At Geist, a Vancouver magazine published four times a year since 1990, you find fiction, essays, poetry, photography, comics and a crossword, all written from a Canadian point of view. It began in a living room and grew into one of the largest literary magazines in the country.
Ever wondered who decided a crossword belongs next to a poem? We did too, so let’s dig in together, like friends over coffee.
What is Geist magazine and where does the name come from?
Geist is a Canadian literary magazine of ideas and culture. The name is the German word for mind or spirit, which also covers ghost, so the title carries a small wink. The magazine describes its cultural focus as “North of America,” a phrase that explains almost every editorial choice it makes.
The stated tone is articulate, humorous and identifiably Canadian. You won’t find stiff academic prose. You get plain talk, odd facts and writing that respects your time.
Who started Geist and how did it begin?
Stephen Osborne and Mary Schendlinger launched the magazine in 1990 in their living room. The first version was a 40-page newsprint publication, financed with roughly $7,500. That is less than many people spend on a used car, yet it grew into a magazine that has published more than 1,500 writers and artists, many of them in print for the first time.
Osborne has been described as wanting something other than another literary quarterly. He wanted good writing for a wide audience, not a club for insiders. The people at Geist still seem to share that ambition, and you can feel it in how approachable the pages are. A first-time reader isn’t made to feel behind.
How did the leadership change?
After 95 issues, the founders stepped down in April 2015 and staff members took over, starting with Geist 96. The announcement was written as a tongue-in-cheek “usurpation,” which tells you plenty about the house style. Today a small team runs the magazine with help from interns, volunteers and an editorial board.
What can you read at Geist?
The mix is wider than most people expect. Here is how we would sort it.
Narrative writing
Fiction and non-fiction essays form the core. The editors focus on the art and politics of narrative, so a piece usually has a story to tell rather than a position to defend. Short dispatches, which are first-hand accounts of simple encounters with people, places or objects, are a reader favourite.
Poetry, photography and comix
Verse and visual work sit beside the prose. Comix gets a proper section, not a token page. If you think of comics as kid stuff, this is where that idea tends to fall apart.
Maps, facts and puzzles
Cartography, little-known facts, reviews and the crossword round things out. The magazine is known for playful lists such as Canadian placenames that sound impolite, and for a beer map of Canada. It is a good example of how serious craft and silliness share a page.
What are the contests and campaigns at Geist?
Few magazines turn a postage stamp into an event. The Geist Annual Literal Literary Postcard Contest does exactly that: as the name suggests, it asks writers for short work sized to fit a postcard. Constraints like that force sharp writing, and many of us find them more fun than an open page.
The magazine also runs petitions. One campaign pushed for folk singer Stan Rogers to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Whether you agree with every cause or not, and plenty of readers won’t, it shows a publication that treats culture as something to act on, not only to review.
What else happens at Geist beyond the printed pages?
The official site lists writing workshops, a classroom programme called Geist in the Classroom, a newsletter, merchandise and an archive of past issues. That is a lot for a small team to juggle. It suggests the magazine sees itself as a community as much as a product. If you teach, the classroom material is worth a look. If you write, the workshops are a gentle way to test your pages on a friendly crowd. Offerings change, so check the current listings before you plan anything.
Is Geist worth reading and who is it for?
Short answer: yes, if you like essays with personality. Try one dispatch on a bus ride and see whether it holds you. I would point it at curious readers, students of Canadian writing, and anyone tired of scrolling headlines. If you want breaking news, look elsewhere, because this is a quarterly and moves at the speed of ideas.
Here is a fair caveat, and we would rather you hear it from us. A literary magazine rewards patience. You may not love every piece in an issue, and that is normal. Part of the pleasure is stumbling onto something you didn’t know you wanted.
How is Geist funded?
Geist is published by the Geist Foundation. It receives support from private donors, the Canada Council, the B.C. Arts Council, the B.C. Gaming Branch, the City of Vancouver and the Canada Periodical Fund. The magazine is also a member of Magazines Canada and the B.C. Association of Magazine Publishers.
Why does that matter to you? Public and donor funding helps a small Canadian publication survive without chasing clicks. It is also a good reason to read an issue before judging the whole. The magazine is indexed in the Canadian Literary Periodicals Index too, so researchers can still find its articles years later.
How can you read or support Geist?
You have several routes:
- Subscribe to the print magazine, or pick up an issue at a newsstand.
- Donate to the foundation if you value the work.
- Volunteer, which the magazine actively invites.
- Attend an issue launch party, where authors read from the new edition.
We think launch parties are the friendliest way in, and a quiet evening at Geist events beats another night of doomscrolling. You meet writers, hear pages read aloud and leave with a copy.
FAQ
Is Geist magazine Canadian?
Yes. It is published in Vancouver, British Columbia, and calls itself a magazine of ideas and culture with a Canadian point of view. Its writing and art come from across the country, and much of its funding is Canadian too.
Who founded Geist magazine?
Stephen Osborne and Mary Schendlinger founded it in 1990. A new team took over after issue 95, and the founders’ original spirit carried on.
How often is Geist magazine published?
Quarterly, so four issues a year. Circulation is listed at about 10,000 copies, which makes it a large title by Canadian literary standards.
How do I submit my writing to Geist?
Read the magazine first, then check the official submission guidelines before you send anything, since requirements can change. Writers who submit at Geist usually do well when their piece fits its mix of narrative, humour and Canadian perspective.
