Guidelines
Shadowplay is currently OPEN to submissions. Our reading window is from October 15th to March 15th.
How to submit your work
We will only accept previously unpublished work—including digital/online content—submitted through email at shadowplaylit@gmail.comPlease put “Genre: FirstName LastName” as your email subject line (for example, Fiction: Elvis Presley). We aim to respond to submissions within six months.
Submission fee
Submitting material to Shadowplay is absolutely free.
Multiple submissions
You are welcome to submit once per period to each genre. If submitting to different genres, please do so in separate emails.
Simultaneous submissions
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. We do request that you notify us as soon as possible if you intend to publish your piece elsewhere.
Feedback and payment
We regrettably cannot give individual feedback on submissions, nor are we a paying market. All contributors will receive one complimentary print copy of their contributing issue. Additional copies may be purchased from Amazon.
Length and styling
Bio
Include a third-person bio—100 word maximum—in the body of your emailed submission. A cover letter is not necessary.
There is no minimum word count, but please make sure fiction and nonfiction submissions are at 2,500 words or under. Poetry must be at or under five typed pages, with each new poem beginning on a separate page.
Keep submitted work in a single document, attached as a .doc or .docx. Do not copy and paste work into the body of the email and do not use .pdf unless the format requires it.
Bio
Include a third-person bio—100 word maximum—in the body of your emailed submission. A cover letter is not necessary.
Submission fee
Submitting material to Shadowplay is absolutely free.
Multiple submissions
You are welcome to submit once per period to each genre. If submitting to different genres, please do so in separate emails.
Simultaneous submissions
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable. We do request that you notify us as soon as possible if you intend to publish your piece elsewhere.
Feedback and payment
We regrettably cannot give individual feedback on submissions, nor are we a paying market. All contributors will receive one complimentary print copy of their contributing issue. Additional copies may be purchased from Amazon.
Permissions
We will consider all submitted work for the print journal; some work will additionally be featured on Shadowplay’s website. We acquire first North American serial rights for all accepted work.