Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Big Moose Prize for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication.

The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel.

Entries are read by senior Black Lawrence Press editors and a rotating panel of former Big Moose Prize winners. That panel currently includes:

-Tracy DeBrincat, author of Hollywood Buckaroo

-Ron Nyren, author of The Book of Lost Light

-Jill Stukenberg, author of News of the Air 

-Kevin Fenton, author of Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

-Shena McAuliffe, author of The Good Echo

All manuscripts should include a title page (listing only the title of the work), and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page and table of contents. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Manuscripts should be 90-1,000 pages in length, not including front and back matter (table of contents, title page, etc.). Identifying information for the author should not be included anywhere on the manuscript itself, including in the name of your file or in the "title" field in Submittable. You are welcome to include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable, which will only be made accessible to the editorial panel after the group of Semi-Finalist and Finalist manuscripts has been chosen.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

The annual deadline is January 31.

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL: Submit your manuscript by November 30 and enjoy a $5 discount on the entry fee!

The previous winners of The Big Moose Prize are Tracy DeBrincat, Jen Michalski, Betsy Robinson, Genanne Walsh, Megan McNamer, Robley Wilson, Shena McAuliffe, Colin Hamilton, Ron Nyren, Caroline Patterson, Jill Stukenberg, Sara Johnson Allen, and Leslie Li. Below, you will have the option to purchase a selection of their novels for a discounted fee, which includes the cost of shipping. While authors from around the globe may submit to the Big Moose Prize, these discounted book prices are only available to those with U.S. mailing addresses.

The immigrant narrative is at the heart of the American experiment. However, despite the contributions of immigrants to the cultural, financial, scientific, and artistic makeup of the United States, there is no clear home for new immigrant writings in the United States. To remedy this, Black Lawrence Press proudly announces the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series, an innovative program designed to provide a home for new immigrant writings in the United States and bridge a gap in the American literary community. The Series will remain a self-standing body with complete autonomy within Black Lawrence Press, and its editorial and advisory boards will be composed of immigrant writers and/or authors whose works explore the immigrant experience.

Mission Statement:

The Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series aims to provide a clear and consistent home for new Immigrant Writings in the U.S. Book selections will be made by a four-member editorial board composed of writers in the U.S. who are either immigrants or whose works focus on the immigrant experience. Selections will be based on merit with the goal of publishing the best works by immigrants. Poets and authors, at any stage of their careers, who identify as immigrants are welcome to submit a book manuscript of poetry or prose or a hybrid text for consideration. Submissions are accepted year-round. However, selections are made in June and November for a total of two books per year. In addition to publication, marketing, and a standard royalties contract from Black Lawrence Press, authors chosen for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series will receive a travel stipend of $500, which can be used for book tours or in any manner chosen by the authors.

Editorial Board:
 Sun Yung Shin
 Rigoberto Gonzalez
 Ewa Chrusciel
 Abayomi Animashaun

Advisory Board:
 Barbara Jane Reyes
 Ilya Kaminsky
 Omofolabo Ajayi-Soyinka
 Virgil Suarez

Rules & Eligibility

1. Works by immigrants will be considered for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series. 

2. Submission is open to any individual living in the U.S. who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA .
 

3. No more than two book manuscripts can be submitted per year per author.
 

4. A third book manuscript submitted in a given year by an author will not be considered for the Writing Series.
 

5. All manuscripts received after May 31st will be considered for the November Reading Period.
 

6. All manuscripts received after October 31st  will be considered for the June Reading Period.
 

7. Only full length manuscripts of poetry (at least 45 pages), prose (fiction or nonfiction), and hybrid texts of poetry and prose (at least 100 pages) will be considered for the Writing Series. We are not accepting chapbook manuscripts at this time.
 

8. An author whose book manuscript has previously been selected for the Writing Series and published through Black Lawrence Press will not be considered a second time for the Series. However, the author in question is welcome to send new book manuscripts to Black Lawrence Press (BLP) for consideration during BLP’s June and November Open Reading Periods.
 

9. Only authors who have not previously published with Black Lawrence Press will be considered for the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series.
 

10. Aside from Rules 1 through 9, there are no conditions for submitting manuscripts.
 

11. There are no entry fees.
 

12. Submissions are accepted year-round.
 

*13. Only one book manuscript will be selected for the June Reading Period, and only one book manuscript will be selected for the November Reading Period, for a total of two books per year. (* If no book manuscript is chosen for a June Reading Period, the Series Editors reserve the right to choose two book manuscripts (instead of one) in the November Reading Period immediately following the June Reading Period in question)
 

14. The Series Editors reserve the right to choose no book manuscript for the Writing Series during any given year or any Reading Period.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do you define an immigrant?
Anyone who identifies as an immigrant and who either (i) was born in another country, (ii) has at least one parent who was born in another country, (iii) is a refugee, or (iv) lives in the United States under Asylum or a Protection Program, such as TPS or DACA

2.  I live outside the United States, can I submit my work?
No, immigrant authors must be living in the United States when they submit their work for consideration

3. Can I submit an anthology for consideration?
No, anthologies will not be considered for the Writing Series. However, Black Lawrence Press (BLP) welcomes proposals for anthologies during its June and November Open Reading Periods

4. Are collaborations welcome?
No, works should be by one author only. However, collaborations are welcome during BLP’s June and November Open Reading Periods

5. Are BLP’s June & November Open Reading Periods the same as those of the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series?
No, these are different and distinct programs within the Press. While the readings occur concurrently, The Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series is a self-standing entity with its own eligibility and rules and editorial and advisory boards. The editorial board, composed of immigrant authors, has complete autonomy in selecting book manuscripts for the Writing Series. Each year, these editors recommend up to two books for publication through Black Lawrence Press. Please see the program’s mission statement , rules and eligibility, and bylaws.

6. How many book manuscripts can I submit in a given year?
Only two book manuscripts will be considered each year per author

7. Can I submit two book manuscripts in different genres?
No, each author can submit no more than two manuscripts in a given year, regardless of genre

8. I am an immigrant and I have two book manuscripts, can I submit both at once or at different times of the year?
Yes. Each author is welcome to submit a maximum of two books per year either together or at different times in the given year

9. It’s the end of June or November and there’s been no announcement yet on the manuscript selected for the Writing Series. What’s going on?
Thanks for your patience. The four-member editorial board will announce the selected manuscript as soon as they’ve made a decision. That said, the editors also reserve the right to choose no manuscript during a reading period.

10. I have other questions not addressed here. Who should I contact with my questions?
Please send questions to immigrantwritingseries@blacklawrencepress.com. 

You may send an email to the same address to request a copy of the Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series bylaws.7. Only full length manuscripts of poetry, prose (fiction or nonfiction), and hybrid texts of poetry and prose will be considered for the Writing Series. We are not accepting chapbook manuscripts at this time.

Black Lawrence Press now offers scholarships for our consultation program. 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. 

We plan to award a total of $1,000 in scholarships per month. The deadline to submit your manuscript is November 22. We will award the scholarships in the first week of December. If your manuscript is not selected for the scholarship, please feel free to apply again in the future.

Scholarship recipients will be chosen by senior Black Lawrence Press editors and will be selected based on the merit of the submitted work. While we do not request that submitters disclose any personal financial information, we want to be clear that these scholarships are intended for writers who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost of our consultation service. 

FAQ
 

1. Who is eligible for this scholarship?

Any writer who is looking for feedback on their work and would not otherwise be able to pay for a manuscript consultation is eligible. Applicants may be at any stage in their writing careers and we heartily welcome new writers. 

2. I'm not currently a student, may I apply?

Yes. This scholarship is open to both students AND applicants who are not currently pursuing degrees or otherwise enrolled in academic institutions. 

3. Do I need to demonstrate need to receive this scholarship?

No. We do not require any such demonstration.

Black Lawrence Press welcomes proposals for bold and engaging anthologies that have the potential of contributing to our understanding of literature and the genres within it. Proposals by and/or about historically marginalized groups are especially encouraged.

Please include bios for the anthology editor(s), an abstract and proposed outline, and sample selections. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. 

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit biography and cultural studies manuscripts to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Biography & Cultural Studies submissions should be double-spaced and 45-500 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit creative nonfiction manuscripts to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Creative Nonfiction submissions should be double-spaced and 45-500 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit novels to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Novel submissions should be double-spaced and 120-500 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit novellas to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Novella submissions should be double-spaced and 50-110 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit poetry chapbooks to our open reading period here. (Chapbooks of prose poems and poetry/prose hybrid projects can be submitted under either poetry or prose, per your preference.) Chapbooks should be 16-36 pages in length.

*Please note: if you have submitted this same chapbook manuscript to the Black River Chapbook Competition that has just closed, there is no need to re-submit during the Open Reading Period.  

All manuscripts should include a title page, table of contents (if applicable), and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Manuscripts should be 16-36 pages in length, not including front and back matter (table of contents, title page, etc.). Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions (the submission of more than one manuscript during a given open reading period) are permitted, however we recommend you allow us to read only one manuscript from you at a time.
• Collaborative collections are welcome.
• Hybrid/multi-genre submissions are also welcome; please enter under the submission category that best fits your work.
• We will consider submissions including visual art (i.e. interior illustrations or photographs), but please note we do not regularly publish chapbooks with interior art. Please do not include suggested cover artwork with your submission.

A note regarding previously published work: Chapbooks containing individual stories or poems that have been previously published online or in print are absolutely eligible for consideration–please simply note previously published work on an acknowledgments page. On the other hand, if your chapbook–or a significant portion of the work included in your chapbook–has been previously published as a book or chapbook-length collection (including publication with a press, self-publication, online/digital publication, and publication in a small, limited-edition print run), then the manuscript is not eligible for consideration.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit full length poetry collections to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Full-length poetry collection submissions should be 45-120 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit prose chapbooks (fiction, creative non-fiction, lyric essay, and prose hybrid) to our open reading period here. (Chapbooks of prose poems and poetry/prose hybrid projects can be submitted under either poetry or prose, per your preference.) Chapbooks should be 16-36 pages in length, double-spaced.

*Please note: if you have submitted this same chapbook manuscript to the Black River Chapbook Competition that has just closed, there is no need to re-submit during the Open Reading Period.  

All manuscripts should include a title page, table of contents (if applicable), and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be 16-36 pages in length (double-spaced for fiction and creative non-fiction), not including front and back matter (table of contents, title page, etc.). Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.

• Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions (the submission of more than one manuscript during a given open reading period) are permitted, however we recommend you allow us to read only one manuscript from you at a time.
• Collaborative collections are welcome.
• Hybrid/multi-genre submissions are also welcome; please enter under the submission category that best fits your work.
• We will consider submissions including visual art (i.e. interior illustrations or photographs), but please note we do not regularly publish chapbooks with interior art. Please do not include suggested cover artwork with your submission.

A note regarding previously published work: Chapbooks containing individual stories or poems that have been previously published online or in print are absolutely eligible for consideration–please simply note previously published work on an acknowledgments page. On the other hand, if your chapbook–or a significant portion of the work included in your chapbook–has been previously published as a book or chapbook-length collection (including publication with a press, self-publication, online/digital publication, and publication in a small, limited-edition print run), then the manuscript is not eligible for consideration.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Submit short story collections to our open reading period here.

All manuscripts should include a title page (including your name and contact info), table of contents, and when appropriate, an acknowledgments page. Manuscripts should be paginated and formatted in an easy-to-read font such as Garamond or Times New Roman. Full-length short story collection submissions should be double-spaced and 90-300 pages in length. Please include a brief bio or something about yourself in your cover note on Submittable.
Simultaneous submissions are acceptable and encouraged, but please notify us by withdrawing your manuscript on Submittable immediately if it is accepted for publication elsewhere.

Black Lawrence Press is happy to select many of our titles through our twice-annual Open Reading Periods in June and November. We ask all submitters to select one Black Lawrence Press publication at a discounted price ($14, including shipping for print editions). Proceeds from the open reading period will go directly back into supporting the activities of the press.

Veronica Montes was born in San Francisco and raised in the Filipino American enclave of Daly City, California. Her short stories have appeared in print journals such as Bamboo Ridge and Prism International, as well as in many anthologies including Contemporary Fiction by Filipinos in America, Growing Up Filipino, and Going Home to a Landscape: Writings by Filipinas. Her flash fiction appears online in various journals including SmokeLong Quarterly, Cheap Pop, and Lost Balloon, among others. She is the author of two chapbooks:The Conquered Sits at the Bus Stop, Waiting, which won the Black River Chapbook Competition andI'm Not Lost (Ethel, a Micro Press, 2023).

 Veronica is accepting everything from flash fiction to full-length collections.The fees and parameters for each of these categories is as follows:
 

• Flash fiction, up to 2 pages in length, $25
• Short stories, up to 20 pages in length, $55
• Chapbooks, up to 40 pages in length, $275
• Novellas, up to 100 pages in length, $425
• Short story collections, up to 180 pages in length, $550

Veronica will provide detailed comments on your manuscript as well as a cover letter. After receiving these files, participants who submit chapbooks and full-length manuscripts may also book phone/video conferences with Veronica at no additional charge.

All manuscripts should be double-spaced and formatted in 12-point font. The deadline to submit work for this consultation program is November 30. Veronica will complete her work and respond to all participants by December 31.

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Veronica Montes' Statement of Purpose
 

Flash fiction, my first love, presents a near-perfect writer’s challenge: can you tell a story in less than 1,000 words? Far from inhibiting creativity, this space constraint sends it running free. Flash writers wring meaning from every word, conjure images that echo through the narrative, and dialogue that performs double duty. No matter the length of your manuscript, my purpose is to help you to determine if your choices have made optimal use of space and if your intention for the piece has made its way to the page. Depending on your goals we’ll work together to amplify the strengths in your narrative, refine characters, hone language and pacing, nail your ending, and whatever else might benefit your process and story.   

 My own writing leans towards the lyrical and is informed by my experiences as a woman of color. I’m drawn to the inherent beauty of sadness, to speculative elements, to sensory detail. That said, I celebrate the myriad voices and identities in writing today, and I read outside my comfort zone both for pleasure and as a way to broaden my sense of this genre and study the way that other writers shape their flash. It’s not my place to make suggestions that impose on what makes your work uniquely yours, but rather to ask and make observations to help you develop your story your way. I look forward to working together.

Alexandra Lytton Regalado is author of Relinquenda, winner of the National Poetry Series (Beacon Press, 2022); the chapbook Piedra (La Chifurnia, 2022); and the poetry collection, Matria, winner of the St. Lawrence Book Award (Black Lawrence Press, 2017). Alexandra holds fellowships at CantoMundo and Letras Latinas; she is winner of the Coniston Prize, and her work has appeared in The Best American Poetry, poets.org, World Literature Today, Narrative, and Gulf Coast, among others. Her translations of contemporary Latin American poetry appear in Poetry International, FENCE, and Tupelo Quarterlyand she is translator of Family or Oblivion by Elena Salamanca and Prewar by Tania Pleitez. She is co-founder of Kalina, a press that showcases bilingual, Central American-themed books. 

Alexandra is accepting folios, chapbooks, and full-length collections for critique. The fees and parameters for each of these categories are as follows:

•    Single poem or hybrid piece of up to 2 pages: $25
•    Folio of five poems/short hybrid work of up to 7 pages: $55
•    Chapbook of up to 40 pages: $275
•    Manuscript of up to 80 pages: $425

Alexandra will provide detailed comments on your manuscript as well as a cover letter. After receiving these files, participants who submit chapbooks and full-length manuscripts may also book phone/video conferences with Alexandra at no additional charge.

All manuscripts should be formatted in 12-point font. The deadline to submit work for this consultation program is November 30. Alexandra will complete her work and respond to all participants by December 31.

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Alexandra Lytton Regalado's Statement of Purpose

We need time and distance.

We need to get out of the way.

We need another set of eyes.

We need to trust chiming bells, listen for off-key or flat sounds.

We need to toss extras and strays into the bonepile.

We need to listen to its pulse.

We need to prune and carve. 

We need to let it be its own thing. 

It’s great when we learn to trust our instincts for editing. To understand that we need to separate ourselves from our creations, to strangify the work so that we can see how it resonates, revise without remorse, go deeper if needed, abandon or amplify ideas, test new strategies. Maybe it’s enough to let that new poem sit for a while and have another look when the dizzy haze of excitement, the thrill of completion have burned away with the morning’s light. Some subjects feel too close to us we feel the urge to stick the whole manuscript in a drawer and look at it years later. Sometimes, what tips off that editing process is honest and clear feedback from a trusted reader.

I cannot read a book without a pencil in my hand. I engage with the text in the margins—asking questions, making exclamations of praise or surprise. After letting that first impression wash over me if the poem is really good I’ll re-read it and try to figure out its dance moves, try to discover the architecture, and see what tricks and tips I can add to my toolkit. Reading good poetry spurs my own creative impulse—I make notes on ideas for my own work, sometimes I magpie-steal a great word or phrasing style. I like to approach the poem cold, then I gather some information about the author, I might read a review, I might look for older work to compare the range and development of style. Poets that I have been reading or re-reading lately and that serve as tuning fork for my own writing are Ada Limón, Natalie Diaz, Tracy K. Smith, Paisley Rekdal, Carolina Ebeid, Tarfia Faizullah, Ilya Kaminsky, Aracelis Girmay, Patrick Rosal, Eduardo C. Corral, Yusef Komunyakaa, Eavan Boland, Robert Hass, Larry Levis, Sylvia Plath, and Ranier Maria Rilke.

I am an editor, translator, and writer and in my own experience it has been useful to switch hats throughout the process of writing a manuscript. In the past three years I have been a judge for national literary competitions in poetry and in fiction in El Salvador. I have an MFA in poetry as well as an MFA in fiction and I love writing that pushes genre categories.  

When I consider a manuscript I approach the work openly and try my best to engage with it. I approach from different perspectives—I see the bird’s eye view of the manuscript and also focus on the individual parts of the poems, the verses, the words, and sounds. Big picture concerns: How does the structure work towards strengthening the main themes and ideas? How is the manuscript formulated? Is it an A/B side of a record, is it a series of boxes you go opening up, is it Act 1, Act 2, Act 3? Why does this poem exist? Here, we consider intention/urgency/innovation. What is it saying and how is it saying that in a new/different/unexpected way?

Zooming in then: When I annotate your manuscript I present an x-ray of what is going on my mind as a reader so you can see if the results are in line with your intentions. I ask questions, make comments about what resonates and what is in discord; I consider word choice/image. Sometimes it’s about adding more, considering another layer, going deeper—sometimes we haven’t fully committed to an experiment and we need to underline our intentions, go to the next level—but most of the time it’s about sifting through the noise and cutting out the flab, paring away to the core, discovering the strengths of the poems and building on those, sharpening, clarifying. What I most appreciate is an authentic voice and when editing, my ultimate goal is to respect the writer’s style and intentions. I do offer suggestions and alternatives, but mostly, I ask questions. So, with thanks to BLP, I offer you my eyes and my honest feedback.

Darby Price is the author of All the Lands We Inherit,a lyric memoir forthcoming in June 2025 (Black Lawrence Press). She earned her BA at Florida State University and her MFA at George Mason University, where she was a Heritage Fellow and the Poetry Editor for Phoebe. Her work has appeared in No Contact, Beloit Poetry Journal, RHINO, Redivider, and Zócalo Public Square, among others. She has taught literature, creative writing, and rhetoric to students from K-12 through college, and has developed curriculum in a range of genres for PEN America, UC Irvine, and WriteGirl Los Angeles. Darby serves as a Continuing Lecturer at UC Irvine and makes her home in Long Beach, CA.

Darby is accepting everything from short pieces (up to 2 pages) to full-length manuscripts (up to 200 pages). The fees and parameters for each of these categories is as follows:

• Short pieces, up to 2 pages in length, $25
• Folios, up to 7 pages in length, $55
• Extended pieces/chapbooks, up to 40 pages in length, $275
• Short manuscripts, up to 90 pages in length, $425
• Long manuscripts, up to 200 pages in length, $625

Darby will provide detailed comments on your manuscript as well as a cover letter. After receiving these files, participants who submit chapbooks and manuscripts may also book phone/video conferences with Darby at no additional charge.

All manuscripts should be double-spaced and formatted in 12-point font. The deadline to submit work for this consultation program is November 30. Darby will complete her work and respond to all participants by December 31.

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Darby Price's Statement pf Purpose

 When I’m reading a draft of anything, my first goal is to see the shape of the forest among the proverbial trees. To find, in other words, the true identity of the piece. Sometimes, a writer is close to having a full forest, as it were—they know what their work is about, and what they need is a reader who can help them refine toward the final-final draft. And sometimes, a writer has a beautiful mess on their hands, and what they need most is a sharp reader who can identify the threads that tie it together, the burning ember at the heart of it all that gives the piece its light and heat. From there, they can begin the work of writing toward the essay, chapbook, etc. that rises from that early draft.

Wherever you find yourself on that continuum, I’ll help you find the best ways to proceed toward the most authentic, most fully realized version of your hybrid project. My revision notes will be guided by this intention, and I will highlight both what’s working well and what specifically could be drawn out or developed in order to help your manuscript become what it was always meant to be. Throughout the process, I will not try to make your project into something that I would write; I will pay attention to your own voice, style, and methods, and I will give you feedback that will support, utilize, and amplify those qualities as you revise.

I’m open to the full range of hybrid writing, from more straightforward, narrative-driven work to more experimental manuscripts. Standouts who inspire me in both form and voice include Eric Pankey, Cole Swensen, Harryette Mullen, Susan Howe, Claudia Rankine, Eula Biss, Lia Purpura, Mary Ruefle, and Maggie Nelson, among others. In my own writing, I love the potential of hybrid forms for highlighting contradiction and/or capturing complexity and multifacetedness, and I am drawn as a reader to work that mixes intellect with soul and the personal with the broader world; but mostly, I am drawn to texts that show me new ways of seeing, or introduce me to subjects and realities I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to know. Whatever the shape or composition of your manuscript, I look forward to working with you to help you find its final form!