Dorchester Critique Service

Have your manuscript evaluated by freelance publishing experts, each with years of experience in the industry!  We know how frustrating it can be to submit a story and receive a form reject in response, and though form rejects are a necessary evil, it is possible to get detailed, personal, and honest feedback on your projects. Our experienced publishing professionals have worked with both bestselling and unpublished authors to make their manuscripts shine, and they are happy to do the same for you and your story so that you can submit to your dream editor with confidence. 

What types of stories are eligible?
Romances, Westerns, Horror and Thrillers are all eligible for the Dorchester Critique Service.  Short stories, poetry, nonfiction, mainstream fiction, literary fiction, and novellas are not.

Does the manuscript need to be complete?
No. We will critique completed manuscripts, usually between 200 to 400 double-spaced pages, but we also offer this service for partials. A partial is defined as the first three consecutive chapters, not to exceed 60 double-spaced pages, plus a synopsis of the entire story from beginning to end. The synopsis is not to exceed 10 pages.

What does the service include?
A critique for a full manuscript consists of 2-3 double-spaced pages, and the critique for a partial is 1 page. The critique editor will provide an analysis of your story’s strengths and weaknesses, such as characters, voice, marketability, and pacing. The critique editor will not comment directly within the pages of your manuscript; all suggestions and queries will be included in the pages of your critique letter.

Do the critique editors acquire for the Dorchester imprints?
No. To submit a manuscript to Dorchester Publishing, please follow the submission guidelines at www.dorchesterpub.com.

Who can submit?
We welcome submissions from published and unpublished authors from anywhere in the world. All submissions must be in English.

How much do you charge?
A full manuscript evaluation is priced at $1.00 per page.
A partial manuscript evaluation for 1-60 pages (plus synopsis) is priced at $100.
Please see below for important instructions on formatting your manuscript.

How should I format the manuscript?
Submissions must follow our formatting guidelines. Any manuscripts that do not comply will be returned with payment.
-Electronic submissions should be in Microsoft Word or rich-text format. MS Word documents should be saved compatible with MS Word 97–2003.
-Use 12 point Courier New font.
-Use double-spacing only, and one inch margins on top, bottom, left, and right.
-Number the pages sequentially.
-Include your last name and the title of your story on every page.
-Start each new chapter on a new page.

When will I receive my critique?
You will receive your critique within 6 – 8 weeks of its assignment with an editor. If a critique editor is not immediately available to take your project, we will send you an e-mail informing you of this so that you can choose whether you would like to be put into a queue or to withdraw your manuscript from the service.

How do I submit my story?
-Complete the Dorchester Critique Submission Form. (Click Here to Download Submission Form)
-Review the formatting instructions.
-E-mail the manuscript to critiques@dorchesterpub.com.

How do I pay? What is the process afterward?
After electronic receipt of your manuscript, Dorchester Critique Service shall e-mail you an invoice. Payment must be made using PayPal (www.paypal.com) within one (1) week of invoicing. After receipt of payment, you will receive confirmation of payment and your manuscript’s disposition: either distribution to a critique editor, or a place in the queue.

How can I check on my manuscript?
Due to time constraints, we are unable to respond to e-mails checking the status of a critique unless it has been over 8 weeks since submission. A great way to know if your material has been received is to include a receipt with your e-mail. Once our staff opens the e-mail, an automated response will be sent to your e-mail address. (Check your personal e-mail program for help on requesting a read receipt.)