Live Critique

We invite submissions for our live critique sessions, where selected flash fiction pieces are read and discussed in real time during weekly live critiques on Substack. These sessions are designed to support writers seeking feedback and a deeper understanding of the critique process, with an emphasis on close reading, craft awareness, and intentional revision. Live Critique submissions are often more exploratory or experimental in nature, while still polished for readability. These pieces may be testing structure, voice, form, or emotional movement, and are selected because they invite conversation and discovery on the page. Selected work may be discussed during Substack Live critique sessions with care, curiosity, and respect for the writer’s vision. Live Critique submissions are not considered for the anthology in their submitted form. However, writers are warmly encouraged to revise their work based on feedback and submit updated versions through the appropriate anthology submission category. Many writers use live critique as part of a longer creative process that leads toward publication. We also encourage submissions that respond to prompts included in our weekly newsletters. These prompts are designed to generate work that engages directly with craft questions and thematic exploration, and often serve as a natural bridge between live critique and anthology submission. At The Practice of Writing, we believe our writing skills are inseparable from our ability to critique. Learning how to read closely, articulate what a piece is doing, and recognize structure, movement, and intention strengthens both our own work and the work of others. Every submission is read by a human. Every critique is offered thoughtfully.