Manuscript Reviews & Consults

Hey, hi, hello there. ☻ ✐

Do you have a stack of pages scrawled lawlessly with ideas, a collection of sorts that feels almost finished (or not at all) but could benefit from a close reading? If so, I’d be delighted as a duck to help. 𓅷

My calendar is now open to review collections of poetry, short stories, flash fiction, graphic series, or essays of any kind. Also, if you just need a handful pages reviewed for an upcoming contest, workshop, or application, I can do that too.

I have a supersoft spot for so-called hybrid work as well, so nothing is too experimental or weird to send on over.

The queerer the better(er). 𓃩

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Qualifications

I’ve worked in the literary magazine realm in multiple roles including as Senior Editor, Managing Editor, and Art Editor for the Northwest Review. I have an MFA in Writing from Pacific University with an emphasis in Poetry. My undergraduate studies were in English with an emphasis in literature and theory and a minor in Theology. I’m also an Anaphora Arts Fellow. If place plays an important role in your writing, I’ve also moved around quite a bit and have a feel for various locations around the US, from SF to NYC, Sacramento to Austin, and the PNW. My personal work can be read here.

Approach

My initial approach to reviewing any creative manuscript is to let it speak, just listen, and then share with you what the work is saying to me as one reader. Then, after this meditative reading I’ll go back over everything several times with a fine-tooth comb and provide line/sentence-level feedback for your consideration. I try to understand where you’re coming from, where you’re headed, and where the work at hand is situated in that perspective.

A review includes

▫ 1-5 pages of written feedback.

▪ In-line corrections, commentary, and suggestions.

▫ Answering 3-5 questions you’d like me to consider as I read through your manuscript.

▪ Two Zoom sessions– one 20-minute meeting after the initial deposit and manuscript are received, and one 45-minute meeting after the review is complete and returned to you.

Rates

▪ Individual poems or work in any genre <2 pages is $40 (we’ll meet over Zoom just once for this).

▫ Contest, workshop, application, or similar works up to ~7 pages in any genre, no more than 5 poems are $85.

▪ Chapbooks or works up to ~30 pages in any genre are $250.

▫ Full-length poetry collections / works up to ~100 pages in any genre are $450-$750 depending on length.

▪ All manuscripts should be formatted in a 12-point font, please.

▫ A nonrefundable deposit of 25% is required to hold your place in the queue. The rest of the payment is due after our first Zoom meeting. I take Venmo, Zelle, or cash.

▪ Depending on your place in the queue, turnaround time is one week for <7 pages and up to four weeks for everything else.

I’m generally open to reviewing works beyond these parameters, please just note the details in your message. And if you need the review in a rush, select that option on the form and we can work something out.

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