Illustrator Day and PB Author Day—LIVE! In Lancaster 2025: One-on-One Critiques

For an additional cost, you can receive feedback from a publishing industry professional on a sample of your work. Registration includes written feedback and a 15-minute one-on-one meeting that will take place at the event.

How to participate:

Be sure to select a critique WHEN you register for Illustrator Day & PB Author Day—LIVE! in Lancaster.

Deadline:

• Illustrators: Send your portfolio samples/dummy to Berrie, [email protected], by 11:59 PM ET Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
• PB Authors: Send your manuscript/dummy to Kristen, [email protected], by 11:59 PM ET Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
• Please put LIVE! In Lancaster 2025 critique submission: Critique Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT/PORTFOLIO (same as saved file name) in the subject line of your email.

Read each faculty member's critique preferences above and be sure to select a critique with the faculty who is critiquing the correct category for your work.

• For Illustrators: Please send six portfolio-ready illustrations OR 1 dummy .jpg, .png or PDF file (5 MB max).
• For Illustrated Graphic Novel Sample Pages: send up to 10 illustrated pages of your manuscript and a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in the same document) .jpg, .png or PDF file (5 MB max).

• For Picture Book (PB) Authors/Translators: Please send entire manuscript and a 1- to 2-sentence pitch (in the same document). Translator submissions should include a brief note about the source work (also in the same document).
• For Middle Grade (MG) Authors/Translators: Please send up to 10 pages of your manuscript and a one-page, single-spaced synopsis (in the same document). Translator submissions should include a brief note about the source work (also in the same document).

How to format your submission:

⇒For all submissions, format your work in 12-point font, with one-inch margins, and double spacing (US Letter paper size). Include your synopsis in the same document (please don’t send two documents).

⇒Please include your name on every page of your work as a header or a footer, as well as identifying information on page one: first & last name, email address, title, genre.

⇒Please SAVE YOUR FILE as Critique Faculty Last Name_Your Last Name_TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT/PORTFOLIO as a PDF or DOC or DOCx.   

Portfolio Example: Sweet_Torgan-Randall_PORTFOLIO

Manuscript/Dummy Example: Laudone_Strocchia_PURPLE CARROTS

We anticipate critiques to be returned on or about Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Please review this feedback in preparation for your one-on-one meeting during the conference day.