SPN (Supernatural Television Series) Fiction Guidelines

No Stairway considers material by any writer, whether new or previously published.

The No Stairway staff believe promoting the work of new writers is as important as showcasing the work of familiar authors. The staff will accept previously published work, and ideally every anthology volume will be a mix of old and new.

These guidelines have been crafted to assist the Editorial Reviewers in maintaining consistency in the acceptable standards for NoStairway. Not every story will meet absolutely every criterion-the freedom of fan fiction allows fan authors to continuously find new, interesting, or innovative ways to produce an effect that combines other, perhaps more traditional, elements without directly reproducing them.

A story that includes a combination of a compelling burst of narrative and some snappy on-the-mark dialogue may be entirely devoid of any kind of descriptive atmosphere, and that's okay. The pace of the language and the clear actions and reactions of the characters are what bring the readers in and keep them on the edge of their seats. It's making use of the words chosen, not the word choice, that's important and what makes the story an excellent read. Likewise, an ambitious staccato pacing, while an unusual narrative choice, may be the perfect stylistic melding of form to function in the hands of the right author.

Supernatural fan fiction encompasses a broad range of imaginative and interesting concepts, and we encourage experimentation and exploration of new themes.

Characterization

No Stairway intends to publish stories based on the Supernatural series. This means the characters, settings, themes, or established rules of the Supernatural universe must be present in the story for it to be considered. Alternate Universe (AU) is welcome as long as some defining aspect of Supernatural is clearly evident in the story.

Characterizations must be consistent. They need not be consistent with canon, but they have to be internally consistent. Sometimes the progress of the story changes characters the same way the progression of life changes real people, and different circumstances (as in the case of AUs) are frequently reflected in behavior. We need to be able to recognize the characters of Supernatural even within the most alternative of universes.

Through-lines that show character growth are welcome-major events change people. The Dean at the end of All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.1 is different from the Dean of All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.2.

Command of Language

Stories should demonstrate some richness of language and not rely heavily on cliches or "shortcuts" consisting of expressions seen in stories of similar themes. Dean may actually look like an angel if he has wings, but simply describing him as an angel isn't sufficient-tell us what (besides the wings) makes our leather-wearing, Metallica-loving hero look angelic.

The story must contain language that catches the reader's attention. It doesn't have to be flowery or poetical; in fact, it may be stark and unadorned and have all the more impact for the lack of embellishment. The language simply needs to be engaging, like the story's ideas. Plots are used and reused, but what can make a story unique is the author's capacity to bring a new idea to the table or to take disparate words and put them back together in a form that catches the interest and the eye.

Plot

A story must stand on its own merit and accomplish the goals it lays out for itself with internal structural integrity.

A coherent storyline is key - we want to know that the story knows where it is going. Existing conflicts, internal or external, should be resolved. Where the failure of resolution is deliberate, it should be acknowledged and its purpose in the theme of the story demonstrated clearly to the reader. Character-driven plots that show personal growth, where the character actually learns something new about him- or herself, or the reader learns or sees something new about the character, are greatly desired.

We will be looking for good set up and delivery, especially of stories that emulate the episodic nature of the show itself. Compelling antagonists, multiple layers of conflict, interesting and original "guest" characters, and a believable resolution within the fantastical nature of the situation would make everyone very happy.

Submissions are currently closed.

An announcement will be made here and at our LiveJournal community nostairway.livejournal.com when they reopen. For more information, please check out our submission guidelines!