Get Your Manuscript Critiqued!
(Looking for the Illustrator Portfolio Critique Page? Click here.)
There are a limited number of manuscript critiques available for attendees at an additional fee of $55 at the time you register for the conference. A waitlist will be accessed on a first-come first-served basis.
Submission Deadline: September 25th
Your manuscript will be assigned to one of our professional critiquers (Editor, Agent, or published author). We are so sorry that we're unable to accommodate personal preferences for critiquers, but please be assured that your manuscript will be reviewed with care and a professional editorial eye. You will not know your critiquer until you receive your completed critique. The list of critiquers is below (more may be added):
Laurie McLean - agent, Fuse Literary; Maggie Tokuda - Hall, author; Isabella Kung - author/illustrator; Andy Ross - agent, Andy Ross Literary Agency; Ann Jacobus - author; Stefanie Molina - agent, Ladderbird Literary; Karyn Fischer - agent, Bookstop Literary; Shirley Ng-Benitez - author/illustrator
Your critiqued manuscript will be accessible for review via a specified link that will be emailed to you the week after the conference.
CANCELLATIONS — The critique fee is NOT refundable. If you cancel your conference registration or miss the September 25th electronic submission deadline, you will not receive a critique.
Manuscript Submission Guidelines
Read the guidelines and follow them exactly or your manuscript will not be accepted. All submissions must be received by September 25th.
1. Register for the conference BEFORE you submit your manuscript.
2. After you register and pay for your Critique Add On, sign into the SCBWI Events page Here. Or copy and paste this URL: https://www.scbwi.org/home/events into your browser. If you're not logged in, the site will prompt you to log in first. Look for CRITIQUE ADD ON, then select the green MEETING INFO. button. Click on Manuscript Critique Submission Form. Fill out the form and upload your manuscript by September 25th. Please contact Natasha Yim: sfnortheastbay-ara@scbwi.org if you have any difficulties with the form or submitting your manuscript.
3. For Picture Books: No synopsis is required. Please do not submit a dummy book, photos, or illustrations.
Submit entire manuscript up to 1,000 words max.
4. For Chapter Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult: You must submit a single file with both your synopsis and first 10 pages of your manuscript.
5. You MUST format your manuscript (PB, CB, MG, and YA) in the following way. To view an example, please click HERE.
Use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial.
First page of manuscript:
• In the upper LEFT corner of page one put your name, address, telephone number, and email address.
• In the upper RIGHT corner of every page put the title, PB/MG/ or YA, and page number.
• Halfway down the center of the page put the title of your manuscript in CAPS with “By Your Name” underneath. Then double-space the manuscript, starting on the next line. You may submit a maximum of 10 manuscript pages, even if you have to cut off at mid-chapter. For PB, there is a 1000 max word limit. Please click HERE for a sample first page.
• Use a 1-inch or 1.25-inch margin on each side of the page.
• The name on your manuscript must match the name you registered under even if you write under a pseudonym.
• Include a one-page, single-spaced synopsis at the end of the sample (this does not factor into your page count). Title the page “Synopsis”.
• Upload the manuscript pages and synopsis as one (1) Word document (no PDFs).
6. Fill out the MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE SUBMISSION FORM (located on your Events page after you register for the conference and pay for the Critique Add On), and follow the instructions to upload your manuscript. Please contact Natasha Yim: sfnortheastbay-ara@scbwi.org if you have any difficulties with the form or submitting your manuscript.
Program subject to change without notice.