Interested in getting professional feedback? Our faculty are offering a limited number of critiques for purchase. Submissions will be due after the conference in order to give you time to incorporate any knowledge learned.
If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add on a critique, please email [email protected]
Submission information for Critiques
Dates:
Registration window: March 1st - April 11th, 2026
Submission Window: April 12th - April 26th, 2026
In order to allow attendees to incorporate knowledge gained during the MFA in a Day event, submissions will be accepted until midnight CST on April 26th, 2026.
Once you’ve submitted your manuscript/portfolio, it cannot be withdrawn or revised.
We will do our best to have all completed critiques back to participants before the end of June.
Q: Can I sign up for more than one critique?
Yes! Simply select the critiques you would like to purchase during registration.
Q: How do I format my manuscript?
Submission guidelines for written critiques:
In the header of the manuscript or manuscript sample (including any synopsis), include your name, email, and title of the manuscript. Make sure the header with your information is on each of your pages. These are not counted toward your word limit.
Picture Books:
Fiction: up to 800 words, 1-inch margins, double spaced (sample here).
Non-fiction: 1,200 words, 1-inch margins, double spaced.
Art notes do not count toward word count.
For Author/Illustrators: A full dummy (fully laid-out sketched picture book with 1-2 completed pieces of artwork). Max file size: 25 MB.
Novels: 10 pages, 1-inch margins, double spaced. You may include a synopsis (at the end of your pages), but these will not be critiqued (sample here).
Graphic novels:
Art and text: 10 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, as well as a summary/synopsis.
Text only: 10 pages of script.
You may include a synopsis (at the end of your pages), but these will not be critiqued (sample here).
Novels in Verse: 10 pages, 1-inch margins, single-spaced, no page breaks at the end of a poem. Run them right up after the one before. You may include a synopsis (at the end of your pages), but these will not be critiqued (sample here).
Please use standard font formatting such as Arial or Times New Roman, size 12.
If your manuscript is intended to be author/illustrated, you may add the line "author illustrated PB" (or MG or Chapter Book, etc.) in your contact information.
Please name your file in this format: Lastname_CritiquerName_Genre
For genre, please use: PB, CB, MG, YA, GN, NV
Example: JaneDoe_ElizaKinkz_PB
Preferred file formats: Word doc or PDF
Submission guidelines for Portfolio Submissions:
Create a single PDF file of 7-10 jpg images
Name your file in this format: Lastname_CritiquerName_portfolio
Example: Doe_portfolio
For Book Dummy submissions:
Dummies should consist of a fully laid-out sketched picture book with 1-2 completed pieces of artwork. Books should be assembled into a single PDF file.
Please name your file in this format: Lastname_CritiquerName_dummy
Example: Doe_bookdummy
Maximum File Size for all submissions: 25 MB
If your manuscript arrives with formatting issues, we’ll let you know and give you a chance to resubmit, but you still need to make the submission window date.
Q: I’m submitting a novel, should I include a synopsis?
While it is NOT mandatory, it is highly encouraged that you include a synopsis of your novel or graphic novel with your materials for critique. This way, faculty have more information to analyze your submission. Please note, agents and editors are not asked to provide critique on the synopsis itself, but they may use it for more context on your story, in order to provide better feedback on your work.
Note: Please limit your synopsis to one page, single spaced, standard formatting (12pt size font). Include this at the end of your 10 pages.
Q: How do I write a synopsis?
There are a lot of great resources online for synopsis writing. A few that may be helpful:
How to Write a Novel Synopsis (Mary Kole)
Synopsis Writing Made Easy (Writers Helping Writers)
How to Write a Novel Synopsis (Jane Friedman)
Please note, these are posts on the content of a synopsis. Please adhere to the formatting guidelines of one-page, single-spaced as noted above.
Q: For novels and graphic novels, should I submit the first 10 pages? Or can I submit any 10 pages?
We strongly suggest you submit the first 10 pages.
Your first pages are your first impression with an agent or editor, and they’re likely to be the only pages read in a submission package. Those are also the pages that set up the story, and the story may not make sense if you choose pages from the middle of your manuscript. You want those pages to shine! Making these pages as strong as possible can make a big difference in getting an agent or editor to request more work.
Q: I’m submitting a novel and my first chapter ends on page 11 and the limit is 10 pages. Can I just send 11 so you'll have a complete chapter?
No; please limit your manuscript to 10 pages. If your chapter is longer than 6 pages, look for a natural stopping point before that and send the pages up to that point.
Take a look at the manuscript sample for a novel. You may be able to fit in more than you realize by not leaving the typical spacing for a chapter beginning.
Q: After I submitted my work, I made some changes and I want to replace my original submission with a new one. There is still time before the submission deadline, so can I do that?
No; please upload your manuscript ONLY ONCE. We cannot accept multiple revised uploads. Proof your work carefully and submit when you are absolutely ready.
Q: I would like a refund, or I’d like to cancel my participation. How do I do that?
There are no refunds or cancellations for this event.
Q: I have a question that’s not addressed here. Who can I contact?
For any questions that are not already addressed, please reach out to [email protected]. We’ll respond as soon as we’re able.