General Call for Papers 

Contributions are invited for Short Fiction in Theory and Practice, a peer-reviewed journal looking at the short story from a practice-based perspective. Once overlooked by literary critics, and sometimes dismissed as a practice run for the novel, the short story is finally receiving due attention as a major art form, and one which is especially suited to the digital age. Short Fiction responds to this resurgence, providing an international forum for the growing number of writers who integrate critical research with their own creative practice.

While there are a number of literary magazines publishing short fiction, there are fewer opportunities to discuss its writing and transmission. We are seeking articles which explore the poetics of short-story writing (its reading, adaptation and translation) and the place of the short story in global culture. While celebrating the uniqueness of short-story writing, we will also explore its diversity. We intend to cross generic and disciplinary boundaries, welcoming contributions which explore the connections between short fiction and other means of expression.

Article submissions

Articles should be between 4000 and 8000 words in length. Topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Short-story composition, writerly practice and the poetics of short-story writing
• Transmission and publishing contexts (e.g. the anthology; online publication; the short story and radio; short-story prizes; the role of the editor)
• Writing flash fiction, the novella, sequences, cycles and hybrid forms
• Sub-genres, e.g. the science-fiction short story, the supernatural, crime fiction
• Multimedia and hypertext; short stories online
• Autobiographical and non-fiction short stories
• Oral storytelling
• Short-story writing and identity, e.g. race, class, gender, nationality
• Readings of, and responses to, texts by contemporary short story authors
• Translation and adaptation
• The short story and other media (e.g. photography, music)
• Political, cultural, social contexts (e.g. the short story as samizdat, postcolonialism and short-story writing)

The editors will also consider 

• Original creative work if it embodies or incorporates a substantial element of the writer’s poetics
• Interviews with writers
• Translations of short fiction not previously published in English

Please contact the editor in the first instance, with proposals for translations, interviews or creative work.

All articles submitted should be original work and must not be under consideration by other publications.

Journal contributors will receive a free PDF copy of their final work upon publication. Print copies of the journal may also be purchased by contributors at half price.

Special Issue Call for Papers

Special Issue: ‘Uniquely Canadian Cultural Narratives’

Guest edited by Zsuzsanna Lénárt-Muszka, University of Debrecen, Hungary

In 1972, seventeen-year-old Heather Scott submitted a memorable entry – ‘As Canadian as possible under the circumstances’ – to radio host Peter Gzowski’s contest seeking the perfect Canadian aphorism. But even before this iconic phrase, the question of what it means to be Canadian had been debated for generations. From garrison mentality and biculturalism to multiculturalism, Canada has frequently relied on such notions to define its identity, while simultaneously attempting to erase First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and downplaying the contributions of various other minority groups. Today, amid increasing global migration, calls for reconciliation, bids to recognize and celebrate diverse communities, and official measures such as Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (2024-2028), the question of what – if anything – constitutes ‘Canadianness’ is still open.

The international, peer-reviewed journal, Short Fiction in Theory and Practice (Intellect Books) is inviting original submissions for a special issue to be published in 2026 that seeks to explore how short fiction reflects on historical and contemporary notions of ‘Canadianness’. We invite proposals for scholarly papers that investigate short fiction written in or about Canada and address questions related – but not limited – to the following:

• Canadian identity and the legitimacy of Canadian narratives
• Indigenous perspectives on Canadian cultural narratives
• The imbrications of national or regional identity and race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
• Historical perspectives and the evolution of Canadian cultural identities and narratives
• Narratives of migration vis-à-vis Canadianness; narratives of belonging and exclusion
• Outside perspectives on what is ‘uniquely’ Canadian
• The construction of identity and places/spaces; regional identities

Proposals that offer interdisciplinary perspectives or challenge conventional understandings of Canadian identity are particularly encouraged. Additionally, we welcome proposals that examine how short fiction can disrupt or complicate dominant narratives surrounding Canadian identity. We also welcome short stories as well as reflections on practice from short-story writers.

Articles should be 4,000–8,000 words long and must not exceed 8,000 words including notes, references, contributor biography, keywords and abstract. All submissions are peer-reviewed. Contributions should be submitted electronically through the journal webpage by clicking the submissions tab above.

For further enquiries, please contact the editor, Professor Ailsa Cox, coxa@edgehill.ac.uk. The deadline for submissions is 15 September 2025.