Short Stories
ShadeWorks is seeking short works of speculative dark fiction in the horror/dark fantasy genres. We focus mainly on traditional, supernatural stories, but we are open to other sub-genres if they are well written. Each issue will contain up to six stories, and new issues will be launched quarterly*. All guidelines are subject to editor discretion.
Before You Submit
We hope you take your writing seriously. Before you submit your work, please read our tips for writers to better understand what we want and what we don't want. Once you have read our tips, read the guidelines below.
Submitting Your Work
Submitted manuscripts should be 5,000 words or less. We accept up to three submissions per author per month. To submit your work, create an account on the ShadeWorks Community site (it's easy). This submission system allows our editors to review your work, and it allows you to track the status of your submissions. In the near future, the community site will provide message boards to allow readers and writers alike to share their questions, ideas, frustrations, and triumphs.
Series
ShadeWorks also accepts longer works for its series publications. The current limit is 25,000 words, and series are published in 3,000 - 6,000 word chapters. Series submissions should adhere to the same requirements as short stories aside from length.
Illustration and Artwork
ShadeWorks hopes to publish three to five visual pieces per issue and is always open to works from new artists.
What are we looking for?
- Illustrations, paintings, sketches, etc. with horror or dark fantasy themes. We love all things spooky and creepy, and we appreciate subtlety.
- We're open to horror comic strips, provided they match the size requirements listed in the guidelines.
What are we not looking for?
- Manga
- Super villains or anything reminiscent of mainstream comic books.
- Gratuitous anything (e.g. gore for the sake of gore).
- Pornographic or overtly sexual imagery.
Submitting Your Work
Up to five works may be submitted per month. If we do choose your work, we can't guarantee that all submitted pieces will be featured. Accepted submissions will be sized to 680 pixels in width, so feel free to size the images to this width before submitting.
To submit your work, create an account on the ShadeWorks Community site (it's easy). This submission system allows your work to be peer reviewed, and it allows you to track the status of your submissions.
Payment
Sorry, we currently offer no payment for accepted works; just a clean, ad-free online publication, and a notch for your CV or résumé.
*Eventually new issues may be published monthly as the rate of submissions grows.