CRITIQUE and EDITING SERVICES for CHILDREN'S WRITERS

2010-01-06T22:19:00.005-05:00

As a published writer and long time member of several critique groups, I have critiqued literally hundreds of manuscripts. Many have gone on to publication. I have also served for 3 years critiquing creative writing manuscripts of junior high and high school students for a Teen Arts Festival. Although I specialize in children's literature, I provide critique services to writers of both children's and adult's literature, including poetry.

Critique services provided at the following rates:

Minimum charge is $75 for a manuscript of up to 5 double-spaced pages (maximum of 1400 words). Additional pages of the same manuscript (beyond five pages) are $10. This includes feedback on the following:

--Formatting: Is the manuscript formatted correctly for submission to a publisher?
--Choice of title: Is it catchy?
--Target age: Is the story appropriate for the stated target age and market?
--Length of work: Is it too long or too short? What, if anything, should be cut?
--Opening paragraph: Do you have a powerful, catchy opening that will hook the reader?
--Rhyme and meter (if applicable): Is the rhyme scheme and meter consistent?
--Do you "show" rather than "tell"?
--Dialogue: Is it believable? Are the characters' voices distinct? Is there a good balance between dialogue and action? Are dialogue tags used well?
--Character Development: Have you developed characters that the reader can care about and relate to? Are they interesting?
--Illustration considerations: Does the story lend itself to lively and interesting illustrations? Does the story give unnecessary details that can be shown instead in the illustrations?
--Conclusion: Is it satisfying and believable?
--Line by line comments within the text, including feedback about grammar, word choices, dialogue, sentence length, structure, and more.

Rhyming picture books add $15 (This does not apply if you are seeking general comments rather than an in-depth critique) This includes suggestions on rhymes, meter, syllables, and story development.

Second critique of the same manuscript is half the rate of the first critique, unless otherwise agreed.

Critique of a query letter is $15.

Manuscripts are submitted by email as an attachment.

Proper submission for a manuscript (for example, click here):

12 point font (Times New Roman or Arial)
One-inch margins all around
Name, address, email & phone in upper left corner (single spaced)
Word count in upper right corner
Title centered, halfway down the page.
Double space after title, then manuscript starts just beneath the title.
Double space manuscript
Each page, except for page one, should have a header which includes your name/ title/page number.

Payment by check, money order, or Paypal.

Email me for more information!

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR NEW WRITERS

2010-01-05T10:10:00.000-05:00

If you are a new writer who has been offered a contract or representation by an agency you found on the internet, play it safe and make sure they are legit. Unless you are seeking self-publication, no publisher or agent should be asking you for money. A helpful resource for checking up on publishers and agents are the websites Predators and Editors and Writers Beware.

Looking for a publisher for your book? Check out the most recent edition of The Children's Writers and Illustrators Market. You can also look online at "Colossal Directory
of Children's Publishers."

FOR A CLEARINGHOUSE OF HELPFUL WRITING AND PUBLISHING SOURCES, LOG ONTO MY WEB PAGE: RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN'S WRITERS.

Writers In the Sky-Children's Book Critiques

CRITIQUE and EDITING SERVICES for CHILDREN'S WRITERS

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR NEW WRITERS