winter issue, on Writing and Activism.
February 11, 2020: Spring issue, on Publishing.
Continual Submissions – Arts & Literary Magazines
The Pacific Rim Review of Books
Manuscripts and letters only.
PULP Literature
Poetry, comics and artwork only.
Ricepaper
No financial remuneration. Asian contributors of all cultural backgrounds are encouraged to submit fiction, non-fiction, poetry, features, interviews, reviews, art and photography.
subTerrain
Seasonal submission periods. Currently closed for submissions.
Deadlines – Other Magazines
the Verdict. Trial Lawyers Association of BC.
October 30, 2019: Winter 2020 issue.
Continual Submissions – Other Magazines
The following magazines generally ask that potential contributors send a pitch or short description of what they want to submit rather than their actual submission. Please review requirements on their website before contacting a magazine.
BAZOOF! Magazine
Submissions are welcome from youth (ages 7-14) or their parents/caregivers. Stories are welcome from youth of any age.
British Columbia History
Note also the article award and student writing scholarship given out every year for works on historical topics.
Common Ground
Dedicated to health, wellness, ecology and personal growth.
Culturally Modified
A quarterly online publication sharing stories and inspiration about the management of our cultural resources, both physical and intangible. Can also do pitches for audio interviews, short videos and photo essays.
Here magazine
For and by new immigrants to Canada. Need to join community.
Link magazine
BCIT students only may contribute; looking for writers, photographers, graphic designers, and bloggers.
Loose Lips
Submissions from experienced writers and journalists are welcome, but POC, LGBTQ+, and writers of all abilities are especially encouraged.
Page One Publishing:
Douglas Magazine – Victoria business
Spruce Magazine – home & design
YAM magazine – lifestyle
Tree Service Canada.
The voice of Canada’s tree services industry.
Watershed Sentinel
Environmental news from BC and beyond. Writers guidelines.
Western Living & VanMag
Photographers/illustrators can drop off their portfolio at the office, attention Art Director.