A NOWW Service for Members and the Public

Looking for feedback on your writing?

Friends and family can’t provide an independent critique of your work, but we can. Whether you have a memoir or children’s story, a novel chapter or poetry, the Blue Pencil service can give you focused, helpful ways to improve your work.

 

How the Blue Pencil Works

NOWW’s Glenn Ponka receives all manuscripts and sends them (without the writers’ names) to anonymous but experienced Reviewers.

The Reviewers will provide comments and advice on how to improve your writing. They will be encouraging but honest. The process will take about one month.

The submitting writers and the reviewers will remain anonymous to each other. The critiques will be returned to Glenn, who will forward them to the writer.

Fees for this service go to the Reviewers. Fees are subsidized by the Ontario Arts Council.

1. Manuscripts must be printed in a standard 12-pt. font on white paper, double-spaced.
2. A cheque payable to NOWW must accompany the submission.
3. Manuscripts should be accompanied by a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope large enough to accommodate the manuscript.
4. Manuscripts must include a separate cover page with the writer’s name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if available); the title of the piece; the genre; and an accurate word or line count.
5. Manuscripts should have headers with the title and page numbers, but no other identifying marks.
6. If you have specific questions, write them at the end of your manuscript.
7. Maximum word count is 5000 words per submission.
8. Writers are limited to one submission at a time.

Fee Schedule for NOWW members:

• up to 1000 words- $15
• 1001 to 2500 words- $20
• 2501 to 5000 words- $30
• Poetry up to 100 lines- $20

Fee Schedule for Non-members

• up to 1000 words- $22.50
• 1001 to 2500 words- $30
• 2501 to 5000 words- $45
• Poetry up to 100 lines- $30

Send submissions to:
Blue Pencil Anonymous
c/o 358 McIntyre Street
Thunder Bay ON P7A 3C1