Surviving the Slush Pile: Slush Reader Insight

The Slush Pile

Slush piles are collections of writing submissions that are read by slush readers (typically assistant editors or external parties). Slush readers have the power to reject submissions but they don’t get to make the final call as to what gets published. If they like your piece, they will pass it up to the editor to read—who can make the big decisions. Slush readers are usually enthusiasts who love the publications they are reading for and are also often writers themselves, looking to learn what makes a great story great by being hit with an avalanche of writing (which runs the gamut of quality and style).

Slush readers are in the trenches; learning, analyzing, and judging. This makes them some of the best people to give advice. They know the most common mistakes people make because they’ve seen them (a lot).

What is this resource?

In this article, Confessions of a Slush Reader: Why Should I Care?, the author explores openings and some of the common mistakes writers make that cause the reader to lose interest.

Why Should I read it?

If you want to survive the slush pile, knowing how to keep a reader’s interest is a must. This article breaks down how interest can be lost--and what you need to do to keep it.

How to get the most out of it

Before reading this article, I recommend going over one of your recent pieces, focusing on the beginning. As you read the article, see if your piece is checking all the boxes to make the reader care--and see if you’re committing any of the cardinal sins mentioned.

Find the article here:

https://www.shimmerzine.com/2011/03/16/confessions-of-a-slush-reader-why-should-i-care/