The Results Are In
TNQ is proud to announce the results of our second-ever readership survey.
First things first: the winner of the TNQ Ultimate Winter Reading Kit is Joanne McCabe. Congratulations!
We received a 25% response rate among our subscribers; thank you, all of you, for answering our questions. Thanks as well to Catherine Muss for tabulating the numbers and transcribing all of our readers' comments: a herculean task. The comments we received were widely varied: some made us blush, while others made us laugh; some made us think, and all of them made us feel proud to have such a thoughtful and intelligent audience. Here are the highlights:
Our readers like to share:
47% of you share your copy with at least one other person; 14% share with two or more. 12% donate your copy to a local school, coffee shop, or hospital.
Our readers like to write:
55% of you write creatively in addition to a 'day job'; 11% write for a living. 36% of you have sent your work to TNQ and/or have been published in TNQ.
Our readers like to, uh, read:
55% of you re-read TNQ. Outside of TNQ, you enjoy reading fiction (90%); non-fiction (69%); newspapers (68%); Other literary/cultural magazines (67%); poetry (58%); glossy mags (24%); blogs (16%). Some 24% of you also enjoy reading 'other' (among our fave responses from readers who elaborated: food lit, other people's emails, anthologies, "medical stuff for a newsletter", graphic novels, cookbooks, Funds For Writers newsletter, and D.B. Scott's blog.)
Our readers like to buy (and borrow) books:
69% of you buy books at indie bookstores; only 36% buy books online. 37% of you have bought an author's books after encountering him or her in TNQ!
And finally, as promised, a selection of your responses to the question:
Tell us what you think of TNQ.
“I love this mag. It fits in my bag that holds the rest of my life. It goes well with a homemade latte. I can read it in bits and pieces when my life is in bits and pieces or I can soak it up at length like a long bath. It takes me out of myself and brings me back. Keep up the good work.”
“I like it because you guys have a sense of humour. Some lit mags are a bit too full of themselves - you have the ability to reach out to readers of all sorts, not just the upper crust lit crowd. I also enjoy the opportunity to submit my stuff, and your rejection letters are polite and encouraging.”
“I like its personality, and the fact that it acknowledges that writers have personalities. That is, I enjoy reading the interviews, essays, lists, profiles, and having a sense of the editors' personal engagement with the magazine. While I feel on occasion that this ‘personality’ occupies valuable space that could otherwise be devoted to more strictly literary content (more quality poetry and fiction; reviews), ultimately I'm glad that TNQ is just as it is. Other journals do other things, and TNQ reminds me that, in addition to being a writer and a reader, I'm a human being.”
“I’m not sure your magazine can be improved upon. It’s absolutely terrific! My favourite issue so far is #99 To Laugh or Cry: the Comedy Issue. Feature of Steven Heighton’s poetry and/or short stories (he’s one of my favourite writers and very handsome to boot!). Some pictures of him would also enhance the look of the magazine. Just kidding. Keep up the great work.”
“I like the new square format. I like the writing. I really like special issues .... I don’t like always seeing the same ‘staple’ TNQ writers – while they are good, I’d like to see the mag branch out to other voices.”
“Love the size and look. I get a lot of magazines (quarterlies etc), but yours is the best. I like how you include excellent art and photography and at the same time avoid being ‘artsy-fartsy’ (you asked us to be honest). Too much poetry is not for me though I read it in several Canadian magazines. I have the feeling that your staff is an honest bunch, doing an excellent job without deifying themselves. Keep it up!”
“I preferred the previous shape of the magazine it was handier for reading in bed. Most of the poetry baffles me, but it could be me. I love the postscript short stories. The short bios are useful, I always read them.”
“It seems like it’s more of an ‘inside the Canadian published writers’ scene than other literary mags. A bit of a “Who’s Who” and elitist. I still want to read it but it has a pompous air to it. You asked!”
“More photographs/artwork. I am a visual person. *Print on recycled paper. (Otherwise, I love TNQ!)”
*We do print on recycled paper!
“I was very trepidations about the new design, because the new width makes it impossible to hold in one hand (in case you need the other for the bus pole). BUT the gorgeous new page layouts and (especially) covers convinced me it was worth falling over on the bus occasionally. I am completely sold now. What I love first and foremost about TNQ is the emphasis on new and thrilling short fiction. I really like the writing process essays also, as well as the sensitive interviews, reader-responses and appreciations. I pretty much just love the journal, cover to cover.”
“As silly and frivolous as it seems, the magazine no longer fits snugly on my bookshelf. So now I don't keep copies and reread them - they don't fit so I donate them right away. I like the longer novella stories, I like cartoons and illustrations. I like to think I encourage local writers by subscribing - that makes me feel good. Thank you for this.”
“Very few ‘literary’ magazines print ‘traditional form’ poetry. Why? Is it because few poets choose to write in a ‘tradtional’ i.e. ‘rhyme and metre’ form, or is it just not acceptable these days’ in ‘literary’ magazines ? I'm curious about this. Would you consider printing such poetry if it met your editorial standards in all other ways?” - J. L. Salvas
“I really like The New Quarterly because it has exposed me to the world of Canadian writing. Before I knew of TNQ, I had never been to a reading, or read poetry outside of high school class. I like reading the different types of stories that I wouldn’t find on my own. I also like the friendly and welcoming attitude of TNQ – I should be intimidated because I’m not a big literary person, but TNQ makes me feel like I’m part of a community of readers and writers. I also like that it looks and feels more like a book than a magazine. Keep up the great work!!”
