In Which TNQ Hears Voices, Has Issues, and Hits You Up For Money

From the Editor’s Desk

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That’s right, we hear voices—lots of voices—in the pages of The New Quarterly and at the Wild Writers Literary Festival.

The New Quarterly (TNQ) is one of Canada’s most decorated literary magazines: 12 gold, 7 silver, and 35 honourable mentions in the 18 years that it has participated in the National Magazine Awards!

As for issues, TNQ is the only literary magazine to be shortlisted across such diverse categories as Sports Writing, Arts & Entertainment, How-To, and Best Single Issue.

If you’d like to meet a host of TNQers then mark November 3 to 5, 2017 in your calendar. We cordially invite you to our sixth annual Wild Writers Literary Festival (WWLF) in Waterloo and Kitchener. The Festival will feature a veritable buffet of literary activity and indulgence — panel discussions, masterclasses, “In Conversation” sessions, a Speakeasy, and a brunch (because who doesn’t love brunch?). To find out how you can indulge your literary cravings visit www.wildwriters.ca

[Editor’s note: that’s enough self-congratulatory back-slapping — get to the point of this missive.]

Also in this solicitation, TNQ renews its commitment to diversity and inclusivity

We strive to make TNQ inclusive, celebratory, and welcoming. Last year we renewed our commitment to support diverse and marginalized voices. We invited four consulting editors to be our guides—Iraqi-Canadian poet and academic Lamees Al Ethari, local novelist Tasneem Jamal, Tuscarora author and cultural commentator Alicia Elliott, and acclaimed author Carrie Snyder for young writers.

Our renewed commitment to inclusivity has led to some stunning successes:

  • Selina Boan won Poetry Gold at the National Magazine Awards for “(Good) ‘Girls Don’t Hitchhike,’” “Half/Brother,” and “Meet Cree: A Practical Guide to the Cree Language,” which came to us through our callout to diverse writers in 2016.
  • Sharon Bala is one of two TNQ writers longlisted for the renowned 2017 Journey Prize, the best of Canada’s new writers. Her story “Butter Tea at Starbucks,” which also came to us through our callout, has now been shortlisted for the Journey Prize (the winner will be announced on November 14, 2017).
  • Leonarda Carranza’s essay “Love in Nine Chapters” has been selected for the prestigious Best Canadian Essays of 2016 (this piece arrived via our callout). Also of note, Leonarda has provided support for TNQ’s inclusivity initiative from its inception (read more about her back story).
  • Jordan Abel, whose new poem “Empty Spaces” appears in TNQ Issue #143, won the 2017 Griffin Poetry Prize for his collection Injun (Talonbooks).
  • Anna Ling Kaye was guest editor of our summer 2017 issue: The View From Here. This was our second issue highlighting the wide variety of individual perspectives of Canadian writers — many thanks to the Good Foundation for its generous support. Please note: David Chariandy, who discussed memory, writing, and mentorship in that issue, has been longlisted for this year’s Scotiabank Giller Prize for Brother (McClelland & Stewart), and nominated for the Writer’s Trust Fiction Prize, as has Carleigh Baker.

[Editor’s note: “. . . brevity is the soul of wit.”]

Not to be overlooked in this solicitation, TNQ earns more accolades and trumpets its charitable status

In addition to Selina Boan’s Poetry Gold, Richard Kelly Kemick won Fiction Gold at the National Magazine Awards for “The Unitarian Church’s Annual Young Writers’ Short Story Competition,” Sharon Bala received an honourable mention in the Fiction category for “Miloslav,” and Liz Windhorst Harmer received an honourable mention in the Essay category for “My Flannery.” Our second writer longlisted for the Journey Prize was Lisa Alward for “Old Growth.”

As you can see, TNQ writers have had a sensational 2017.

And that will continue on November 3 to 5 when TNQ hosts the Wild Writers Literary Festival. A few of the featured authors at Waterloo Region’s premier literary festival include:

  • Alison Pick (a Governor General’s award winner);
  • Kathleen Winter (Lost in September is nominated for a Governor General’s award);
  • Evelyn Lau (winner of Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Award);
  • Stacey May Fowles (author of bestselling Baseball Life Advice);
  • Helen Humphreys (two-time New York Times Notable Book of the Year recipient);
  • Karen Connelly (Orange Broadband Prize for New Writers winner); and
  • Wayne Johnston (a Charles Taylor Prize winner).

Thank you for reading this far because this is where the pitch comes in: TNQ is a charitable not-for-profit organization so we can provide charitable tax receipts.

TNQ has been publishing the best of new Canadian writing—fiction, poetry, author interviews, and talk about writing—since 1981.

Without the assistance of community-minded individuals like you, we won’t be able to serve readers and writers across Canada.

[Editor’s note: take a deep breath — they can’t say yes if they’re not asked.]

Please make a commitment to support our annual appeal by making a donation and you’ll receive an instant charitable tax receipt. Every donation makes a difference, regardless of size.

Thank you in advance for your support.

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