Apex Magazine is excited to present SNAP JUDGMENT Episode 11 of our rapid-fire, live-streaming critique series.
Every quarter, industry professionals Lesley Conner, Rebecca E Treasure, and a special guest offer live feedback on the first pages of anonymous submissions, which are read aloud by our host and narrator.
We are pleased to announce that our special guest editor for this event is author and editor Vajra Chandrasekera!
Vajra Chandrasekera is from Colombo, Sri Lanka. His debut novel The Saint of Bright Doors won the Locus, Nebula, and Crawford awards, and was a New York Times Notable Book of 2023. His second novel Rakesfall is out now. His short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction has appeared in Analog, West Branch, and The Los Angeles Times, among others. He has worked as an editor for Strange Horizons and Afterlives: The Year’s Best Death Stories, and as a judge for the Dream Foundry Writing Contest and the Salam Award. You can find more about him at vajra.me.
Snap Judgment Episode 11will be livestreamed on the Apex Magazine Youtube on Thursday August 01 at 12 noon ET (9 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. CT / 5 p.m. UTC).
HOW IT WORKS
Our host reads the title, genre, and text of the submission aloud without identifying the author. If at any point our panelists feel they would stop reading and reject the piece from their slush pile, they raise their hand. If all three hands are raised, our narrator stops reading.
Each panelist then gives their feedback on the opening: what works for them, what doesn’t, and what could be done to improve it. Don’t expect our panelists to be a mean group, but do expect them to be honest when it comes to assessing the work.
HOW TO WATCH THE EVENT
The event is available for anyone to watch. We’ll be streaming it live via two outlets:
- Apex Magazine Patreon (Note: The link will be live on the day of the event and afterward. Prior to that, it will take you to a 404.)
- Apex Magazine YouTube
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR STORIES
Submissions are open to supporters (subscribers, patrons, Kickstarter backers, and Reach Your Apex students) from July 10 and open to the general public from July 17).
Submissions close midnight (ET) July 24
Submissions are limited to our backers (Patreon supporters, magazine subscribers, and Kickstarter backers) until the final week when we open to public submissions.
All entries will be read anonymously and our panelists will not be given any identifying information before, during, or after the event.
Send your submission to Marissa van Uden at ApexSnapJudgment@gmail.com.
To submit…
- Please make the subject of your email “Snap Judgment Episode 11” and the title of your story.
- In the body of your email, include the title of your story again, the genre, and note whether it’s a short story, novella, or novel, etc.
- Copy-paste your first 250 words only directly below that. In case of a final sentence taking your submission over 250 words, please cut the last line.
Please include either your backer/subscriber email address or receipt of your subscription/support (not required if submitting in the last week open period)
If you enjoy this and other Apex Magazine events, please consider backing our 2025 Kickstarter, which will determine how many issues we can publish in the coming year. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/apexpublications/apex-magazine-2025
