The New Quarterly

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 New Quarterly guidelines.

Topics, themes and styles they look for

• Writing that questions, challenges and responds.
• Work by Canadian writers only — with an active interest in emerging writers who have not yet published a full book.
• Double-spaced work with a word count at the end, page numbers on prose or multi-page poems, and your name on every page.
• One piece per submission period. They recommend submitting in the first couple of months of a period.

Subjects they avoid

• Submissions from writers who are not Canadian.
• More than one piece per period.

Key requirements

• Genre-specific form
• Canadian writers only
• One piece per period
• Name on every page

Who can submit

Official and strict: The New Quarterly publishes fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction exclusively by Canadian writers. They particularly seek to nurture emerging writers — those who have not yet published a full book — alongside established names.

Rights

Not stated on the submit 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.

Opens in windows. Currently between reading periods.

Track this pitch

How to submit

Genre-specific submission forms during an open period

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

• Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
• Submission: Genre-specific submission forms during an open period

What the guideline asks you to prepare

• Confirm you are eligible — TNQ publishes Canadian writers exclusively.
• Check the submission periods at https://tnq.ca/submit/ for your genre.
• Submit early in the window through the genre-specific form.

What happens after submission

Expected response: 6–7 months from the time the submission period opened

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.