Submission Guidelines - General

The quality of the writing is the chief criterion. We also consider it our mandate to encourage Atlantic Canadians and Canadian writers - although excellent writing can come from anywhere. We also welcome new and young writers.

Long pieces may displace several shorter ones, so the longer the piece the higher its quality should be as there is less chance we will read it through and less chance we will respond with a critique.

Most pieces that meet our minimum standard are read by at least 2 readers, and all works published are read and approved by at least 2 readers and a senior editor. Because of this, we may be a bit slow in responding, but we try to answer authors within 2-3 months. We sometimes suggest revisions, but if a writer sends back a revised version we feel no obligation to publish it; it has to compete with the new stories it arrives with.

We also respond to rejected submissions with suggestions when we can, particularly if we are asked to do so and particularly with new or young writers, and the closer the writer is to us geographically, Canadian, American, or other, the more trouble we take.

Please be patient with us. We read everything, sometimes four times, and we have high quality help who get no pay. So if our comments sometimes seem cryptic, enigmatic, or even on the edge of something even worse, don't get cross at us - maybe we're tired or grumpy. But just the same we love to get your stuff.

PLEASE NOTE we do not accept submissions which have been previously published in any format.