For over a decade, the Black Lawrence Press manuscript consultation program has offered writers access to award-winning authors who are also experienced educators. Through our program, these authors receive the kind of thorough feedback and in-depth analysis that is difficult to find outside of MFA programs. Here’s how it works:
- Every month, we present 2-3 authors who are available to review your work. Before submitting, you can review the authors’ biographies, accolades, and statements of purpose. This way, you know exactly who you will work with and how they will approach your writing.
- Once you’ve selected a consultant, you submit your manuscript through Submittable. During this simple process, you’ll have the opportunity to include a cover note for your consultant. Please feel free to ask specific questions that you’d like them to address!
- By the end of the following month, your consultant will respond with a full critique. Every consultant, just like every writing professor, operates a little differently, but you can expect both a cover letter addressing global issues within the manuscript like scope, voice, pacing, arrangement, and more. Your consultant will also upload a new version of your manuscript that include notes about specific lines or passages.
- If you submit a chapbook or full-length manuscript, you will also have the opportunity to schedule a phone or Zoom conference with your consultant at no additional charge.
- Once you receive and review your consultation, you may follow up with your consultant if you have further questions.
We’re delighted that dozens of our alums have gone on to publish the work that they entrusted to our consultation program.
Check out this month’s consultants below!
If you have questions, or if your manuscript falls outside of the parameters of this month’s program, please email Diane Goettel: [email protected]. She will be happy to discuss your project and recommend potential consultants.
Although we work hard to keep the costs of our consults as low as possible, we understand that many writers are not able to afford these services. As such, we offer $1,000 in scholarships every month.
