On Spec 2026: New Canadian Literature of the Fantastic is now open to submissions.
As the name implies, this anthology is open only to Canadian writers. You must be a Canadian citizen or resident of Canada to submit.
Deadline
Because the anthology will be published by Shadowpaw Press this fall, the submission window is narrow. All stories must be received no later than midnight CST/MDT on May 31, 2026—no exceptions. All decisions will be made by the end of June. If you haven’t heard from us by July 15, feel free to reach out.
What kinds of stories?
This is not a themed anthology; rather, it’s a showcase—a cabinet of curiosities, if you like. Send us your best original science fiction or fantasy story. (No horror, although dark SF/fantasy are welcome. Also, no erotica or overly graphic sex or violence—we aim to appeal to a wide audience.)
This anthology is for original, unpublished stories only—no reprints. Simultaneous submissions are not permitted.
No AI
All stories must be written by a human author. Stories generated or substantially assisted by AI tools (such as Claude, Grok, ChatGPT, or others) are not permitted.
Length, rights, and payment
Stories should be no more than 5,000 words. Payment is $0.05 per word CDN, paid on acceptance via PayPal or e-transfer. Stories slightly over 5,000 words may be considered, but payment is capped at $250.00 CDN.
We acquire first English-language world anthology rights (print, electronic, and audio), exclusive for one year from the date of publication, non-exclusive thereafter. After one year, the story may remain in the anthology indefinitely, but you are free to resell it elsewhere.
Your copyright will be acknowledged in the anthology in this form: “Wonderful Wacky Story” © 2026 by I. M. Fabulous.
Submission process
Only one submission per author, please.
Send your submission by email to onspec@shadowpawpress.com.
In the subject line, write: On Spec Submission: “[Story Title]” by [Your Name]
In the body of the email, include:
- Your full contact information (name, mailing address, phone number, email)
- A brief bio (one short paragraph is fine)
- A clear affirmation that you are a Canadian citizen or resident and that the story was written entirely by you with no AI assistance
No separate cover letter is required.
Attach your story as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file only. PDFs will not be accepted. Name the file like this: LastName_StoryTitle.docx (example: Willett_WhatAStory.docx). Use underscores or remove spaces as needed.
Manuscript formatting
Please format your story as follows:
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides
- Double-spaced throughout
- First line of each paragraph indented by 0.5 inches (1.27 cm); do not add extra space between paragraphs
- Left-aligned text (ragged right; do not justify)
On the first page, in the upper left corner: Your full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
On the first page, in the upper right corner: word count.
Centre the story title roughly one-third to halfway down the page, followed on the next line by your byline (e.g., by Jane Doe). The first page does not need a header or page number.
On subsequent pages: Include a running header in the upper right corner: Lastname / Story Title (shortened if long) / Page Number (example: Willett / What A Story / 3)
Indicate scene breaks with a single centred # (or ### if you prefer).
Not crucial but something to note: Shadowpaw Press uses Canadian spellings and Oxford (serial) commas.
What happens if your story is accepted
If your story is accepted, you will receive a contract. Once the contract is signed by both parties, you will receive payment.
You will be asked to provide a concise bio (one short paragraph) for inclusion in the anthology.
Your story will be edited for clarity, consistency, and house style. The edited version will be sent to you with Track Changes enabled so you can review all changes and suggest any further adjustments.
Before publication, you will receive a PDF proof of the full anthology for you to review your story and bio.
After publication, you will receive two print copies of the anthology and one EPUB version. If an audio edition is produced, you will also receive access to it.
Need more information?
Any questions, feel free to email Edward Willett at publisher@shadowpawpress.com.
We look forward to reading your work!
