Mentorship Submission Instructions Page

Step 1: Determine Your Eligibility

• Log in to www.scbwi.org, then click on “My Home” in the upper right corner. When your profile appears, find the “My Profile” box and look for “Membership Expiration.” If your membership has expired, you can renew from the link next to your status. You must be a current premium member (not expired) to enter the mentorship. Proof of eligibility may be requested.
• If you have previously won a mentorship for picture books, then you are not eligible.

Step 2: Register for the mentorship

• Once the registration platform is live, a link will be provided here and in numerous mentorship announcements across our social media platforms.
• The submission fee is $60 (nonrefundable).
• One entry per person.

Step 3: Fill Out the Google Form

Once you’ve successfully registered, you’ll submit your manuscript/portfolio 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 the name of your chosen agent/editor 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 SCBWI-MI's Mentorship Coordinator, Jessica Zimmerman at [email protected].

We check all submitted materials against the registration list (i.e. Name, payment, agent/editor chosen). Deadline for submission - 11:59 PM (ET) on January 26, 2027. Please honor these deadlines so we have enough time to get the materials to our critiquing professionals.

***There are no refunds for this event. Please be sure to submit your manuscript or portfolio in the correct format (see below for formatting details) by the deadline.***

Details:

You will enter your name and email address to fill out the Google Form, but this information will not be shared with the judges. You will do this so that the Mentorship Coordinator is able to return your feedback to the correct person.

Be prepared to answer the questions below on the Google Form:

• Tell us about your manuscript. For example, what was your inspiration for this story? What makes this a great story for children? Include anything you think will help the judges and mentor. (300-word limit)
• What do you hope to gain from the mentorship? (200-word limit)
• What are you looking for in a mentor? (200-word limit)

Attach the document to the Google Form:

Combine all manuscript pages and pitch into a single PDF or Word Doc file. 

Limit the file size to no more than 25MB. 

Formatting Guidelines: 1-inch margins, double-spaced. The first page will be a brief story pitch(see notes below), followed by your manuscript, max. 800 words (illustration notes do not count against your word count). Please use Times New Roman font, size 12.

Story Pitch: 

When ________ (discovers, learns, finds, realizes, etc) __________. He/she/them must _______ before ___________.

Or try to include the following:

 character

 desire

 opposing force

 struggle

 stakes

Need more? Try checking out:

https://www.creativindie.com/how-to-write-a-blurb-pitch-or-synopsis-for-your-novel-or-book/

Please name your file in this format: TITLEOFMANUSCRIPT.doc or .pdf

Please DO NOT put your name or any other identifying information in your file name.

Please DO NOT put your name or any other identifying information in your manuscript. To ensure an unbiased selection process, the manuscripts will be identified by title only, not the author’s name. 

In the header of the attached document, include the title of your manuscript.

Put page numbers in the bottom right corner.

Once You Submit: 

• Feel free to announce the mentorship on social media.
• DO NOT mention on social media that you entered the competition.

Judges evaluate submissions based on the following criteria: 

• Use of Language for Intended Audience
• Development of Plot
• Development of Characters
• Pacing
• Overall Impression/Originality

For more information, please visit our FAQ page here.