Manuscript Critiques and Submissions
Want to know what you specifically can do to make your work shine? Add a face-to-face critique to your conference ticket!
You must be registered for the full conference to have an industry professional critique your manuscript. Conference attendees may purchase a total of one manuscript critique. To participate, select a paid manuscript critique during the registration process.
For paid feedback on portfolios, see the section of the conference website for Portfolio Critiques or Portfolio Showcase and Contest.
For 2026, we will be running our manuscript contest in conjunction with our critiques. Contest details are below!
Face-to-Face Manuscript and Dummy Critiques ($85-$100)
Submissions due by July 1, 2026
- Choose Your Own Critiquer $100
- Critiquer Chosen for You $85
During online registration, you’ll have the option to choose one of the above two options under “Conference Add-Ons.” Be sure to register early! Choose-Your-Own spots fill up especially fast! Once slots are full, these options will no longer be available.
(NOTE: If a faculty member’s Choose-Your-Own slots are full, it does NOT automatically mean they have no critique slots left. The conference committee reserves a specific number of critiques with each faculty member for those who don’t choose their own critiquer.) Critiques might be with an agent or editor. Continue reading for more information, or download the Manuscript Formatting Guidelines at the bottom of this page.
For your paid critique, you may submit:
- one picture book manuscript
- OR one picture book dummy (for illustrators and author-illustrators only)
- OR up to 10 pages of poems
- OR the first 10 pages of a fiction or nonfiction project + a one-page synopsis for the corresponding manuscript
- OR the first 10 pages of a graphic novel project + a one-page synopsis for the corresponding manuscript (a one-page art sample is optional)
Send your correctly formatted manuscripts or picture book dummies to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, July 1, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time/10:59 p.m. Central time. (NOTE: We will not be able to swap manuscripts after you’ve sent yours to us. If your manuscript arrives after 11:59 p.m. Eastern time/10:59 p.m. Central time on July 1, you will be informed. This fee is nonrefundable.)
NEW THIS YEAR FOR PICTURE BOOK DUMMIES: Illustrators who also write may submit a picture book dummy for an individual manuscript critique INSTEAD of a manuscript. In years past, attendees have submitted BOTH the PDF dummy and a .docx picture book manuscript. This year, author/illustrators who wish to submit a dummy will ONLY need to submit the PDF (no larger than 10MB).
REMEMBER: Faculty critiquing picture book dummies are NOT art directors. They will be mainly focused on the STORY. Submitting only the dummy may coax them to comment on your dummy sketches. However, though they are asked to give impressions or thoughts on your illustrations, the bulk of their critique will focus on the manuscript text. If you want more feedback specifically on your illustrations, consider purchasing a portfolio critique.
Questions about dummies? Please contact Scott Soeder, Midsouth Illustrator Coordinator, at [email protected] and use DUMMY CRITIQUE (all caps) in the subject line.
Questions about manuscript critiques? Please contact Erica Rodgers at [email protected] and use MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUES (all caps) in the subject line.
2026 Midsouth Manuscript Contest (FREE with purchase of paid manuscript critique)
Please read carefully!
The Midsouth runs our manuscript contest in conjunction with our critiques. Each of our critiquing agents and editors will have the option of choosing the “Most Publishable” or “Faculty Favorite” manuscript from the pieces they review. Winners will receive a certificate of distinction at the conference. If you purchase a face-to-face critique, your submission is automatically entered in the manuscript contest. Awards will be announced at the conference during closing remarks on Sunday. Be sure to be present for the big reveal! Winners will be promoted on the Midsouth SCBWI regional webpage, in the Midsouth monthly newsletter and on our social media accounts.
HOW TO FORMAT YOUR MANUSCRIPT
(Also available as a download at the bottom of this page)
- NOTE: Writers who are not illustrators DO NOT need illustrations for their picture books. A correctly formatted manuscript is the only necessary submission. Author-illustrators may submit a correctly formatted manuscript OR a dummy.
1) Please name your manuscript file as follows—LASTNAME.TITLE.YEAR—and send it in .docx format. For picture book dummies, name your PDF as follows: LASTNAME.TITLEDUMMY.YEAR
NOTE: The name on your manuscript MUST match the name you registered under for the conference even if you write under a pseudonym.
2) Format ALL manuscripts in double-spaced 12-point Times New Roman with 1” margins.
3) Include your personal and manuscript information:
- For Picture Books, place your contact information in the upper left-hand corner. If you are represented by an agent, please note that as well. The sample submission available for download at the bottom of this page has a GREAT example of this!
- For Middle Grade and Young Adult, use a title page. The title page does NOT count as one of your ten pages. Place your contact information and the category of your manuscript (YA, MG, PB, chapter book, graphic novel, or NF) in the upper left-hand corner. Please note, it must be only one category; there is no MG/YA per publishing guidelines. If you are represented by an agent, please note that on the title page as well. The sample submission available for download at the bottom of this page has a GREAT example of a title page.
4) For picture books: submit up to 10 pages of ONE picture book manuscript (including your personal information and title). No synopsis is needed.
5) For picture book dummies: submit one full dummy as a PDF (regardless of page number), size limit 10MB.
6) For middle grade, young adult, nonfiction, chapter books, and graphic novels: submit a title page, the first 10 pages of your manuscript, double-spaced (even if it cuts off mid-chapter), and a short synopsis (no longer than one page, single-spaced), all in the same document. With a title page, your total submission document should be 12 pages long.
7) For poetry: this includes novels in verse and stand-alone poetry collections. Poetry submissions should conform to the novel guidelines above; however, poems may be single-spaced with a double space between stanzas, per industry standards. Stand-alone collections (i.e. a group of poems intended to be published as one book) must have a page break at the end of each poem.
8) You are welcome to include a header with your name and the title of your work on each page of your manuscript, as well as page numbers (as shown on the downloadable Formatted Manuscript Sample Pages), but you are not required to do so.
When and How to Submit a Paid Critique
- Online conference registration must be completed and all fees must be paid before submitting your manuscript for a paid critique.
- Send your correctly formatted manuscript to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, July 1, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time/10:59 p.m. Central time. Manuscripts received after that day cannot be accepted. (NOTE: We will not be able to swap manuscripts after you’ve sent yours to us. If your manuscript arrives after 11:59 p.m. Eastern time/10:59 p.m. Central time on July 1, you will be informed. This fee is nonrefundable.)
- In the subject line of your email, please include: the type of critique you’ve chosen (i.e. “Choose Your Own critiquer,” “Critiquer Chosen for You”), as well as your manuscript’s genre (i.e., fantasy, mystery, contemporary, graphic novel) and category (i.e., picture book, picture book dummy, middle grade, young adult, nonfiction). EXAMPLE: Critiquer Chosen for You, picture book, OR Critiquer Chosen for You, young adult fantasy.
- If you have recently had a critique with one of THIS YEAR’S faculty, please add that information (the name of the reviewer) in the body of your email so we can avoid scheduling you with someone you’ve already met with.
- All submissions will receive a personal confirmation within ONE WEEK. PLEASE DO NOT email asking if your submission has been received BEFORE this window expires.
- Questions? Download and review the Manuscript Sample Pages at the bottom of this page. Still have questions? Email Erica Rodgers at [email protected].
When and How Will I Receive My Critique?
Critiqued manuscripts will be returned to attendees via email a day or two before the conference, along with your assigned face-to-face critique time. Plan to arrive at the designated critique room before your appointment time. You’ll get 15 minutes with your critiquer for the in-person portion of your feedback session, so come prepared to get the most out of the experience.
If you are late, the end time of your critique will NOT change. The faculty have a tight schedule, and we can’t afford to run late and will not reschedule missed critiques.
Want to read more about how to prepare and what to expect?
Download the ABCs of Paid Critiques from the list of documents below.
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