These are the guidelines developed by Susan Ford and Keith David Cooley for our weekly Zoom sessions to review and provide detailed feedback on pieces being considered for the anthology. Email or text us with questions or clarifications.

Session Format

We meet weekly on Zoom, Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m.

• Three writers per session, each with a 20-minute time slot to read and receive feedback
• A 3-minute timed screen break between each slot — get up, stretch, take a bio break
• Keith or Susan will keep time using the Zoom timer
• Time will be carefully maintained to preserve the format for all writers

Signing Up

Writers sign up by emailing Keith, who will add them to a rotating sign-up sheet distributed by email. Once a writer has received feedback, they go to the end of the list.

When you sign up, please specify:

• Whether your piece is prose or poetry
• For prose: how many double-spaced pages?
• For poetry: how many poems? (1 longer poem or up to 3 shorter poems)
• Whether you will screen share your work during the session
• Whether you will email a PDF of the work prior to the session

What to Bring

Each session accommodates 3 writers. Bring:

• 8, 10, or 12 double-spaced pages of prose, or
• 1 longer poem, or
• Up to 3 shorter poems

Your 20-Minute Slot

Each writer is in charge of their own slot — you decide the balance between reading aloud and receiving feedback. You may choose to read less (or only excerpts) in order to have more time for discussion.

Suggested Feedback Questions

When listening to a piece, consider:

• What stands out?
• What do you like? What is working well?
• What stays with you about the writing?
• Are there areas where revision or improvement may be useful?

Note: Personal anecdotes and direct criticism are not helpful feedback.