Each year one of the most exciting moments at National Magazine Awards gala is discovering which hardworking young magazine journalist is named Canada’s Best New Magazine Writer.
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Submissions in this category are open to students as well as young magazine writers whose early work in Canadian magazines shows the highest degree of craft and promise.
The competition is open to work published during 2012 in print, tablet or web-based Canadian magazines. Individuals may enter their own work (see the full requirements here), but editors, teachers and mentors are encouraged to nominate the talented young writers they’ve worked with.
Details:
- Entry Fee: $25
- Deadline: January 16, 2013
- Requirements: Tear sheets plus a letter of recommendation
- Finalists: A shortlist of 3 finalists will be announced May 1, 2013
- Winners: The winner will be revealed at the NMA Gala on June 7, 2013
- Prize: The winner receives a cash prize of $500, a certificate, industry recognition on stage, and promotion of their work in various NMAF publications and archive; the other two finalists will receive Honourable Mention, a certificate, various publicity, and their work will appear in the NMA archive.
- More information: Visit our website for complete submissions and award details.
- To Submit: Click here to register online.
Among last year’s three finalists, two were recent graduates of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism and the third was a young columnist for Maclean’s.
The winner was Liam Casey, whose award-winning piece “Suicide Notes” (Ryerson Review of Journalism) won over the judges with its passion and its courageous investigative reporting. Liam Casey is now a staff reporter at the Toronto Star.

The winner of this year’s National Magazine Award for Best New Magazine Writer will join a group of award laureates that includes Matthieu Aikins, Patrick White, Chantal Srivastava, Jeremy Klaszus, Jonathan Trudel, Matthew McKinnon, Danielle Groen, Jean-François Bégin, Sophie Lees, and Kris Demeanor.
Check out some of our interviews with past winners and finalists for this award:
- Off the Page, with Jeremy Klaszus
- Off the Page, with Jonathan Trudel
- Off the Page, with Carol Shaben
Read more about the award for Best New Magazine Writer. Read the full text of past finalists and winners in our archive.
Click here to submit. The submissions deadline is January 16, 2013.

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