The Manuscript Reading Service is an opportunity to have your manuscript read by a professional writer who will provide you with a detailed evaluation of content and technique, as well as suggestions for further development of your work. Manuscript readers will also attempt to answer any specific questions the author has regarding the manuscript. This service is available to WGA members and non-members within Canada.
Please note that this is not intended to be a copyediting or line-level editing service (for definitions of the various types of editing, check out https://www.editors.ca/hire/definitions-editorial-skills). Rather, the intent of the Manuscript Reading Service is to offer general feedback on the quality of the writing. This feedback is provided in the form of a comprehensive report from the reader.
The WGA staff will endeavour to match your manuscript with a professional writer or editor whose experience most closely suits the manuscript you submit. All genres are eligible for this program. This is a blind service, so the reader’s name will not appear on the evaluation and the author’s name should not appear on the manuscript.
Depending on the availability of suitable readers, the service typically takes six to eight weeks.
Reading Fee
All fees for this service are paid to the manuscript reader. The Manuscript Reading Service is subsidized for Writers’ Guild of Alberta members (as detailed in the Fee Structure table and related notes). Non-members are welcome to use the service, but would have to pay the full reading fee without subsidy (e.g. for a manuscript of 20,001 – 50,000 words submitted in the same year, a non-member would have to pay the full $300 to cover the reader’s fee).
Fee Structure
Prose
| Size | Subsidized Fee* | Unsubsidized Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3000 words | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| 3001 to 6000 words | $90.00 | $180.00 |
| 6001 to 10,000 words | $105.00 | $210.00 |
| 10,001 to 20,000 words | $120.00 | $240.00 |
| 20,001 to 50,000 words | $150.00 | $300.00 |
| 50,001 to 80,000 words | $175.00 | $350.00 |
| 80,001 to 100,000 words | $415.00** | $590.00 |
| 100,001 to 130,000 words | $475.00** | $650.00 |
Poetry
| Size | Subsidized Fee* | Unsubsidized Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 24 pages | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| 25 to 64 pages | $105.00 | $210.00 |
| 65 to 100 pages | $150.00 | $300.00 |
Dramatic Scripts
| Size | Subsidized Fee* | Unsubsidized Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 29 pages | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| 30 to 60 pages | $105.00 | $210.00 |
| 61 to 100 pages | $150.00 | $300.00 |
*All fees for this service are paid to the manuscript reader, plus a matching subsidy amount contributed by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta (up to a maximum subsidy of $175). For example, if the author submitting the manuscript pays $150 for an evaluation on a prose manuscript of 20,001 – 50,000 words, the manuscript reader receives an honorarium of $300.
Please note: the WGA is only able to subsidize one manuscript submission per member per year. Members are welcome to submit more than one manuscript within a 12-month period, but subsequent submissions within that period would not receive the subsidy and as such the fee would be double (e.g. for a second manuscript of 20,001 – 50,000 words submitted in the same year, the author would have to pay the full $300 to cover the reader’s fee).
**If your manuscript is longer than 80,000 words, the WGA will subsidize up to $175 of the manuscript reader’s fee with the difference being paid for by the author. Hence the increase in fee for the 80,001 to 100,000 word and 100,001 to 130,000 word tiers for longer manuscripts.
We are unable to accommodate manuscripts that exceed 130,000 words.
How to Submit
Please Note: We are no longer able to accept print/hard copy manuscripts. Electronic manuscripts can still be submitted (Word document format). If you have any questions about submitting your manuscript, please email us at [email protected]
Manuscripts must be submitted according to the following guidelines:
- Manuscripts should be in a standard, readable 12 pt. font (e.g. Times New Roman or Calibri; black font colour, etc.)
- Pages must display page numbers and be numbered sequentially.
- Emailed manuscripts must be a Word file (.doc, .docx).
- Submissions must be in English.
- Prose manuscripts should be double-spaced.
Include a separate Word document as a cover sheet with the following:
- Author name
- Author contact information
- Word/page count of manuscript
- Genre of manuscript (e.g. literary fiction, creative nonfiction, science fiction, young adult novel)
- Optional: Any additional notes on content, such as if the manuscript deals with sensitive or graphic subject matter that may be uncomfortable for some readers (this helps us ensure that we select a suitable reader for your manuscript).
The author’s name must not appear on the manuscript itself.
If you have any specific questions you wish the reader to address, please type them on an additional separate Word document. Please note the number of specific questions the reader can address is limited (ideally, we recommend limiting it to 3 – 5 questions focused on key areas of concern to the author).
To pay the fee, once the manuscript is received a link to the online payment page can be emailed to you for credit card payment. Alternative methods of payment can be arranged if you prefer to pay by e-transfer or mail a cheque.
Submit by email: [email protected].
Readers may include comments in the manuscript to support their feedback report. Keep an original copy of your manuscript for your files.