2024 Submission Requirements

Please see below for additional notes on submitting to categories 6 and 12.

For the Writing Awards, please upload:

• PDF* of each entry in its entirety.

*PDFs must be printable on Letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches or 215.9 by 279.4 mm). Do NOT submit double-page spreads for any Writing Awards. Please ensure all text is no closer than 0.5 inches from the page edge.

Investigative Reporting (Category 6)

• PDF* of each entry in its entirety;
• PDF of a background statement (max 500 words) providing context for the investigation and any details of the investigative process that may be relevant to the jury’s consideration.

*PDFs must be printable on Letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches or 215.9 by 279.4 mm). Do NOT submit double-page spreads for any Writing Awards. Please ensure all text is no closer than 0.5 inches from the page edge.

Best Emerging Writer (Category 12)

• PDF* of the entry in its entirety (must be a single feature story of minimum 2,000 words);
• PDFs of up to two (2) additional feature articles (for these additional articles, there are no word count requirements and submission is optional, but they must have been published between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023);
• PDF of a letter** from the candidate, attesting to their own eligibility for the award and providing context for the work submitted.

*PDFs must be printable on Letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches or 215.9 by 279.4 mm). Do NOT submit double-page spreads for any Writing Awards. Please ensure all text is no closer than 0.5 inches from the page edge.

**The letter should include the year the individual started working in journalism (including the year the candidate graduated from university or college, if applicable); the date the candidate’s first piece of 2,000 words or more in length was published; the dates of publication of any other articles submitted; and a list of the candidate’s published pieces as of December 31, 2023.

Please upload:

• PDF of each entry in its entirety (double-page spreads accepted).

Please upload:

• PDF of each entry in its entirety (double-page spreads accepted).

Please upload:

• PDF version of each entry in its entirety (double-page spreads accepted).

Please upload:

• PDF of the cover or opening spread of package; and
• PDF of the package to be judged. If the package consists of a complete issue, please upload a PDF of the issue in its entirety. If the package consists of a specific portion of the issue, please only upload a PDF of that portion. For details on how to extract pages from a PDF, please refer to Adobe’s guide, available here.

Please upload:

• Low- or medium-resolution PDF of the entire issue to be judged;
• Art director’s headshot (JPG or PNG);
• (Optional) PDF of a background statement (maximum 250 words) providing context for the art direction.

Please upload:

• High resolution JPG or PNG image of the editor’s headshot;
• PDF version of two (2) issues published in the past year;
• PDF of a letter of nomination on behalf of the candidate, which may come from a publisher, mentor, or other colleague, and which should provide biographical information as well as a summary of achievements over the past year;
• PDFs of up to two additional supporting letters of recommendation may be included.

Please upload:

• PDF of the cover to be judged.

Please upload:

• PDF of the cover of the issue;
• PDF of the entire issue to be judged;
• PDF of a cover letter (maximum 400 words) providing context for the issue.

Please upload:

• JPG or PNG of the publisher’s headshot;
• PDF of the cover of any one issue published in 2022;
• PDF of the publication’s editorial mandate and the target audience;
• PDF of a list with embedded links of all the digital platforms, as well as a detailed description of the brand extensions, including any data that would demonstrate the success of the magazine’s initiatives;
• PDF of one issue of the magazine published in 2022; and
• To include support material (merchandise, special issues, books, etc.), please upload either a PDF or JPEG of the product.

Please upload:

• PDF of the cover of any issue published in 2023; and
• PDFs of two issues from 2023*.
• PDF with answers to the following four (4) questions:

For these four questions, there is no word limit. However, judges will be reviewing many entries, so we encourage you to keep your answers concise. 

Quality: How does your magazine deliver quality content to its readers, across any platform? Examples might include specific editorial content, packaging, and/or design.)

Currency: How does your magazine stay fresh and relevant, sustaining its audience’s interest while consistently generating new perspectives? Examples might include editorial strategies, specific content, new initiatives, audience engagement and feedback, and/or innovative ways the magazine reaches and excites its readers.

Design: How does your magazine demonstrate excellence and innovation in style, design, treatment and structure? Examples might include specific design strategies, typographic, digital and social media design, branding successes and/or specific design elements in the magazine.

Reader Experience: How does your magazine provide an experience to its audience that challenges, educates, entertains, and helps define a community of readers? Examples might include specific content, any data or relevant information about your audience, circulation or marketing data, audience feedback, special issues and events, awards and other recognition, and/or any initiative.

PLEASE NOTE: If you’re submitting for two Best Magazine categories, you must submit an entry in each category through the online portal. 

* If your magazine is published only once a year, please submit one (1) PDF version of your annual issue. Do not submit issues published prior to the awards year.

*Digital publications may also submit links to your digital issues, rather than uploading a PDF.

No submissions are required for this award. Finalists are automatically generated from the winners of Best Magazine Awards and compete for this awards’ honour.

Entries for the Outstanding Achievement award consist of a cover letter indicating the candidate’s name, title, and a summary of their career achievements, including links to or examples of their work, as well as at least two (2) supporting letters from other individuals. The deadline for entries for this award is March 1, 2024. Entries submitted after the online submission deadline must be emailed to staff@magazine-awards.com. Incomplete submissions will be disqualified.

Please upload a brief statement (max 500 words) that:

• A) introduces the publication to the jury;
• B) articulates the publication’s strategy for newsletters;
• C) provides context for the development and deployment of the emails; and
• D) comments on the impact of the newsletter.
• Submit URLs to three newsletters to be evaluated.

Submit a URL to the main point of entry for the podcast series; and submit URLs to three (3) specific episodes to be judged.

Submit a URL to the main point of entry for the podcast series; and submit URLs to three (3) specific episodes to be judged.

Submit a URL to the video to be judged.

Submit a URL to the video to be judged.

Submit a URL to the video to be judged.

Submit a URL to the feature article to be judged.

Submit a URL to the article to be judged.

Submit the main URL of column and up to three (3) URLs to specific content.