Filter Testimonials
Everything I Needed to Know
I met with Claire and she was able to succinctly and clearly let me know how to revise my query letter to be more effective. Everything Claire said made sense. Now, I feel I’m on the correct path to connect with an agent who will be able to take my book to publication. Thanks, Claire!
Dorice Exline
September 27, 2026
Bridget was fly
I had a query consultation with Bridget last Tuesday, and she was great. Talking over the stakes of the story inspired me to move up a section of a scene later in the novel up to the beginning. My novel now has a new 3-page beginning that I and my beta reader find intense, gripping, and which is centered in secondary-world fantasy, before my previous “poetic and beautiful… compelling, eerie with a lyrical vibe” beginning (as another MSWL Academy agent described it in my recent first-page consultation). Just for that, my meeting with Bridget was fly. But she was also helpful in my query as well, something I’ve been struggling with. Overall, I think Bridget was fantastic. Thanks, Bridget! S.D. Lishan
S.D. Lishan
September 27, 2026
Professional, helpful, and kind
I had a first-page query consultation with Samantha. Since, on the basis of my recent query consultation with another MSWL Academy agent, I had changed up my original first page (moving up some material from later in the novel to the beginning), she was nice enough to listen to the “new” first page (which she liked overall) before going over her written comments on the “old” first page (which is now p. 4 in the novel). I found her comments smart, kind, and helpful overall. I’d recommend her to other writers for sure. Thank you, Samantha!
S.D.Lishan
September 25, 2026
Fantastic, In-Depth Feedback
I had a 15-min consult with Larissa about my query and first ten pages. She targeted her response to what I was most concerned about, and then went a step further, suggesting some possible fixes. Then she suggested a bigger change to the story that she felt would make it more compelling, and would also eliminate some of the problems I was struggling with in the opening. I wasn’t sure about making such a big change, so I slept on it for awhile, but I have since started actioning her feedback and it is absolutely making both my overall arc and my opening pages stronger. Larissa was friendly, collaborative, and her insights were spot-on. I’d highly recommend her for a consult!
Tanya E
September 20, 2026
The clarity & confirmation I needed
Katharine gave me the clarity and inspiration I needed. She provided sharp, focused feedback on my query letter, clearly breaking down what worked and what didn’t. Her encouraging, insightful approach validated the strengths of my project while giving me a roadmap to get the query back on track. She has a genuine passion for supporting writers, and I highly recommend working with her.
Chris
September 20, 2026
Kind and Calm Energy
I had a call with Stefanie about the first page of my novel, and she was very helpful in answering my questions. She advised that I let my story speak for itself without extra descriptions, and it was just what I needed to hear to improve my book. Her energy made me feel safe.
Thank you!
Kathie Pham
September 20, 2026
Incredible fun and helpful!
I had such a wonderful experience with my consultation with Molly Cusick. She was incredibly thoughtful, encouraging, and generous with her feedback. She offered wonderful, practical suggestions that gave me a much clearer sense of how to move forward with my manuscript, and she answered all of my questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.
As someone navigating the writing and publishing process, I really appreciated how approachable and supportive Molly was while still providing insightful, honest feedback. I left our consultation feeling much more confident and excited about my project, with concrete ideas for next steps.
I would absolutely recommend Molly to anyone looking for thoughtful, knowledgeable, and encouraging guidance. I’m so grateful for her time and expertise!
Elizabeth Scott
September 24, 2026
Helpful and Insightful
Linda was thoughtful and well prepared, and I found our conversation extremely helpful. She took the time to work through my query in detail, helping me see where the individual elements were strong but the connections between them could be clearer. Her comments helped me reshape the query so the progression of events and cause-and-effect are easier for an agent to follow.
She also gave useful feedback on the opening pages. I found her very easy to talk with, and the conversation felt relaxed rather than rushed. It was clear she had put real thought into both the query and the pages before we spoke. I came away with concrete changes I could make immediately and a much clearer sense of how to present the manuscript.
Brandon Daniel Harrison
September 25, 2026
Exactly What I Needed
The Manuscript Academy experience exceeded my expectations. Stephanie Winter’s feedback was thoughtful, detailed, and remarkably well targeted to the challenges in my manuscript. I always understood the intent behind her suggestions and felt empowered to make meaningful revisions. Most importantly, I now feel confident and excited about entering the query process. I’ll definitely be returning for future projects.
JM Venturini
September 14, 2026
Expertise, Advice, Warmth, and Humor
Kelly Van Sant is a wonderful advisor and a warm, encouraging person. She took a look at my query letter and the first page of my novel, and she was so invested in helping me that it felt like she was a member of my family. She came to the meeting so fully prepared that she was able to point out a few things efficiently—allowing me to ask questions. Our time together was only ten minutes, but Kelly saved me hours of teeth-gnashing and hair-pulling. She is a world-class gem.
Bud Jennings
September 11, 2026
A helpful and hopeful critique!
Stephanie’s feedback on my query for a fantasy novel was a highlight of my week. She was immediately able to point out improvements while keeping an optimistic and encouraging tone. She also noted what _not_ to change. Clearly an industry expert, she was able to make specific recommendations for better comps I could use. All of my questions were answered and she also gave me grace while I was in a bit of a hectic public setting for the video call. Thank you Stephanie!
Emma France
September 6, 2026
Next Level Advice
After reading my pages and query, it felt like Jonathan Baker knew me better than I knew myself. With direct advice and insight, I am so much more able to see what was working with my writing and query, and what wasn’t. And big picture, he intuited ways to move forward that I had never thought of… And beyond the help with the writing, he is obviously incredibly knowledgeable about the granular parts of this industry. Working with him was a delight. If you want real help, he’s the guy.
Gillian Shure
September 4, 2026