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On Spec The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic

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About

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Our little quarterly journal, On Spec adheres to a strong mandate that has served us well over the years. We discover and showcase quality works by predominantly Canadian writers and artists, in the genre we call “Fantastic” literature. We foster the growth of emerging writers in this genre, by offering support and direction through constructive criticism, education, mentoring, and manuscript development. We try to publish as many new writers as possible, alongside works by established writers, and we also endeavour to support these writings with innovative cover art for every mind-bending and emotion-provoking issue!

Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s).

Country of Publication & Year Established

Canada Established in 1989

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print PublicationPublished 4 x per year.

Fiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Fantasy. Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Supernatural.

Horror. Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Supernatural.

Science Fiction. Open to all/most Subgenres.

Lengths:
Flash FictionUp to 1,000 words; Unknown number of pieces.
Short Story1,000 - 6,000 words; Unknown number of pieces.
Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) to Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Provides free copy/copies Pay ranges from Semi-pro payment to Professional payment. Provides free copy/copies. Details: CAD $100 for stories under 2,000 words; $0.05/word for longer works.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.


Poetry Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Fantasy. Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Supernatural.

Horror. Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Magic Realism, Supernatural.

Science Fiction. Open to all/most Subgenres.

Lengths:
Poem4 - 100 lines; Unknown number of pieces.
Poetry Forms:

Blank verse, Free verse, Prose poetry.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Professional payment (US$50 or more per poem) Provides free copy/copies Professional payment. Provides free copy/copies. Details: CAD $100.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.


Visual Art Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Lengths:
Artwork
Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

Unknown payment Provides free copy/copies Unknown payment. Provides free copy/copies.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.


Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

On Spec Submission Statistics — Free Preview!

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.
AccuracyWe have received 15 reports from 14 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported27 min | 102.1 mean avg | 106.0 median | 186 max days (186.4 std dev)
Responses93.33 %
Acceptances20.00 % of submissions accepted (165.3 avg. days per acceptance) | 21.43 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here.
Rejections73.33 % (74.4 avg. days per rejection) | 72.7 % personal, 18.2 % form, 9.1 % unspecified
Non-Responses6.67 %
Lost/Returned-
Never Responded-
Withdrawals6.67 % (32.0 avg. days per withdrawal)
Pending7 responses are pending (90 min | 99.1 mean avg | 97.0 median | 114 max days waiting | 8.9 std dev) from 7 different members This only includes pending reports from users who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days

Other Information

Submissions are acknowledged within 2 days on average.
Most recent response reported was received on 01 Apr 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 30 Jan 2025.

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Dates

Last Updated: 22 Feb 2025
Last Audited: 25 Dec 2024. (We audit each active listing twice a year. Learn more at link.)
Date Added: 25 Jul 2005

Before Submitting

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