Our Manuscript Drive Is Now Open! 

For $375, we will review your full-length fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry manuscript.

Our all-volunteer staff at Mud Season Review is dedicated to bringing great literature to life. It's our passion. The cost of this service will help us cover Submittable fees, our website, and pay each and every one of our journal contributors. Your payment will also help support the Burlington Writers Workshop, a 501(c)(c) nonprofit that provides free writing workshops. While our highly qualified reviewers are paid a token stipend for their time, the vast majority of your payment goes to the efforts listed above. We're grateful for your contribution, and for the opportunity to provide such an in-depth service to writers dedicated to their craft. For more information, visit this page.

How to Submit:

Please include a title page with a one-paragraph summary of your manuscript and your current email address. Please also provide any direction you’d like to give us regarding the type of feedback you’re hoping for, and when you’d like to receive the feedback. Typically, we can provide a full review within two to three months, but you’ll have the opportunity to establish a mutually satisfactory schedule with your reviewer. To query about chapbooks, or for any questions about full-length reviews, email us at editor@mudseasonreview.com.

If you have any questions that aren’t answered in the FAQs below, feel free to send us an email and we’ll be sure to respond promptly. We greatly appreciate your interest and support! More details about this manuscript review service can be found here.

FAQs:

What does this review consist of? You'll be paired with one of our highly qualified reviewers who will provide extensive, detailed comments in the margins of your manuscript as well as thoughtful written feedback of 700-1,500 words.

What is the word count or page limit? Fiction and creative nonfiction manuscripts are limited to 110,000 words. Poetry manuscripts should be no more than 80 pages, with the standard one poem per page.

Who does the reviewing? One of our highly qualified reviewers will be matched and assigned to your manuscript. By including a short paragraph summarizing your project and your goals, you help us match you with the best reviewer for your work-in-progress.

What is the deadline to submit? Right now we’re accepting manuscripts on a rolling basis, however we recommend submitting on the sooner side as we may need to close early or periodically as volume demands. We put a lot of effort into reviewing your work and like to give each submission the time and attention it deserves.

How do I submit my manuscript? You can use this submission category to send us your manuscript. To query about chapbooks, or for any questions about our manuscript review service, email us at editor@mudseasonreview.com.

Are there any subjects or themes you don't review? We openly welcome a variety of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry manuscripts of diverse perspectives. However, we ask that you don't send us work that clearly supports the violation of basic ethical standards. Such submissions will be returned unread and refunded.

Will I be satisfied with the feedback I receive? We work hard to make sure you’re satisfied, and we’re proud that this service has been so well-received—in fact, several authors have reported that their manuscripts were accepted for publication thanks to our team’s insight and guidance. We look forward to reviewing your manuscript and thank you for trusting Mud Season Review with your work.