Getting a manuscript in front of a literary agent or publisher is almost impossible without a recommendation. The Front List combines the web and a type of peer review to help authors get their works seen…
The process is straightforward: After posting an extract from a completed work on The Front List, a writer is allocated five works to critique while his or her extract is, in turn, read and annotated by five other authors. Marks are given out of 50 – based on five set criteria, which vary according to genre.
Any member who scores over a certain threshold (225 points out of a possible 250) is guaranteed a reading by a respected literary agent or publisher. The site makes money by charging members £10, or about $19.75, if they wish to read the critiques of their work.