I appreciate your interest in becoming a slush reader for Medusa Tales. Our readers play an essential role in selecting the stories we publish.
We have a fifteen-day submission period every other month during which we expect each reader to rate and comment on an average of two stories per day. Stories range from 100 to 5,000 words. Readers can choose the stories they read from among all the incoming submissions. Some readers may want to read several shorter stories, while others prefer a few longer ones.
We rate stories on a scale from 1 to 10. If a submission is rated 7 or higher, the system will send a hold notice to the author and forward the story to my queue. At that point, I'll decide whether to accept, reject, or request a second opinion.
Being a slush reader does not preclude you from submitting stories to Medusa Tales. You would just need to sit out any submission period in which you send us a story. In fact, it's fine to sit out a submission period for other reasons, too. Just let us know ahead of time, so we can have enough readers available.
This is a volunteer position, though it does have a couple of perks. In addition to our sincere gratitude, you'll receive a free digital copy of the magazine and access to our super exclusive Discord server where you can hang out with Medusa Tales authors, patrons, and other slush readers. You'll also be listed as a member of our staff on the website and in the magazine.
Hopefully, this answers most questions about the process and the commitment involved. If not, please DM me on Twitter @MedusaTalesMag or email "editor AT medusatales.com" with any questions or concerns.
You'll need to read "Song of the White Trout" before completing this form.
All the best,
Patrick O'Ryan
Editor-in-Chief