For a Manuscript Critique
(Note: For Spring Mingle 2023 each conference attendee is permitted up to two add-on paid critiques: one with a member of our acquiring faculty and/or one with an author. See the faculty list for these names and what they’ll critique.)
In one .doc or .docx file, please submit:
One picture book manuscript
OR
A one-page synopsis of a fiction or nonfiction project + the first 10 pages of the corresponding manuscript
OR
A one-page synopsis of a graphic novel project + the first 10 pages of the corresponding manuscript
Optional: If you are also the illustrator, you may include a link to your book dummy, website, or sample art.
Note: scroll down for manuscript formatting specifics
Where do I send it?
Submit before midnight on February 15 2023, to sbwrittencrits@gmail.com
We will not be able to swap manuscripts after you’ve sent yours in. If your manuscript arrives after the deadline, it cannot be considered. For all paid critiques, fees are nonrefundable.
Manuscript Formatting
1A) Writers who are not illustrators do not need illustrations for their picture books. A correctly formatted manuscript is the only necessary submission.
1B) If you are an author-illustrator, you may add a web link under your title. However, the critiquers are NOT obligated to click through or comment on the art if the event is not specifically for illustrations.
2) In the publishing world deadlines matter, so your manuscript must arrive properly formatted and in the correct inbox no later than midnight of the deadline date.
3) In the subject line of your email, please include the book’s title and category (i.e., picture book, middle grade, young adult, nonfiction, graphic novel) as well as Critiquer’s last name and if it’s a written or Zoom critique: THE FAST & FURIOUS_MG_HALVERSON_ZOOM
4) Please name your manuscript file as follows: LASTNAME_TITLE_CATEGORY
For instance AUSTEN_PRIDE AND PREJUDICE_YA
5) Send only one file. It must be .doc or.docx (Word)
6) Use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial fonts. Single space the synopsis, double-space your manuscript. Use standard 1-inch margins all around.
(If you have a visual disability and need help achieving proper formatting, please email southern-breeze@scbwi.org for assistance.)
7) Include your contact information, manuscript genre, and word count on either a title page (does not count toward your 10 pages) or on the first page of your manuscript. On the remaining pages, please include your name, book title, and page number in a header.
8) Be sure the name on your manuscript matches the name you registered under for the event, even if you write under a pseudonym.
FAQ
What if my novel’s chapter doesn’t end exactly on page 10?
You may submit a maximum of 10 pages, so you’ll have to decide whether you’d prefer to truncate the chapter or make edits. Submitting fewer than 10 pages is also acceptable.
I have a poetry collection, novel-in-verse, or a graphic novel. How should I format it to fit into the rules?
To keep the manuscript size comparable to what we accept for other genres, please limit your submission to no more than 2500 words. You may choose to adhere to the industry standard for page breaks, or you may condense the submission into fewer pages by leaving an extra space where the page break would typically be.
My manuscript includes back matter. Can I include it?
To keep manuscript size comparable to what we accept for other genres, please limit your submission to no more than 2500 words. If that’s not enough to include all your back matter, you may choose to include some and list the other categories (i.e., Author’s Note, Glossary, etc.) as long as your total word count does not exceed 2500.
Questions? Email southern-breeze@scbwi.org