2008 Critique Mania

Fund Raising Event for Soundings Review

What: Critique Mania: Writers from across the US and overseas have offered to do critiques of your writing!

When: Submission between August 1 and August 31, 2008; authors have until October 1, 2008 to respond and return manuscripts..

Where: By mail! No gas to buy, no planes or ferries to catch, no clock to watch!

How: Submitters will mail one poem or the first three pages of prose (could be anything from a complete short-short or the opening to a novel) postmarked August 1 - 31. Work will be disbursed in the order received. WIWA members may request first, second and third choice authors, but when authors are full, then material will be sent to next author on the list (alphabetically, according to genre). Nonmembers’ work will be distributed to the first available author alphabetically, according to genre.

How much: Twenty-five bucks! ($25) What a deal! Plus two stamped envelopes, one that will allow the material to be forwarded to an author and one for the author to send the material back to the submitter. Professional critiques normally range from $30 – $75.

Why? Because this is a terrific benefit to the submitters And because ALL the proceeds go to support the Whidbey Island Writers Association magazine, Soundings Review. Everybody wins!

Who? Link to participating authors.

Guidelines

1. Submit one poem of up to thirty lines or the first three pages (700 words), double-spaced and 12-point font, of prose (any genre). Two of our authors (Eric M. Witchey and Robert Gover) are open to receiving longer submissions up to and including novel length; the fee for these is $25 for the first 700 words and then $5 per page (225 words to a page) thereafter. All submissions must be postmarked between Aug. 1 – Aug. 31.

2. Include two stamped envelopes: one will be a return envelope to you with your address on it; the other will be used to forward your material to an author for a critique; do not address this one.

3. Items to include:

• Your manuscript (as stated above).

• A cover letter with your name, address, email and phone number.

• A check for $25 made out to WIWA (place Soundings Critique Mania in the memo line)

• If you are a WIWA member, include your first, second and third choice author preference (if all of these are “full,” your material will be sent to the next author on the list by genre). WIWA members will have preference in the order submissions are received. All authors are outstanding!

• If you’re not a WIWA member and you wish to join and list your top three preferences for author critique, include a membership check for $50 ($10 student) made out to WIWA (in addition to the critique fee). To learn about this great organization, check out activities on the Web: www.writeonwhidbey.org.

The names of authors available to critique your work are posted on the WIWA Website

4. Mail the above items to:

Soundings Critique Mania

Island Writers Association

P.O. Box 1289

Langley, WA 98260

5. Submit as many manuscripts as you like, but please mail separately with separate stamped envelopes included. In other words, each submission should be separate (they might go to different authors).

6. To repeat: material will be disbursed to authors based on genre and alphabetical order EXCEPT for WIWA members’ first choices, as possible (see number 3 above).

7. Authors who do critiques will not be contacting submitters; submitters agree not to contact the authors about the critiques. If there are concerns or questions about critiques, contact Marian Blue through WIWA: writers@whidbey.com

8. If all authors are full, your submission and check(s) will be returned to you.