Scott Batson's Blog
August 17, 2026
The biggest problem in self-published fantasy isn't bad prose
It's pacing—and even successful books get it wrong. Here's how to spot it in your own work.
August 3, 2026
Did George RR Martin Kill Epic Fantasy?
Why Larry Correia's viral attack on George RR Martin isn't really about The Winds of Winter
July 13, 2026
Klara and the Sun Isn’t About AI. It’s About Loving Someone Who Will Outgrow You
The trailer looks beautiful. But it’s missing the quiet devastation that made Ishiguro’s novel unforgettable.
June 10, 2026
Writers Keep Making Characters Blind, Then Giving Them Superpowers
From Daredevil to Dune, speculative fiction loves disability. As long as it doesn’t actually disable anyone
SFF Writers Keep Making Characters Blind, Then Giving Them Superpowers
From Daredevil to Dune, speculative fiction loves disability. As long as it doesn’t actually disable anyone
May 1, 2026
What to do with your failed short stories?
Some advice from someone whose written, failed, and published short fiction
February 13, 2026
Are Fantasy Adaptations Too Woke?
Ask any online critic, and the reason why so many fantasy adaptations bomb is that they are too liberal. Is it true?
January 27, 2026
You want the Patriots in the Super Bowl, trust me
Every Patriots Super Bowl has been a classic. Don’t believe me? Let me walk you through the legacy of the greatest NFL franchise
January 15, 2026
The Sky Never Changes
This short story was originally published in The 45th Parallel, where it took second in a Science Fiction competition
December 19, 2025
Write for Up To Spec
Up To Spec banner image. Picture created by author. Photos included by authorAre you an avid science fiction or fantasy reader? Do you nerd out about deep topics related to those genres? Then you might be the perfect writer for Up To Spec.
Be sure to check back here to see if Up To Spec is open for unsolicited submissions.
Up To Spec is currently open!
What we’re looking forWe love a well formatted essay. Which is to say, your submission should have something to say. It doesn’t have to be an in-depth analysis of a meaty subject. Sure, we love the dissection of nationalism in modern epic fantasy, but “Why I think the robot from Hitchhiker’s Guide could beat Wall-E in a fight” could be just as interesting.
All that matters is that your story is related to speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal, etc.). The media doesn’t matter. We lean more towards books, but a good discussion of movies, shows, comics, manga or more fit the bill too.
It can be about the content or the people behind it. Do you write science fiction? We’d love to get read about your experience!
No AI generated submissionsWe could discuss this all day, but we’re just not interested in stories that weren’t written by a human. Submitting AI generated content will land you on the block list.
What we’re NOT looking forBook/comic/TV show reviews.
There are a ton of places to write reviews on the internet. Frankly, reviews don’t do especially well on Medium.
That being said, a review of a book can be a part of your article (getting your thoughts on a book can grant a lot of context). But it shouldn’t be the only substance to your submission.
We don’t have anything against listicles (i.e. “Top 5 Gaelic-inspired Fantasy Series”), but there needs to be a special element to the list. “Best Comics of All Time” probably isn’t something we’d publish. But if you’ve worked in the comics industry for 20 years, then your personal take might be interesting!
When are we open?Come back to this article to see if we’re currently open! We may temporarily close if there are too many submissions in the pipeline.
How to submitFollow us on Medium!
In your article or on your stories page, click the 3-dot-menu and select “Submit to publication.” You should see Up to Spec under your “Following” tab.
Screenshot of submissions screen on MediumIf we don’t appear, it might be that we’re temporarily closed. Check back here to see when we’ll open again!
Use TopicsTopics are the best way to share your work on Medium. Adding meaningful, accurate topics are the best way to attract readers. Be sure to use all 5 (we can help if you’re not sure what to use)!
Feel free to leave any questions in the comments to this article.
[image error]Write for Up To Spec was originally published in Up To Spec on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
