Welcome to Exile’s Submittable platform, open to receive your literary and visual arts submissions for our publishing consideration.
At Exile Editions (books) and EXILE Quarterly (literary & visual arts magazine, issued 4 times a year) we are publishers of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, and art – with some 500 books and over 170 issues published since 1972.
We are, most notably, two very distinct operations, with mandates and missions specific to each organization: Exile Editions is a for-profit entity that produces an annual list of books (back to 1975), whereas The Excelsis Group – publishing EXILE Quarterly, first issue released in 1972 – undertakes educational programs codifying its broad educational mandate.
We accept submissions for:
1) Fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, and visual arts that a) relate to the magazine, and b) as individual authored titles, and/or for our various anthology series.
2) The $15,000 Carter V. Cooper Short Fiction competition. Note: in 2022, after a wonderful decade in which we awarded over $125,000 to Canadian writers, the CVC prize came to an end in 2021 – but… in the autumn of 2022 we will launch the new Morley Callaghan Short Fiction Literary Competition and Awards!
3) The $3,000 Gwendolyn MacEwen Poetry competition/award. Year Nine submissions close on September 15, 2022.
4) Works by unsolicited writers, to be considered by Exile Editions (book manuscripts) and EXILE Quarterly (individual contributions). Be it a full manuscript, or individual work, we have a *no multiple submissions* policy - i.e. when submitting to us, do not send the same material to other publishers. Please see our Submittable guidelines, or our mail-in submission guidelines (available at: www.ExileQuarterly.com).
Calling on Canadian Writers and Artists!
We are in the process of acquiring written and visual material toward the production of two special themed issues of EXILE Quarterly, with anticipated release dates of December 2024, and June 2025.
Both topics are very much at the forefront of contemporary public discourse and discussion, which requires individuals to delve into universal beliefs and expectations, while discussing the aspects of what it means to be “up” or “down” in public and/or popular opinion as a means to open avenues to new ways of seeing, thinking, accepting, rejecting, and accountability, to name a variety of angles.
Our WAR issue is first-up, and for this we are looking to include works that focus on “hot spots” around the world – done by writers/artists from and/or directly familiar with the following regions: a) Sudan (ongoing devastation) and/or anywhere across the African continent; b) South and South-East Asia; c) Latin America and the Caribbean (like Haiti, in a total state of turmoil); and recent “conflicts” in regions like Northern Ireland, Eastern Europe, etc.).
If you would like to submit Art (photographs, paintings, drawings, even videos that we can include as links from our pages, etc.): please contact us by email at: admin@exilequarterly.com
Important: we are NOT accepting material related to the Palestian-Israeli war (but, if you would like to email us with your suggestion, and credentials to write/do art on this topic, you may contact the publisher at admin@exilequearterly.com to discuss your proposal).
Please note: we are expecting a funding decision from the Ontario Arts Council, due in August, as to their support of these projects. We of course anticipate a positive result, but if it does not come, we may be required to adjust/re-plan our expected production of these issues.
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Space in our 96-page issues is very limited (a total of 10 to 15 contributors appear in any issue, and an open call may finally include 4 or 5 Submittable-accepted works per issue), and so we ask that you carefully consider what you are sending us! In the end, this is like a COMPETITION, and we are only accepting submissions for one month between July 17 to Aug 15, 2024. (Depending on what we receive/accept from this open call, we may or may not extend submissions beyond one month – so please check back to this Submittable form if you would like to submit after the initial August 15 deadline).
Important: Our 50+ year history is one of publishing the “best works” by emerging, mid-career, and established Canadian (and international; approx. 10-15%) content creators. We also place an emphasis on presenting a well-rounded blend of Indigenous, racialized, and official language creators throughout our pages, but in the end selection comes down to a single defining determination: QUALITY.
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Issue 1 (47.2, 2024):
WAR & OPPRESSION is a very pertinent and timely topic in today’s world of social and political upheaval, unrest, aggression, subjugation, and injustice as we see all around us and partake in efforts to enable peace, prosperity, safety, security, and happiness.
Issue 2 (48.1, 2025):
ANGELS: FALLEN AND ON HIGH IN OUR TIMES will focus on literary and visual representation and/or exploration of the theme of “angels” in any context, including, but not limited to: spirits or individuals in Indigenous traditional and contemporary mythology; within the scope of sexual fluidity; how good and bad plays out under the influence of different religions; the role of angelic intervention as reported in historical contexts; angels as carriers of wisdom and knowledge in the cultural traditions brought to Canada by newcomers with a focus on non-European content; angelic representation in the literature and painting within culturally-identifying groups like the Quebecois/East Coast/Prairies/Nunavut/West Coast, and more…
Submitting:
Fiction: Up to
Nonfiction
Poetry
Drama.
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SPECIAL OFFER!
If you are not familiar with EXILE Quarterly, and would like to take a look at our publication, please contact us at admin@exilequarterly.com to receive a complimentary 4-issue/2-year trial subscription at no cost (print issues are bi-annual – we are planning digital issues to launch in 2025, which will be made available to you, and which will fulfill our publishing as a quarterly periodical).
The Morley Callaghan “Best Canadian Short Story” Competition and Awards
$10,000 FOR CANADA’S BEST SHORT STORY! $2,500 for the Runner up
Submission period: Monday, July 15, 2024 through Friday, January 31, 2025
Open only to Canadian writers.
All genres and styles considered.
• A story’s length is not to exceed 5,000 words. Your story should be submitted with double-spacing, on 8.5x11 pages, in a serif (Times, Garamond, etc.) 11 or 12 point font.
• There is no restriction on the number of submissions, subject matter, or style.
• If submitting more than one story, please complete a form for each story.
• Each story submitted requires a $45.00 fee.
• Each story submitted will receive a one-year/2-issue subscription to our EXILE Quarterly ($40.00 value).
• Important: Do NOT have your name appear anywhere on the pages of the story. Make sure to paginate and put the story’s title on each page.
The winners and up to four finalists will appear in EXILE Quarterly in 2025 (Volume 48). And we are planning a anthology volume of the winners and selected shortlisted writers, for release in 2025.
The competition is open to Canadian writers only – Complete guidelines and information at: www.ExileQuarterly.com/poetry-and-fiction-competitions
(In 2023 this competition was launched as The inaugural Nona Heaslip $15,000 “Best Canadian Short Story” Competition and Award in memory of Morley Callaghan. Ms. Heaslip died in late 2024 – and so we have new, anonymous patronage.)
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Completing the Submission Form: You will be asked to include the following information:
a) Full Address (for your subscription).
b) Email and Telephone Number (in case we need to contact you).
c) Brief biography that includes previous periodical/online publications and/or book-length releases – publishing related information only, please.
d) Indicate if you are an Emerging Writer – or a Writer at Any Career Point (with at least three published poetry books under your name). If there is a determination to be made, the judges will assess/confirm your category, based on your biography, books publication, awards, national media recognition, etc.
e) If you prefer we do not add your email to our mailing list, please indicate this on the submission form. (Each year we send some 10 - 15 notifications about our literary events, updates on Exile Editions books and EXILE Quarterly new releases, follow up on our competitions, etc.). Or, you can indicate you prefer only to receive email updates for this particular contest.
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For full contest details: www.ExileQuarterly.com/poetry-and-fiction-competitions
If you have any submission questions, email: admin@exilequarterly.com
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We still do old school…
POSTAL MAIL – SUBMIT TO:
EXILE Quarterly (please indicate: Attn: fiction competition)
170 Wellington Street West
PO Box 308 Mount Forest ON N0G 2L0
Important: include a cover letter with your contact details, and all other relevant information.
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$45 Fee for submitting: this goes to the editors who read and consider the submissions.
Payment methods:
1) Pay with your Submittable submission.
2) If submitting by Canada Post, include a cheque payable to THE EXCELSIS GROUP.
3) If submitting by Canada Post, make an e-transfer to competitions@exilequarterly.com (important: indicate what the fee relates to).
Recycle:
We do not return submissions. All materials are recycled, or properly disposed of.
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Administered under the auspices of Exile Editions, The Excelsis Group and EXILE Quarterly.
The Morley Callaghan “Best Canadian Short Story” Competition and Awards
$3,000 FOR CANADA’S BEST SUITES OF POETRY!
($1,500 for Best Suite by an Emerging Writer. $1,500 for Best Suite by a Writer at Any Career Point)
Submission period: Monday, July 15, 2024 through Friday, January 31, 2025.
All forms and styles of poetry considered.
Open only to Canadian writers.
General guidelines:
• Up to 16 pages of poetry may be submitted as a suite (we advise the poems be a related grouping, not a hodgepodge of random selections; you may also submit a long/single poem).
• Formatting: single line spacing, on 8.5x11 pages, in a serif (e.g. Times, Garamond, etc.) 11 or 12 point font.
• There is no restriction on the number of submissions, subject matter, or style.
• If submitting more than one suite, please complete a separate submission form for each entry.
• Each suite submitted requires a $35.00 submission fee.
• Each suite submitted will receive a one-year/2-issue subscription to our EXILE Quarterly ($40.00 value).
• Do NOT have your name appear anywhere on the pages of the poetry. Make sure to paginate (1/30, 2/30, 3/30...) and put the suite title on each page.
• Important: All (or any single) poems must not have been previously published. All work submitted for this competition must not be scheduled for publication in a book or anthology during the adjudication of our competition and/or and must not have been submitted elsewhere during the adjudication of our competition (approximately April 1, 2025 and/or until the short list is announced).
Completing the Submission Form: You will be asked to include the following information:
a) Full Address (for your subscription).
b) Email and Telephone Number (in case we need to contact you).
c) Brief biography that includes previous periodical/online publications and/or book-length releases – publishing related information only, please.
d) Indicate if you are an Emerging Writer – or a Writer at Any Career Point (with at least three published poetry books under your name). If there is a determination to be made, the judges will assess/confirm your category, based on your biography, books publication, awards, national media recognition, etc.
e) If you prefer we do not add your email to our mailing list, please indicate this on the submission form. (Each year we send some 10 - 15 notifications about our literary events, updates on Exile Editions books and EXILE Quarterly new releases, follow up on our competitions, etc.). Or, you can indicate you prefer only to receive email updates for this particular contest.
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For full contest details: www.ExileQuarterly.com/poetry-and-fiction-competitions
If you have any submission questions, email: admin@exilequarterly.com
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We still do old school…
POSTAL MAIL – SUBMIT TO:
EXILE Quarterly (please indicate: Attn: poetry /competition)
170 Wellington Street West
PO Box 308 Mount Forest ON N0G 2L0
Important: include a cover letter with your contact details, and any other relevant information.
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$35 Fee for submitting: this goes to the editors who read and consider the submissions.
Payment methods:
1) Pay with your Submittable submission.
2) If submitting by Canada Post, include a cheque payable to THE EXCELSIS GROUP.
3) If submitting by Canada Post, make an e-transfer to competitions@exilequarterly.com (important: indicate what the fee relates to).
Recycle: We do not return submissions. All materials are recycled, or properly disposed of.
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Administered under the auspices of The Excelsis Group and EXILE Quarterly.
EXILE: The Literary Quarterly supports, encourages, and presents a vital and diverse arts ecology that enriches the reading and cultural experiences of our Canadian and international newsstand and subscription readers.
EXILE publishes literary and speculative fiction, poetry, non-fiction, drama, translations, and a wide range of visual arts/artists, from across Canada and around the world.
We publish quarterly, and in those 4 issues per year feature approximately 60 - 70 contributors.
Only previously unpublished material will be considered for publication. We look for progressive talent who have previously published through to new talent redefining the boundaries of contemporary literature and art.
$10 fee required for Submittable, or if submitting by Canada Post (cheque) – or by e-transfer to competitions@exilequarterly.com (important: indicate what the fee relates to).
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Submitting/Genres:
FICTION
We consider a strong narrative voice, memorable characters, and a unique flair that aspires to represent the diverse Canadian mosaic.
NON-FICTION
This content can appear in any of our feature sections – Word & Art, Gravitas, My Five, among others – but also can be stand-alone social or political commentary. We look for well-considered (and researched) writing with a literary style that will interest our readership and experts alike. We avoid dry, jargon-filled academic prose.
POETRY
We look for a distinct voice found in the lines. We are open to all forms of poetic approaches.
TRANSLATION
Works in translation (fiction and poetry) include Francophone into English, as well as international authors into English (most often translated by Canadians). Our long-standing tradition of supporting translation includes over 400 such works to date.
DRAMA
A self-contained selection from a larger work, or a short/complete dramatic piece.
VISUAL ART
For over 45 years we have presented an incredibly wide range of visual approaches: painting, drawing, photography, illustration, mixed media, sculpture – publishing anything that is rooted in integrity, displays purpose, and that will resonate with our readers.
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DO:
Consider if your submission is compatible with our publishing program: we assume you have read previous issues... but if not, take the time to look at past issues (contributors) on our website – or perhaps consider ordering previous print copies to familiarize yourself with our 50 years and over 2,500 contributions-to-date.
Using Submittable (also applicable for snail mail):
• Cover Letter telling us about yourself and your contribution.
• Brief CV indicating only your publishing-related history (if applicable).
• Fiction – please try to stay under 3,500 words.
• Poetry – a suite of 8 to 10 poems.
• Non-fiction – an outline of the concept, plus either the complete text, or a sample.
• Art with Non-fiction (or vice versa; or with fiction; or poetry) the proposed contribution in its entirety (as a PDF in 72 dpi resolution).
• Drama – it must be a complete work, eg. an Act from a full play that stands on its own, or a short play – either option, up to 10 pages.
• Visual Art - 4 to 8 selections of art that will work as a stand-alone section.
After submitting, please be patient. We receive some 500 unsolicited submissions a year (plus those by way of other open calls, such as our literary competitions and editor-recommendations) and it takes time for them to be evaluated. We aim to respond to all submissions within three months.
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DO NOT:
Send us a submission if you have sent it out to other publishers for consideration.
Send us a submission if you are not a Canadian citizen or resident. We do not accept unsolicited materials from non-Canadian writers (although we do publish international writers based on recommendation).
Send us your submission electronically to an Exile Quarterly email account.
Contact us regarding the status of your submission. We keep track of all submissions received. (However, if four months have passed, you may email us at admin@exilequarterly.com)
Expect feedback. We do not offer editorial comment on submissions unless we feel the work has potential for inclusion in our magazine.
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We still do old school…
POSTAL MAIL – SUBMIT TO:
EXILE Quarterly
(please indicated: Attn: fiction / poetry / non-fiction / drama / visual arts editor)
170 Wellington Street West
PO Box 308
Mount Forest ON N0G 2L0
Important: include a cover letter with your contact details, and any other relevant information.
Recycle: we do not return submissions; all materials are recycled, or properly disposed of.
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$10 Fee for submitting: this goes to the editors who read and consider the submissions.
Payment methods:
1) Apply to your Submittable submission.
2) If submitting by Canada Post, include a cheque payable to THE EXCELSIS GROUP.
3) If submitting by Canada Post, make an e-transfer to competitions@exilequarterly.com (important: indicate what the fee relates to).