Vulgata  Fiction Guidelines

We are looking for well written fiction -- specifically for works that involve a strong fusion or form and content. This means that you can have psychologically uncomplicated characters if you are doing an Indiana Jones style action adventure set during the sack of Constantinople, but then you have to have very well evoked action. Likewise, you can get away with relatively skimpy plot if you are doing an in-depth character portrait a la "Notes from Underground" -- but then your psychological insights have to be genuinely penetrating. Generally, though, I have a preference for works that incorporate multiple different scene types.

The most important thing, no matter what you are doing, is to use images. Good writing -- even good non-fiction -- draws pictures in the head of the reader, even when doing exposition. Farley Mowat's essay on "Snow" is an excellent example. Instead of telling the reader that every snow-flake is unique, he describes a man living in the arctic who has catalogued millions of snow-flakes examined under a microscope and never found a duplicate. Don't tell me what is going on in your story: show me.\

Things to check for before you submit

Have I given thought to form as well as content? Does the structure of my story complement the work?

When I read my work, does it divide neatly into scenes, or is a sort of undifferentiated mush?

Do I use a mix of scene types? (Psychology, Description, Action, Dialogue, Comedy, Horror, Exposition, Romance, Rest, Plot)

Can I visualize my work? Have I put enough cues into the text that readers can visualize it too?

Have I had a critic look this over? (A critic is someone who not only reads your work, but actually recommends significant changes. This is not the same thing as a proof-reader. If you don't know any good critics, I recommend that you submit to the Criticism Service at the Aereopagus Smithy before you submit for publication.)

The details

Submit by email, to slushpile@vulgatamagazine.org. In honour of my father-in-law and web-consultant, we prefer non-Microsoft file formats. RTF is good, ODT is better, or just stick the text in the body of your e-mail. I don't care how you format it. I'll be reading on screen, so you needn't bother with standard manuscript format. Just make sure it's in a straight-forward font that won't confuse my computer.

No multiple or simultaneous submissions. Query about reprints.

Upon publication, we pay a $100 (Canadian) honorarium for first electronic publishing rights and the right to archive your story. I'm hoping to respond to submissions within a month of receiving them. If I get too swamped, I'll post a notice on the submissions page. Don't query earlier than six weeks.

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