Blue & Ude Writer's Services

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Critique Fees:

We apologize, but-

From time to time, our rates go up to reflect increases in costs to us. The current rates are effective as of August 23, 2006.

If, however, you have a current quote from us on your project, that quote remains valid. These new rates apply only to new projects.

For many years, we've offered the option for a critique from a second author at a reduced price...this has been a very popular feature, and we'll continue to offer this service; however, we've had to raise the fee for this service in order to keep up with demand.

All listed fees are for one critique from one author (please specify which author you prefer -- see BIOS for individual writing backgrounds); for a second critique, add 70% to the fee for one critique, and both Marian and Wayne will read and evaluate your manuscript.

• Short stories, articles, essays, chapters -
6875 words: $55.00 $1.75 per each additional 275 words

• Novella, books -
16,500 words: $115.00 $1.75 per each additional 275 words

• Novels, books -
33,000 words: $210.00 $1.75 per each additional 275 words

Poetry:

An evaluation of a poem is generally a combination of critique and editorial suggestions; note that Marian Blue only provides poetry critiques:
$25.00 per 50 lines of poetry.

--For chapbooks and books of poetry, book rates above apply, but this does NOT include individual critiques on every poem.

Line-by-line editing; because line-by-line editing involves extensive on-the-page editorial comments, only Marian Blue provides this service:
$3.50 per 275 words, in addition to critique fee.

Book Query (letter and outline): $75.
It's best to contact us to discuss the individual requirements you have according to your book and market.
Tip: Evaluate publisher/agent guidelines and create a proposal based on those guidelines before submitting it to us (and let us know what those guidelines are). There is no "one-size-fits-all" query.

* Rates apply to each manuscript; several short works may not be submitted for the minimum rate.

** Except for poetry, "page" refers to double-spaced typed manuscript page of approximately 275 words.

Why do we go by "the word" rather than "by the page" for fees? Who wants to do math?

We don't, that's for sure--

--but computers have provided us with the ability to control fonts and font sizes-some manuscripts have had as many as 500 words to a page while another might have only 200. In some cases, a "by the page" fee is unfair to the author; at other times, it's unfair to the reader. We hope that math will correct this high-tech problem.

Confused about how to figure your word count? If you are using a word processing program, most provide a spell/grammar check that will also give you a word count. If you are using a program that doesn't give you a word count, count the number of words on three lines on a page, add, divide by three; this will give you the average word count by line. Add up the number of lines on a page for three different pages; divide by three; this will give you the average number of lines per page. Multiply the average number of lines times the average number of words per line; this will give the the average number of words per page. Multiply the average number of words per page times the number of pages, and you'll have the approximate word count of your manuscript. Questions? Don't hesitate to ask us.