Speculative Fiction Manuscript Exchange & Review
July 16, 2026. Columbia Fiction Foundry is sponsoring a Manuscript Exchange & Workshop for writers ready to share a full manuscript and query letter (or author’s statement). Each month, for as many months as there are participants, one manuscript is the subject of the group’s review and critique, culminating in a structured live workshop session.
The manuscript exchange workshop centers on sharing complete, novel-length manuscripts in fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative genres. The manuscripts can be at different stages of development, from first drafts to those that have already been sent for agent queries. This stage of development information is part of the submission.
The workshop is akin to a monthly book club where the aim is thoughtful, developmental feedback that helps each author move toward a stronger revision. Workshop participants are expected to read the entire manuscript, produce a written critique letter, and engage with the author respectfully and constructively. An optional task is to provide line-level feedback. To facilitate the exchange, the CFF set up a Google Drive folder and created a dedicated WhatsApp channel for the group to allow for more group discussions, polling, and experimentation.
Leading this first workshop is Melisa Özen Ryan (‘18CC). While drafting her own science fiction manuscript, she attended the bi-monthly CFF workshops and found them incredibly helpful for receiving feedback on a given chapter. But once she had a finished manuscript in hand, she realized she needed a different format—one that allowed for more holistic feedback on elements like character development, plot structure, pacing, and thematic cohesion, aspects of a novel that often can only truly be evaluated in the context of the full manuscript. Relatedly, CFF had been considering a similar novel workshop for in-depth critiques on complete works, but had not had someone willing to champion and lead such a program. Özen Ryan stepped in, leveraging CFF’s engaged author community and technical infrastructure, creating this initiative with the support of Ken Schept, CFF President.
At press time, the group is seven-strong, and they are on their third manuscript. When reached about the result thus far, after one cycle, Özen Ryan said, "Everyone engaged deeply with the manuscript, offering thoughtful feedback on everything from the hook and worldbuilding to character development, plot twists, and narrative momentum. The insights were both constructive and encouraging, creating an incredibly supportive environment. One of the most fascinating aspects of the experience was seeing how different readers responded to the same characters and story moments in their own unique ways. It was a powerful reminder of the value of diverse perspectives, and I hope the experience proves just as rewarding for every author when their turn comes."
If all goes well, this workshop will serve as a model and a template for additional and future novel workshops, with the hope of eventually expanding beyond speculative fiction depending on interest from the CFF community.