Guidelines

Submission Checklist

Include the following information in your submission:

• Author bio (50-100 words)
• Abstract (maximum 150 words)
• For special/themed issue submissions: (1) Specify which call for papers you are responding to, and (2) indicate whether you would like your paper to be considered for a future general issue if it is not accepted into the special/themed issue

Submission length

• 7,000-8,000 words maximum (including endnotes and references)
• Shorter works between 2,000-3,000 words may be submitted for consideration for the Opinions & Notes section (specify upon submission). These are not peer reviewed so they are also not considered scholarly articles.

Document formatting

• Font: 12 pt., Times New Roman (or another default font such as Calibri or Arial)
• Spacing: Double-spaced
• Page layout: Standard, with 1-inch margins on each side and 8.5 x 11-inch dimensions
• File format: Word document (.doc or .docx)
• Citations: Formatted according to the latest edition of MLA style

Anonymize your paper

If necessary, submit an original version of your paper and an anonymized version with identifiable information removed, such as acknowledgments sections.

In Microsoft Word documents, author information must be removed from the file.

• On Windows:
  • Go to “Options” under the Tools menu.
  • Go to “Security.”
  • Under “Privacy Options,” select the box “Remove personal information from the file on save,” then click “OK.”
  • Save the file.
• On Mac:
  • Go to “Preferences” under the Word menu.
  • Go to “Security.”
  • Under “Privacy Options,” select the box “Remove personal information from the file on save,” then click “OK.”
  • Save the file.To ensure the integrity of the anonymous peer-review process, every effort should be made to anonymize the identities of authors and reviewers.

Feel free to contact us if you have questions about what is considered identifiable information or want support anonymizing your document.

About the peer review process

Canadian Literature uses a double-anonymous refereeing process. Submissions usually go through two rounds of peer review, with at least two reviewers per round. For the article to be accepted, there must be at least two favourable recommendations in total: either two in the first round, one in each round, or two in the second round. We do not allow a third round of revisions.

A reviewer for the second round may be one of the original referees or may be a new reviewer. Canadian Literature reserves the right to involve additional readers where required.

The editor can make exceptions to the peer reviewers’ decisions, based on the quality of the review, the expertise of the reviewer, and the quality of the submission. However, we usually follow the advice of our expert peer reviewers. The full procedure takes approximately three months or more. We appreciate your patience in the process.

We do NOT currently accept unsolicited reviews. All book reviews are written by contributors contacted by our Reviews Editors. As of summer 2023, we are only publishing new reviews of scholarly works on subjects such as postcolonialism, ecocriticism, feminism, and critical race and class studies, as well as literary and cultural history.

Reviews FAQs

• Is the book review process anonymous?

No, but reviewers must declare any conflicts of interests such as being an author, editor, or otherwise contributor of the book, or being commissioned by a third party to publish a review.

• Where will my review be published?

Reviews are published on our website under New Book Reviews. The editorial team may assign reviews to be published in the “Books in Review” section of our print issues at CanLit‘s discretion.

• Are reviews paid?

Unfortunately, we do not currently offer payment or honoraria for reviews. In advance of your review, CanLit will mail you a copy of the book in review at no cost to you. If your review is selected for publication in a print issue, we will mail you a complimentary copy of the issue in which your review appears.

• I am a book reviewer. see that you do not accept unsolicited reviews, but I think you might be interested in my book review or idea for a book review. Can I still submit one?

Although we do not accept unsolicited book reviews and only publish reviews on scholarly texts, we do welcome statements of interest from potential reviewers. If you are interested in reviewing books for us, please reach out on our Contact Us page. Be prepared to send the following:

1. A CV or Resumé, including your academic qualifications and research interests
2. A 500-word sample of your writing (or a sample review)
3. A short statement of interest outlining which book(s) you are interested in reviewing

• I am an author / publisher / distributor with a forthcoming publication. Would you consider our catalogues or books for review?

If you are interested in sending books to us for review, please use the Contact Us page to coordinate review copies and catalogues.

We accept submissions of original poems from Canadian citizens and permanent residents. All poetry submissions must include a short biography that lists previous publications or, for as yet unpublished poets, a few lines that give context for your work.

Due to space considerations, poems of 1-2 pages in length are preferred. Please do not include more than 5 poems per submission. Files must also be in Portable Document Format (.pdf) to ensure proper spacing and formatting.

Accepted poems will be published in the journal and on the website. Note that your Social Insurance Number will be required for a small honorarium. Separate arrangements for payment will be made if your poem has been accepted for publication.

If you would like to guest edit a special/themed issue of our journal, send queries and proposals using our Contact Us page.

Until 1995, authors publishing in CL held the copyright to their work. With the advent of electronic publishing, however, this arrangement proved no longer practical. After extensive consultation with UBC’s lawyers, CALJ (Canadian Association of Learned Journals), and the Writers’ Union of Canada, CL produced two separate Publishing Agreements (PAs).

You may view examples of our Publishing Agreement here:

• Poetry
• Articles
• Reviews

Poetry Submissions: PAs leave the copyright with the authors

Scholarly articles and reviews: PAs sign the copyright over to the journal. However, authors who relinquish copyright to the journal may still re-publish their work elsewhere provided they obtain permission and acknowledge in print that the work first appears in CL.

Authors are required to sign PAs before their work can be published in print. If your work has been accepted for publication, we will send you a personalized PA. We do not accept signed PAs that have been edited by the author.