LVW Manuscript Critique Service
Guidelines
The League of Vermont Writers has a free Manuscript Critique Service (MCS), something we believe is unique to our group.
Rules and regulations for using this service:
- Only current, paid members of the League of Vermont Writers are eligible to use the MCS. Click here for
Membership Information.
- During one calendar year, a member may
submit:
- Two articles or
short stories
- 12 poems
- One play, television script, or movie script (up to 100 pages)
- One novel or nonfiction book synopsis, plus the first three chapters (up to 100 pages).
- On movie scripts or book length work, your reader might agree to review more of the book manuscript at a later date, but this is rare
- 12 poems
- Two articles or
short stories
- Submit a copy (not the original) of your
poetry, essay, short story, script, play, or book part in the proper format:
- Typed on one side
of the page only, double-
- One-inch margins all around, numbered pages
- Printed on 15-lb. paper or higher.
- Do not staple pages. Use a jumbo clip or leave loose.
- One-inch margins all around, numbered pages
- Typed on one side
of the page only, double-
- Do not put your name on any of the
manuscript pages; do indicate your manuscript working title and the page
number on the top right of each page.
- Submit a typed or printed cover sheet
which includes all the following:
- Your name
- Date of submission
- Complete mailing address
- Phone/Fax
- E-mail address
- Title of Manuscript
- Genre of Manuscript (be specific: Book or Magazine Nonfiction; History and Folklore, Nature, Poetry, Children's, Young Adult, Newspaper feature, Mystery, Literary, Romance, Play, TV script, Movie script, Horror novel, and so forth)
- Number of pages enclosed
- Special requests for critique reader (ex., "If possible, please suggest venues for this manuscript," or "I'm having problems with dialogue; please pay particular attention to this and make suggestions.")
- Date of submission
- Your name
- Weigh the manuscript with the cover
sheet, PLUS three return envelopes, PLUS five additional pages to allow for
the critique.
- Four sets of postage, with envelopes. (One set will be for your original mailing to the director; another for his/her mailing to the reader/critic; another for reader/critic back to director; and last, for director to mail everything back to you.) Do not write anything on the three enclosed envelopes. Put your three extra sets of postage in a separate envelope, not on the enclosed mailing envelopes themselves. Do not send checks, just stamps! Do not send metered mail for postage, just
stamps!
- Send everything (the manuscript, cover
sheet, three extra sets of postage, and three additional manuscript envelopes)
to:
LVW Manuscript Critique Service Director
c/o Helen Gow
Box 142
Warren, VT 05674
Always send the manuscript by U.S. Mail, but please use e-mail for any inquiries during the entire process. Send e-mail to: bridges1@gmavt.net
When the director receives your package, a record of your manuscript will be made. She will find a reader, keep your cover sheet, mail the manuscript and a stamped envelope to an appropriate critic/reader (someone published in your genre), receive the manuscript and critique back from that person, and mail it all back to you in one of the envelopes you sent.
You will be asked to provide feedback on the critique you receive.
Other than postage, the service is free. In addition, the entire process is totally anonymous except for the MCS director who will not break your anonymity.*
If you are planning to send in a manuscript fairly soon, contact the MCS director by e-mail, or regular mail, so a reader can be lined up.
Once you mail your submission, be patient; most of our readers are extremely busy writers and do LVW work on a volunteer basis. Be assured, your manuscript and the reader's critique will be returned at the earliest possible date.
*Note: If, after receiving the manuscript and critique, the writer wishes further contact with that particular reader, either for additional volunteer reading or to hire the reader at his/her professional rate of pay, the director will forward a request to the reader. The reader will then contact the writer at his/her convenience, or indicate to the director that s/he is unavailable for such work.
