Short Story Critiques

Short stories offer a window into other people’s worlds—a glimpse of humanity that can inspire us to laugh, cry, and even grow. They are also a great way to bring attention to your work through contests, awards, and publishing credits. That said, these magical little portals can be notoriously difficult to write and even harder to publish. While rejection is part of the process, a story that keeps bouncing back may benefit from review.

Struggling to find your short fiction a good literary home? A detailed short story critique by an experienced editor may be exactly what you need to knock your piece into publishable shape.

• My comprehensive short story critique is designed to identify exactly what is and isn’t working in your story and give you clear, actionable advice about how to improve it.

• You'll receive a full-draft markup featuring editorial comments and in-text edits (including spelling, grammar, and style errors).

• You'll also receive a detailed eight-to-ten page report evaluating your story's plot structure, character development, theme, voice, and language.

• Your report also includes a brief market evaluation with three to five handpicked submission opportunities to help you find your story a home.

• After you receive your critique and have time to process everything, we'll sit down for an online "coffee hour," where we can discuss your story in greater detail and address any of your questions or concerns.

• While I may provide examples, I will not directly rewrite your story for you.

• I will not perform any fact-checking as part of my critique, although I will flag anything I feel needs attention.

• Regrettably, I am not an author/editor and a lawyer, and I can't provide any legal answers or advice regarding copyrighted material or anything else.

Standard Short Story Fee: $250.00 

Flash Fiction: $150

• The standard fee applies to short stories up to 10,000 words. The flash fiction fee applies to stories under 1,000 words. All fees are due at the time of submission.

• I aim to return your critique (and the associated markup) within one to two weeks, but the start date will depend on the length of my current editing queue.

• I offer a 20 percent discount on second-round edits.

• All story submissions must adhere to professional manuscript formatting standards (Arial, Courier, or Times font; size 12 text; double-spacing throughout with one-inch margins). Please name your file in the following manner: Last Name-Your Story Title

• If you have questions or would prefer to discuss the project further before submitting, please reach out!

Submit a Project Inquiry