We utilize a blind review system.

Every submission put before our Gatekeepers has been stripped of the author’s identifying details. Only after a submission has been accepted do we learn the author’s identity. This system creates a level playing field. Stories must stand on their own merit, separate from the author’s name, reach, and professional accomplishments.

Whether your submission will be read in full depends on its quality.

We receive a lot of submissions. To keep our workload manageable and our response times prompt, Gatekeepers are instructed to read the first 3-5 paragraphs of each submission, then ask themselves two questions:

1.) Is the writing grammatically and mechanically sound?
2.) Am I compelled to read more?

If the answer to either of those questions is “no,” they are to stop reading, rate the submission on a scale of 1–5, and explain why they couldn’t continue.

If they’re interested and engaged with the text, they continue reading until they reach a conclusion about the story, one way or another.

We rank submissions on a scale of 1–5.

Our team weighs the quality of the writing, originality of the premise, our level of investment as readers, the submission’s suitability for The Dread Machine, and more.

Once a reader or editor rates a submission, they explain their rating in a detailed comment.

Your submission will be evaluated by at least one editor.

Whether your submission receives more rounds of review depends on its rating.

If a submission is rated between 1–2 by a first reader, it will be forwarded to our acquiring editor (Monica), who will read the comments and perform a quick review of the submission. She will then decide whether to reject the submission or reassign it to another reader for a second opinion.

Submissions rated between 3–5 are forwarded to another Gatekeeper to receive a second (or third) rating.

After a few rounds of review, submissions rated 3-5 are forwarded to our acquiring editor (Monica), who decides whether to reject, reassign, or elevate the submission for consideration.

Elevated submissions are considered by all three editors before a final decision is made.

In some circumstances (the kind that result in swift rejections), a single editor will be the only person to evaluate your submission. During initial screening, for instance, an editor may notice you have forgotten to remove personally identifying information from your submission and send you a rejection for failing to adhere to our submission guidelines. 

If we have time, we will send feedback, but only if invited.

We don’t send unsolicited critique. If you’re open to receiving constructive feedback about your submission, please indicate so in your cover letter. We can’t promise we’ll have the time, but we will try!