The Malahat Review

What this publication wants

This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Fiction, Poetry, Creative nonfiction. Official guideline: The Malahat Review guidelines.

Topics, themes and styles they look for

• Fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction submitted through Submittable as a single .doc, .docx or .pdf.
• A word count for prose, or a line count for poetry, listed at the beginning of each piece.
• Your name and contact info included for regular submissions.

Subjects they avoid

• Work excerpted elsewhere, or any work revised since its original publication — neither is eligible.
• Simultaneous submissions to their contests.
• AI-generated work — their Editorial Boards state they are not interested in it.

Key requirements

• Submittable only
• CAD$7 fee for international submitters
• Word or line count at the start

Who can submit

Open internationally. Their four annual contests are explicitly open to Canadian and international writers alike. They note that writers of certain backgrounds and religions have been historically under-represented in Canadian literary contexts and welcome that work.

Rights

Not fully stated on the guidelines page.

AI policy

Not stated in the guideline

How to write for them

Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.

BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.

How to pitch

Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.

1. Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
2. Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
3. Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
4. Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
5. Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
6. Say why it fits this publication.
7. Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
8. Close professionally and thank them for their time.
9. Send through the official channel only.

Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.

Track this pitch

How to submit

Submittable only

Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.

• Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
• Submission: Submittable only

What the guideline asks you to prepare

• Order or read an issue first to see what they publish.
• Read https://malahatreview.ca/submission_guidelines.html and check the reading period.
• Submit via Submittable, paying the CAD$7 fee if you are outside Canada.

What happens after submission

Expected response: One to six months for poetry; up to nine months for fiction and creative non-fiction

If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.