This is not a submission call for publication. You can upload your story to receive brief editorial feedback, typically 1-2 lines. Stories will be evaluated through our rubric; feedback will be based on craft and merit, not our subjective tastes.
Patreon subscribers receive their rubric scores and more in-depth feedback. You can join here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/InterrobangLit
- 3000 words max, up to 2 stories
- You can send excerpts of longer works
- No format formalities here, just make sure the font is readable
- No AI generated work please.
- Fiction only, please. You can send CNF if you’d like but we specialize in fiction, so keep that in mind.
Examples of Feedback
– What are you hoping to gain from the feedback?
Example Response: It has been rejected quite a few times. I’m looking for some reason as to why.
Story:
His wife was a night owl but only during specific times. They went to bed every night at six. Val woke at eight and returned by one in the morning. Never a moment later.
As newlyweds, Roy had been curious, setting out to investigate her oddity. Pretending to sleep until a few minutes after her warmth left him.
Val was always in the midst of honest work. Writing music, or lyrics, or answering emails. Occasionally Roy interrupted. A “Gotcha!” in case her efforts were a love letter addressed to someone other than him.
His panic was shut down with loving yet frustrated understanding. Eventually, he had all his evidence. The case was closed, and he slept through the night like a normal person.
Restful nights had become a memory. Ones tainted with longing and blighted with sorrow.
He shifted as the shrieks of crying reverberated. Turned to touch a body, to ask for help because he had a zoom meeting at dawn. His hand clenched in the open space of green cotton sheets. A harsh reminder that he had been halved.
Shanice needed something. Fresh diaper, maybe. He glanced at the clock, moving to the side of the bed. Twelve-thirty. Maybe baby girl just wanted one last cry before the final lights out.
Apparently sleep habits were a trait, a DNA sequence and his genes had lost the fight of dominance.
Footsteps creaked down the hall, off beat from aged limping, stopping in front of the door. Codell’s voice was gruff and deep, full of exhaustion. He simply said, “Don’t worry.” Then continued to the nursery. The sounds of shushing drifted into the hall and into the bedroom that hadn’t been changed since Val had been a teenager. Her celebrity posters still littered the walls; scattered CDs echoed a long-gone time.
It was their first night here and Roy felt foreign in the large three-bedroom home he was never allowed to feel welcome in. Val had been a daddy’s girl, sealing the fate of her lovers forever being disliked.
Even now, Roy wasn’t sure being allowed to stay had been for the both of them, or just for the sake of Codell’s only grandbaby.
His father-in-law was distant and quiet, but never cruel. Codell had noticed they were struggling. Half the family income had left with his wife, laid to rest peacefully in a family plot. Codell extended an invitation to stay while reaching out to hold a bundle of eight-months old.
Roy laid down, feeling neglectful but undeniably grateful. Exhaustion pulled him down, curling around him like his wife’s arms used to. As if she were right there, sleeping beside him.
This is a simple, tender and sweet story but that might be what’s holding it back. With so many submissions, most markets are looking for pieces that carry a bit more presence.
Note: The metric here is a bit different than our submissions for publication since the goals are different. Communicating the strengths and weaknesses of a piece as feedback is different than evaluating for our specific publication. This is an example of the entire sheet that you will recieve as a Patreon.
Rubric Explanation:
We evaluate eight craft elements and assign a score:
0 – Poor: The element is missing or poorly executed.
1 – Adequate: The element is present and accomplishes the baseline requirements but isn’t well executed. (Grammar scores either a 0 or 1)
2 – Good: The element is well executed and there’s clear evidence of skill.
3 – Excellent: The element is executed with little to no issues, or there is something very unique at play.
It is important to put these scores into perspective. A character driven story might score lower in setting or plot and that’s perfectly fine. The best way to approach the rubric is figure out the goal of your piece and see if you’ve accomplished it. Not every element needs to be a three for an overall story to be excellent.
Rubric:
- Prose – 3:
Clean, clear, and controlled with some pretty turns of phrases. I especially liked “Apparently sleep habits were a trait, a DNA sequence and his genes had lost the fight of dominance.” - Plot – 1.5:
This is not a plot forward piece. While there are emotional stakes, there is little testing those stakes. - Grammar: 1:
Clean and polished. I didn’t notice any issues that would cause rejection. - Concept – 2:
While this isn’t a particularly unique concept, the angle is a bit refreshing. The dynamic between the two men isn’t sharp; there’s no antagonist which is a double-edged sword. It’s refreshing but leaves the reader wanting a bit more. - Structure – 2:
Flows well. Not exactly a tight story but that might be a benefit. The bit of fluff adds to the softness. Trimming too much might lose that. - Characterization – 2.5:
Quite a bit of characterization in a few words. Everyone feels distinct from each other but not exactly real. They feel a bit fleeting, like images from a dream. - Dialogue – 2:
There is only one line of true dialogue, so there isn’t quite enough to give a 3. However, that one line does a bit of heavy lifting. We also consider the feeling of communication and there’s a lot of companionship in the negative space between Roy and his wife. - Setting – 2:
Setting wasn’t the point and it doesn’t need to be. Val’s room was the most distinct and it works.
Feedback:
This is a simple, tender and sweet story but that might be what’s holding it back. With so many submissions, most markets art looking for pieces that carry a bit more presence.
Note: This service comes with a brief 1-on-1 (through emails or a zoom) as well.
Example of line edits:
Note: The new features (refinement points and market considerations) are at the end.
Rubric Explanation:
We evaluate eight craft elements and assign a score:
0 – Poor: The element is missing or poorly executed.
1 – Adequate: The element is present and accomplishes the baseline requirements but isn’t well executed. (Grammar scores either a 0 or 1)
2 – Good: The element is well executed and there’s clear evidence of skill.
3 – Excellent: The element is executed with little to no issues, or there is something very unique at play.
It is important to put these scores into perspective. A character driven story might score lower in setting or plot and that’s perfectly fine. The best way to approach the rubric is figure out the goal of your piece and see if you’ve accomplished it. Not every element needs to be a three for an overall story to be excellent.
Rubric:
- Prose – 3:
Clean, clear, and controlled with some pretty turns of phrases. I especially liked “Apparently sleep habits were a trait, a DNA sequence and his genes had lost the fight of dominance.” - Plot – 1.5:
This is not a plot forward piece. While there are emotional stakes, there is little testing those stakes. - Grammar: 1:
Clean and polished. I didn’t notice any issues that would cause rejection. - Concept – 2:
While this isn’t a particularly unique concept, the angle is a bit refreshing. The dynamic between the two men isn’t sharp; there’s no antagonist which is a double-edged sword. It’s refreshing but leaves the reader wanting a bit more. - Structure – 2:
Flows well. Not exactly a tight story but that might be a benefit. The bit of fluff adds to the softness. Trimming too much might lose that. - Characterization – 2.5:
Quite a bit of characterization in a few words. Everyone feels distinct from each other but not exactly real. They feel a bit fleeting, like images from a dream. - Dialogue – 2:
There is only one line of true dialogue, so there isn’t quite enough to give a 3. However, that one line does a bit of heavy lifting. I also consider the feeling of communication and there’s a lot of companionship in the negative space between Roy and his wife. - Setting – 2:
Setting wasn’t the point and it doesn’t need to be. Val’s room was the most distinct and it works.
Feedback:
This is a simple, tender and sweet story but that might be what’s holding it back. With so many submissions, most markets art looking for pieces that carry a bit more presence.
Suggest Refinement Points:
There isn’t anything that specifically needs to be refined. However, if you are looking to craft a more marketable draft, restructuring the story around a slightly sharper edge might work. You have characterization here that can shine if they’re given something to react to.
Market Considerations:
Without refinement, this piece would likely fit better at a market that appreciates very quiet works that are soft and wholesome. The competition will be stiff still. In the literary market, these kinds of pieces are very common. It might work to target journals that specialize in wholesome works. A smaller but active pool.
