Friends! Exciting news! For the next 6 months (April-September 2023), I will be giving away one free short story edit per month. I am so excited for this venture, which I am certain will bring lots of fantastic stories into my orbit.
Without further ado, here are the details:
Giveaways are open to all writers who are writing adult or YA:
• speculative fiction
• mystery fiction
• literary, uncanny, whimsical, genre-bending, or otherwise uncategorizable fiction
Giveaways will alternate between developmental and line editing, following this schedule:
• April – line editing
• May – developmental editing
• June – line editing
• July – developmental editing
• August – line editing
• September – developmental editing
If you are interested in submitting a short story (and I hope you are!) please fill out the entry form below and email it, along with your manuscript, to lindsay@topazliterary.com. One story will be selected at the beginning of every month.
Fiction Editing Giveaway Entry Form
FAQ
What is the difference between a developmental edit and a line edit?
A developmental edit is a big-picture edit useful for first drafts. It looks at things like overall story structure, plot, pacing, characterization, and narrative voice.
A line edit looks at the manuscript on a sentence level and is useful once you are happy with your story’s structure and would like to fine tune its language. It considers aspects of the story such as the flow and rhythm of the language, mood, tone, and character voice.
Read more about the different types of editing here.
How long can my manuscript be?
No longer than 6,000 words.
How are stories selected?
I am seeking stories that are original, diverse, thought-provoking, and beautiful. Stories will also be selected based on their potential to benefit from the editing process.
How do I enter?
Fill out the entry form and submit it along with your manuscript via email to lindsay@topazediting.com. The deadline to be considered for a given month is the last day of the previous month. For example, entries for April’s line editing giveaway are due by March 31. All entrants will receive a response, whether they have been selected or not.
If I win, when will I find out and when can I expect my edited story back?
Winners will be notified within the first three days of the month they have entered for and will receive their edited story by the end of that month.
Why are you giving short story edits away for free?
I have been editing nonfiction and literary fiction for several years, and I would love to grow my community of writers and my editing portfolio of writing that gets me really excited—speculative, mystery, and genre-bending work. I also know there are lots of fabulous authors out there with oodles of talent and not a lot of extra cash, so this is one way that I can support the writing community that gives me so much!
You really don’t want anything in exchange for this?
Almost nothing! I do ask for an honest review or testimonial after we have finished the editorial process.
More questions? Don’t hesitate to be in touch: lindsay@topazliterary.com.
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