I've been offering paid manuscript critiques for about eight years. I've had the pleasure of helping many authors develop their stories and been delighted to see a number of them acquiring representation and publishing deals. I am sometimes as excited for my clients' successes as I am for my own. I would say my own editing strengths are: Sharpening humor, making the story lean and punchier, and helping to focus the thread of a story.

 

Services & Costs

 

Once we decide we're going to work together, you send along your manuscript as a document (.doc, .docx) along with any feedback you've received and your concerns/hopes for your manuscript. I do not use Google Docs.

 

I will confirm receipt and begin work on a critique which will take between 1-2 weeks. I may, during that time, have questions, so you should be ready to answer them.

 

Occasionally, it is helpful to have a call or zoom, but this doesn't happen often.

 

All services payable in full via: before commencing work. I do not offer refunds.

 

*If you feel I have not held up my end of the bargain, we can discuss a credit toward another critique. (this has never happened, but it bears mentioning)

 

Full Manuscript Critique: $300

 

You will receive a thorough, edited manuscript with comments and suggestions, plus narrative remarks which discuss the strengths of the text, possible approaches to your story idea, and areas to work on when revising. I will also send along some general tips for revision.

My goal is not to tell you if something is publishable, but to help your story be the best it can possibly be.

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Quick Read: $100

 

Wondering if you're on the right track? Not sure where to go with an idea? Almost there, but not quite ready for a full critique? When I do a Quick Read, I simply use a comb with wider teeth. My aim is to help you to the next stage of your project. This is a great option for those with a first draft or a nagging idea they can't find a way to move forward on.

 

You receive an edited manuscript with comments, suggestions, and narrative observations, but just at a different granularity from a full critique. This usually only takes a few days to a week.

 

Custom: Get in touch

 

If you don't fit into either of the above options, or your looking for a series of critiques, or you need help developing a story idea, get in touch and I'll see what I can offer.

 

 

Critique FAQ:

 

What is your expertise and experience?

 

I am the author of eleven published picture books such as I DON'T WANT TO BE A FROG, CLAYMATES, HOW OLD IS MR. TORTOISE? And DON'T EAT BEES (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog). I have six more titles which will be published in the next few years. My publishers include Random House, Abrams, Simon & Schuster, and Little Brown & Co.

 

My books are usually funny (or at least I try), if a little weird. They lean toward being spare and conversational, with a lot of room left for the illustrator. I try to create work which is conceptually and structurally unique.

 

Do you edit chapter or middle grade books?

 

Nope. I exclusively edit picture books. While I can sometimes offer advice in other areas, or works which are somewhere between picture books and graphic novels, this is not my speciality.

 

Can I show you my work first?

 

I am happy to have you share your work so I can take a quick look to see I'm a good fit to critique it. Likewise, many authors will send a few manuscripts my way for me to take a quick look and assess which, if any, I can best help with.

 

*Please note: If I tell you I am not a good fit for a certain story, it is not a reflection on your writing, only that it's a text I feel someone else can better contribute to. I don't want you wasting your time or money if I can't help.

 

What if I have questions about querying and publishing in general?

 

While we're working together (and within reason, into the future), I welcome questions about the business and am happy to review your query letter and discuss approaches to this competitive industry. With that said, you should remember there are many routes to success in this business. I can only offer my two cents. *Please note, I cannot offer referrals, ins, recommendations or otherwise to agents or editors.

 

Does getting a paid critique mean I will become represented by an agent and/or be published?

 

Alas, it's not quite that simple but a focused, paid critique can certainly help develop a story and get it submission-ready. I'm a big believer a quality critique can help you develop your voice and inform your writing. Picture book writing is a long game.

 

How do I know if I should get a paid critique?

 

This is different for everyone, but I would suggest you pay for a critique once you have received some sort of feedback from trusted readers/critique partners, agents, or editors on your work. Likewise it's helpful if you've written a few stories and have a sense of your voice and comparable books/styles out there which resonate for the specific project.

 

Do you have any advice for someone starting out in picture books or looking to improve their craft?

 

As a matter of fact I do!

 

1. Read a LOT of picture books. Reading current ones is certainly important, but so is reading old ones, weird ones, funny ones, etc. Sitting down with a stack of books from the library and reading is a great way to get the flow and vibe of picture books. I also visit a few bookstores once a month to see what's face-out, new, capturing attention.

2. Write a LOT. Figure that even a seasoned writer will sell around one out of every five or six books they write. This varies of course, and improves as you get further into your own style and career; but you do need to write a lot to find and improve your voice.

3. Think long and hard about your ideas, make sure they are conceptually strong, rich, interesting. Once you feel secure in your concept, ask yourself how you can best tell THAT story. The obvious choice isn't always the best. Consider different points of view, tenses, structures etc.

4. Read your stories aloud. Have others read them to you. <-----This is important.

5. Whether you can draw or not, dummy out your stories...Hello stick figures! If you don't know what that means, you should do some more research on creating picture books.

6. Visit the Websites of amazing writers like: Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Pat Zietlow Miller, Tara Lazar, and Josh Funk. They have many invaluable resources on writing picture books.