Submit Your Work

ShadeWorks is seeking short works of speculative dark fiction, and horror-themed illustrations. New issues will be published each month, containing up to 5 short stories and 5 sets of illustrations. We try to respond to submitters within a month (usually sooner) to let them know if their work has been accepted. All guidelines are subject to editor discretion.

Short Stories

What are we looking for?

  • Story-driven horror, dark fantasy, dark comedy, or suspense tales.
  • Well-written prose. You don't need a degree in English Literature, just a grasp of the English language and some style.

What are we not looking for?

  • We don't want Dracula retold, nor do we want fan fiction - these have to be original tales. But there's nothing wrong with vampires, werewolves, or any other well-loved subject. Remember, it's about the story. If we keep turning the pages, we're sold.
  • Gratuitous anything (e.g. gore for the sake of gore).
  • Child molestation or sexual abuse of any kind (mention of such things in back-story as motive may be acceptable).

Submission Guidelines

  • Submitted manuscripts should be 6,000 words or less.
  • Only one submission per month.
  • If your submission is published on ShadeWorks, you may not publish it in its entirety anywhere else for three months after the ShadeWorks publication date (outtakes, blurbs and teasers are fine).
  • You retain all copyrights to your work. However, you grant us the right to publish your work in one of our issues, in our archives, and in a print edition should one be made.
  • Currently we only accept emailed submissions, which must be attached and in rich text format (.rtf) or MS Word (.doc) format. We understand the hassles of reformatting for everyone's whims, so please just ensure that your submissions are legible and in a serif font. Brownie points are given if you follow William Shunn's short story manuscript format.

Email your submissions in RTF or MS Word format to .

Illustration and Artwork Submissions

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. A scantily-clad man or woman in distress is fine, that same man or woman mounting (or being mounted by) a demon is not.

Submission Guidelines

  • Currently we only accept emailed submissions in JPG or PNG format.
  • Up to five works may be submitted per month. If we do choose your work, we can't guarantee that all submitted work will be featured (in most cases we will only choose one).
  • If your submission is published on ShadeWorks, you may not publish it in its entirety anywhere else for three months after the ShadeWorks publication date (thumbnails or croppings to use as teasers/links to your work on ShadeWorks is fine).
  • You retain all copyrights to your work. However, you grant us the right to publish your work in one of our issues, in our archives, and in a print edition should one be made.
  • Each submission must be a maximum of 770 pixels in width (height is unlimited within reason). Any submissions wider than this will be shrunk, so we advise you to size your image(s) before sending, unless you want your work to be at the mercy of our "save for web" button.

Email your submissions in JPG or PNG format to .

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.