Thank you for your interest in becoming a reader for Graveside Press! We’ve compiled some general information to answer the most common questions.
Q: Is this a paid position?
A: Like many presses and literary agencies, this is a volunteer position only, and we understand that’s not for everyone. Our Slushies (as they’ve named themselves) read because they enjoy it. They like seeing things early, getting a say in what gets accepted, gaining publishing experience (as we show them behind-the-scenes of the whole process), and in general just enjoy being involved with Graveside and its community.
Although not a paid position, we do offer perks such as ebooks of any GSP title and occasional physical hardcovers or paperbacks.
Q: How much time do I have to devote?
A: However much (or little) you want. Our Slushies are volunteers, and we respect the time they’re gifting us. Slushies come in and out as their schedules allow. They just let us know, “Hey, I’ve got time for reading this month/week” or “I have final exams in June so I won’t be around”, etc.
Q: Why do I have to sign an agreement?
A: We ask that all submissions readers sign a nondisclosure agreement when they join. This is more to protect our authors than anything else. We’re giving you access to their unpublished work, and, unfortunately, there are bad apples out there. This agreement states you won’t take the subs you read and do anything with them, such as publish, redistribute, etc. You can read a copy of the agreement here.
Q: What kind of feedback are you looking for?
A: If you’ve submitted to us before, you know we use DuoTrope. The publisher-side of DuoTrope is called DuoSuma. You’ll need a DuoTrope account to access DuoSuma, but you do not need a paid account. You would log in to DuoSuma and see any submissions assigned to you, right there in your queue.
When reviewing, there’s a 1-5 star rating system and a place to write your thoughts. We don’t dictate how long your reviews have to be. This is the sort of info that is helpful for us:
- If you enjoyed it, obviously!
- Being able to say, “This book really isn’t for me, but fans of x-y-z would enjoy it.”
- If there were things you disliked. This could be a character, plot line, or anything you recognize as potentially problematic.
- Any thoughts on the writing, yes. We aren’t expecting our readers to be editors, by any means. But if you notice gaping plot holes or consistent issues with the writing, we’re happy to hear it.
Q: How do I keep in touch?
A: Some of our Slushies keep us informed of their availability by email, but most of them are in the Graveside Press Discord Server. When you join the team, you gain a role that gives you access to a new set of channels. Our Slushies enjoy chatting with us and each other! Since more than one person is usually on a submission/project, they often compare notes.
Q: Do I have to read the entire book if I don’t like it?
A: Absolutely not. We ask that you give full-length words a fair shot (50-100 pages is suggested). If you find you’re not enjoying anything about it and dread reading the rest, that’s okay. Review it as you normally would, let us know how far you got, and what reasons you had for it being a DNF title. 😊
Q: Does this affect my ability to submit my own work to Graveside?
A: None at all. We simply wouldn’t assign your own submission for review. 😉
Q: Do I get to pick what kind of submissions I read?
A: More or less, yes. Everyone has their own tastes as well as sub-genres they love or they won’t touch with a ten-foot-pole. We’ll ask what length of submission you’re interested in (short stories, novellas, novels), and often we have our themed anthology calls where we’ll ask if anyone’s interested for reading for them. (E.g., our cryptid anthology, witch anthology, etc.)
Interested? Email me with the following info!
- What length of submissions are you interested in starting with? (This can change anytime!)
- Are there any topics or subgenres you do not want to read for? (E.g., splatterpunk, middle grade/children’s, slashers, ghost stories, etc.)
- Are there any topics or subgenres you love to read?
- The best email address to send your nondisclosure agreement and your DuoSuma invite
- Are there subjects with which you have first-hand knowledge you’d be interested in reading for? (race, religion, sexual identity, disability, etc.)
* This is purely optional. You do not have to answer it, nor are you obligated to disclose any of that information to us.
Hannah Rebekah Graves
creepshannah@graveside-press.com
Acquisitions Manager
Graveside Press