“Working in magazines is a vibrant and engaging experience.”
People
We've interviewed some of the terrific people who work at our BC member magazines about how they got into publishing and what it’s like. Feel free to suggest other people to profile here.
Shashi Bhat, Editor-in-Chief, EVENT Magazine
“The breadth of creativity is exceptional if editors are willing to search for it.”
Jessica Johns, Managing Editor, Room Magazine
“With changing times, there must be a change in the medium in which publishers and editors choose to publish their work.”
Kerry Slavens, Editor-in-Chief, Page One Publishing
“You have to really focus on what will appeal to your niche audience, because a magazine is really a conversation with them.”
Darren Bernaerdt, Publisher of Pacific Rim Magazine
“There is an opportunity for more people than ever to share their ideas and stories. A diverse range of messages enhances the fabric of society.”
Jennifer Landels, Managing Editor of Pulp Literature Magazine
“Turning pixels on the screen to something beautiful you can touch, feel, and read in the bathtub never gets old.”
Kaija Pepper, Editor of Dance International
“As an editor, I love going into a piece of writing and helping to break it open.”
Allan Cho, Executive Editor of Ricepaper Magazine
“We put many writers on the map who otherwise might have slipped through the cracks of the mainstream literary presses. No book publisher was going to give out a contract if you had no short story or poem published in a lit mag.”
Peter Chettleburgh, Editor & Publisher of Aquaculture North America
Peter Chettleburgh loves the creative aspect of publishing and enjoys producing news because it allows him to “be nosy”.
Jody Carrow, Editor-in-Chief of the Claremont Review
“If you want to know the future, pay attention to what youth are doing in their art, what they are trying to tell you or show you about the human condition and what is possible for humanity.”
John Barton, Editor of The Malahat Review, 2004-2017
“I believe that our authors are the best authorities on their own work and I want them to be happy with the published results because how it reads will remain important to them long after I have moved on.”
Karl and Stephanie Johanson, Editor & Art Director of Neo-opsis Science Fiction Magazine
Unlike some other magazines Neo-opsis values story first and literary quality second. Karl: “I think it’s easier to fix bad grammar than to fix an uninspiring story.”
Richard Olafson, Editor & Publisher of The Pacific Rim Review of Books
“We provide a place for the long-form essay which is a more serious study of a book.”
Andrea Lister, editor, British Columbia History
“Go to editing, writing, and publishing events and find or build a community. Editing can be a lonely job and it is wonderful to have colleagues to learn from, share stories with and rant about the apostrophe usage.”
Daniel Zomparelli, editor, Poetry is Dead
“I genuinely love reading, and magazines provide the opportunities for new work to be out before they turn into books or movies. It’s like the front lines of knowledge and literature.”
Michelle Reid, editor, SAD Mag
“Be professional, even if you are writing for free; you’re not just building a portfolio, but also a professional reputation.”
Tom Henry, editor, Small Farm Canada
“Stay strong. As the economy grows there may actually be opportunities for more trade publications with a Canadian focus.”
Stuart Harries, Editor-in-Chief of alive Magazine
“Ultimately, I don’t think print magazines are going anywhere. I think they will continue to fragment into niches and become more specific as they explore the opportunity to become carefully targeted.”
Terry Denomme, Founder and Editor of Canadian Hot Rods Magazine
“What I love most about producing this magazine are the CARS! I love driving cars, photographing cars, and talking cars. I never get bored. I’ve found my passion, and I’m really lucky that way.”
Delores Broten, Editor of The Watershed Sentinel
“I think the world of Canadian publishing is a wonderful experience. It may not be lucrative, but it is a community of fascinating people. The secret is to not let the economy worry you!”