Critiques
Sera Rivers is offering 20 written manuscript critiques for the following categories:
- Picture Book Fiction
- Picture Book Dummy
- YA Fiction
Leslie Helakoski is offering 10 written critiques for the following:
- Picture Book Dummy
Submit your work for critique:
Once you’ve successfully registered, you’ll submit your manuscript/book dummy for critique via a Google Form. The link to the Google Form will be provided to you on the "Events" section of your member home page. (It is NOT in your confirmation email).
To find the link for submitting your materials - Go to your member home page. Click on the My Events tab. You should see a tile labeled "Registration" with Sera or Leslie's name listed below. Click on the "Meeting Info" button. The link to the submission form is on that page. (Email submissions will NOT be accepted.) If you have issues with the form, please contact Jodi McKay ([email protected]).
We check all submitted materials against the registration list.
Deadline for submission - 11:59 PM (ET) on February 9th, 2026.
Late entries will not be accepted.
**There are no refunds on critiques**
**Critique opportunities will be first come, first served.**
All critiques will be done on SCBWI's standard Gold Form.
Please follow these submission guidelines:
Picture Books: Fiction: up to 800 words, 1-inch margins, double spaced. Art notes do not count toward word count.
Book Dummy: A full dummy (fully laid-out sketched picture book with 1-2 completed pieces of artwork). Max file size: 25 MB.
Novels: 6 pages, 1-inch margins, double spaced. Additionally, you may include a one-page single-spaced synopsis at the end of your 6 pages, but these will not be critiqued.
General guidelines:
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" in your contact information.
Please name your file in this format: YourName_GENRE_FacultyName
For genre, please use: PB, PB Dummy, YA
Preferred file formats: Word doc or PDF
Critiques will be emailed back by the end of April.