[IPSM] Ontario politics magazine looking for submissions

[Jenn Watt]

Pitches due: THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2006 11:59pm EST

info at blackflymagazine.com

We're a new magazine launching our first issue in September 2006 and 
we're looking for journalists who are interested in writing about 
issues, events and policies that affect people in Ontario.

Blackfly Magazine will be distributing 6,000 copies province-wide of 
its first issue.

There are opportunities to write small news briefs, profiles, 
interviews, short and long features. We're also interested in book 
reviews, CD reviews, and arts coverage.

Blackfly is coming from a politically progressive standpoint, but is 
not affiliated with any political doctrine or party. We assume our 
readers will develop their own views and don't need to be told what to 
think. Therefore, all articles submitted should seek to cover issues 
that have been ignored or under-explored in Ontario, but should not 
involve personal opinion or column-style writing.

What we're looking for is solid journalism. We want you to tell us a 
story about the impacts of the Ontario political/cultural environment. 
Go out, find sources, get quotes, investigate policies.

But before you do any of this, let us know what your idea is. Send us a 
pitch!

Pitches should be between one and two pages. They should include:
(a)    A brief description of what you think your story is about. Tell 
us all of the important information: who, what, when, where, why and 
how.
(b)   How you're going to do it. Do you already have interviews done? 
Some set up? Have you contacted all of the parties? How many words can 
you write? Are you doing a profile? Narrative? Just the facts? A 
combination? What kinds of challenges to do you foresee?
(c)    Why your story belongs in Blackfly. Is it about Ontario? Why 
would Ontarians want to read about this? Who is impacted? Who would be 
interested in this?
(d)   An introduction to you. Tell us why you want to write this and 
what writing experience or other useful experience you have to this 
story. Support this with samples of your work. You don't need to be 
super-experienced, but we need to see something you've written before.
(e)    Contact info: where can we find you? We need a phone number, 
even if you're out-of-province.

Examples of good topics for our magazine:
-          Land claims after Caledonia
-          Nuclear power in Ontario
-          Rural transit
-          Special Diet Supplement
-          Curriculum in Ontario schools
-          Transgendered healthcare after being de-listed from OHIP

Obviously the examples above would need to be fine-tuned and given 
clear focus. Feel free to take on any of the above.

**NOTE** Blackfly is particularly interested in articles written about 
happenings and situations in rural Ontario and within Aboriginal 
communities. We feel that these two groups have been underrepresented 
by the media for decades (to say the least) and we'd like to help turn 
that trend around.

PITCHES ARE DUE MAY 18, 2006 AT 11:59PM (EST)

E-mail all inquiries to: info at blackflymagazine.com
Pitches should be e-mailed, unless other arrangements are made.

Since we are a new magazine, we unfortunately cannot compensate anyone 
for their articles. You will, however, receive a free one-year 
subscription of the magazine and a Blackfly t-shirt. We hope that in 
the future we will have the funds to pay writers what they deserve for 
their work.