Feedback And Reviews

John critiqued my opening pages, and I was so impressed, I decided to hire him to critique my query. His feedback, along with the feedback I received from other Manuscript Academy faculty, was so insightful. I'm so pleased to see it all coming together now in a much stronger query that more clearly conveys the heart of my book. Thank you so much, John! And thank you, Manuscript Academy, for having such an incredible faculty!

My consultation with Amy was extremely helpful. She gave me feedback on both my query letter and my pages and her clear explanations of strong and weak points in the letter have put me on a path to a much more powerful and direct query letter. Her feedback on my pages reinforced my own sense of what was and wasn't working and I am revising with more confidence. I am so thankful!

Excellent value for the cost, and perfect for people who either haven't started querying yet and want to get off on the right foot, or those who've had trouble getting responses on their queries.

Melissa was great! She gave both specific and general feedback that has helped me answer some lingering questions I have, and I believe her honesty and transparency will help me not only create a better manuscript, but also find the right agent for this book. If you want someone who will be straightforward, choose Melissa. You can't go wrong. All of these critiques are worth every penny and then some.

She gave me SUCH good ideas and completely changed the way I think about writing a query. She also made me feel better about the "rules" and telling the heart of the story.

Melissa was wonderful giving all the detail from submission to shelf—I had no idea about ALL the steps required nor the length of time. It was important information but also rather daunting!

Danielle Chiotti was personable and made me feel comfortable. She critiqued the first page of my MG, giving me some valuable feedback. Danielle was thorough as we went over every paragraph, what worked and what didn't, and suggested enhancing foreshadowing using bread crumbs. I love that! It was a positive consultation and I'm eager to send her my query.

The query letter critic meeting with Amy Bishop was productive and helpful. I recieved some valuable professional feedback -- hopefully it will help me to improve the effectiveness of my query.

I recently had a query critique with Jessica. She was incredibly kind and helpful. She answered all of my questions and gave a lot of great suggestions, while simultaneously being encouraging. I feel more motivated then ever to start querying after my meeting with her!

Caitlin rocked. She took me right to what worked and then to what didn't work. Getting published isn't just about having my name on a book, it's about the experience of working with a genius editor who will guide you through improving your writing. Caitlin gave me a taste of what that's like. Which is joyous. Also—and I'm STILL kind of coasting on this—I secretly think I'd fit on the shelf next to a certain super famous author and Caitlin mentioned him in the first three minutes of the call and I almost died.

I really enjoyed the energy and information from all the people involved. I wrote so many notes down which I think will really help me get my work published. My search continues for an agent to help me start the process. I am so glad I found your group.

Anyone out there working on a novel, picture book, etc. needs to know about The Manuscript Academy. This group can offer so much relative information which will help answer the many questions we all have starting out as writers. I feel so privileged to know about this group.

Sincerely,

Sandra

This was my third or fourth session with Melissa. As always, a highly productive 15 minutes. She had strong recommendations from the start and her advice is much appreciated.

My meeting with Molly was excellent. She was very conscious of our limited time so made sure from the get-go that she understood what I was hoping to focus on during the meeting. She was so generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise and I left the meeting with a much clearer vision and so much energy and enthusiasm. I highly recommend a meeting with Molly at any stage in your development, she is likely one of the most supportive and helpful publishing professionals you could spend 15 minutes with!

Stephanie gave me so many solid insights into how to make my query solid. She commented on things I'd never even considered and offered guidance on how to move forward with the changes.

She offered clear explanations for why certain things weren't working and also offered plenty of praise for things that were.

Stephanie is very engaging, and I felt fully at ease talking to her. I highly recommend booking her for a consultation.

As an author taking a plunge and meeting with literary agents is a leap that can be scary. An author needs to take every bit of advice and sift through it, like a fine cookie recipe. Sift, Sift, mix, add a little here, and a little there. Here and there definitely describes the 15 minute consultation I received with Megan Barnard. Her thoughts, and written notes, and line edits, were well worth the time and fee. She brought numerous details to me and covererd a lot of ground, which I couldn't see very clearly at first. Sift and sift. That's what I did afterwords, and thought about adding more detail here and there throughout the beginning of the manuscript to make the flow better, while also capturing my Mrs. Eula's true essence. Megan's fascination with the true depiction of my main character prompted me to realize readers are our best critics. She really understood Mrs. Eula and the problem she faced, suggesting there needed to be a more chronological flow at beginning. I appreciate my meeting with Megan, and without a doubt, it was time well spent. I dearly love Manuscript Academy, it's the link I've been missing throughout my novel journey. Writers need critiques from agents who have never seen your manuscript before. That's the beauty of Manuscript Academy!

Kayla was an absolute delight! Professional from the very beginning, she gave insightful feedback on my query and a lot of encouragement. I received some very powerful validation for the work that I've put into my work, and coming from a pro in the industry, it was worth every minute and every penny I've spent in the Manuscript Academy! Thank you!!

Alyssa was friendly and direct. She went through my query letter, and she gave me excellent feedback about boiling down the plot. We talked about comparative titles and other books in my genre, and it felt like talking to an old friend...who knew a lot more about publishing than me! She's a great agent. 10/10, would recommend.

Sometimes you may get a hunch that you need a nudge. I had a hunch - so I signed up for a consultation and got a quick shove down my writing path. A two thumbs up to Erzsi Deàk for generosity, diplomacy and willingness to point me in the right direction. Well worth the effort, and the best bargain of the year.

In July when I spoke with Stephanie, she suggested a change to my MS that worked out perfectly so this time, I sent her my query. She was extremely helpful, again! She said I had a wonderful query and gave me two suggestions.

It was a delight talking with Marilyn Atlas. I had several questions about the book-to-film process and the differences between writing novels and writing for television and film. Marilyn answered all of my questions and then some. She is a wealth of knowledge. She really gave me the information and insight I needed to make a long-term plan for submitting my work, and she was able to advise me on certain market trends that are happening now so that I can better prepare my next submission. I have heard that the television and film industry can be brutal, but I must say that Marilyn Atlas is the opposite of that stereotype -- she's smart, accomplished, kind, and clearly generous with her time. I'm so grateful that I had a chance to talk with her.

I received eye-opening information at this event that I will definitely use. I liked the trio of speakers, they complemented one another well and I'd like to see more panels with them. I like the addition of Melissa because she gives honest feedback and is funny. Jessica is always sweet.

I booked a 15-minute consultation with Fiona, and it was exactly what I needed. She delivered a clear, straightforward, and direct critique with incredible warmth and encouragement. Our time flew by, but I felt like she packed in so much insight advice that it might as well have been an hour! I'm extremely grateful, and so glad that I took the plunge and booked a slot.

Katharine was gracious with her guidance and generous with her advice. The best conversation with an agent I've ever had! Her tips were spot on and backed up from her substantial experience. I finished feeling that she "got" my memoir and saw the bigger picture for my career as a writer and speaker. I recommend Katharine highly and without reservation.

Jessica was awesome! She gives specific feedback, is personable, and clearly is very knowledgeable about what she does. If you want to have a positive, helpful, and fun conversation— she’s your gal.

I had a 15 minute live meeting with Stephanie about my first 10 pages. She gave me very concise feedback on my writing, as well as information about how different agents think about these pages. We also discussed markets (literary, upmarket, historical, etc.), as my work sits between at least three. Leaving the meeting, I felt I had what I needed to revise my pages, as well as position my work in my query letter. I appreciate that Stephanie's critique included what was and wasn't working, and that she was very clear about why in both cases. Thank you.

I had a fabulous 10-minutes with an expert call with Cece Lyra yesterday! She was helpful, funny, and kind. She really helped me see what I need to do next. Thanks a million for this opportunity, Julie and Jessica!

My consultation with Rachel was just what I need at the moment - direct feedback from an experienced industry professional. To date, my writing has been a creative brain to paper exercise, which has been rewarding. Rachel's review of my first ten pages, and subsequent consultation, provided me with guidance on structure, and the show don't tell writing style that I have been eagerly searching for. I hope some day to be an accomplished author of MG novels. Even then, I am sure that I would still learn a lot from Rachel.

Jennifer was incredibly thorough with my query critique. She went through it line by line to let me know what she felt was working and what could be fine-tuned. She also provided a few short details on why some areas had confused her. It was exactly what I needed. I filled an entire page with notes while I listened to her and felt confident moving forward with editing my query when we were finished. I am SO happy I met with her!!! Thank you, Manuscript Academy, for this connection!

A terrific learning experience. The team took the time to read the first lines of many of the participants and point out their strengths. So helpful to those of us struggling with the "hook!"

Stephanie provided constructive, actionable feedback on my query letter and pages. Very helpful and I am working on incorporating the changes that she suggested.

It was amazing! I couldn't be happier with Kiana's feedback and energy. I got tips for improving my query AND additional resources. It is truly a gift to have had this experience. Thanks!

Eric was lovely to work with! He listened to my ideas, helped me work out what aspects would and would not work for the market, and even suggested some great comp titles.

I had a wonderful consultation with Eric Smith. Eric offered me a valuable mix of critique and positive feedback, and his comments really made me think about where to go in future edits. He was kind and supportive, and I felt comfortable asking any questions I had. I would highly recommend pursuing one of these consultations.

Working with Valentina Woodson as an Accountability Partner has been invaluable to my process. I found myself stuck, and with Valentina's encouragement and excellent advice, I was able to progress to the finishing point--a feat that seemed almost impossible for a long time. She is professional but fun, light-hearted, approachable, and provides thoughtful, well-informed advice. It was this advice that helped me leap over that final hurdle and type the blessed words "THE END!"

I couldn't be happier with Valentina's services, and I would recommend her to anyone in a similar writing "predicament."

Megan gave me great feedback and suggestions on my query. In ten minutes, she helped me with clarifying my novels plot lines leading to a cliffhanging ending.

I would highly recommend her.

My meeting with Danielle was absolutely lovely. She had clearly spent time with my work and had concrete feedback ready for me, which is incredibly helpful because sometimes it’s hard to form the right questions to ask! And she’s also such a bright, warm human, which made the experience delightful as well as helpful. Highly recommend her as someone to consult!

I met with Amy Bishop for a first page consult. She gave me specific, actionable constructive criticism to make my first page stronger, and pointed out a few issues to fix the tone of the character. I left the consult feeling motivated and encouraged about the direction of my writing.

John gave great feedback and was incredibly encouraging! I would absolutely work with him again! Highly recommend!

I won a Ten Minutes with an Expert chat from a Facebook live first pages event and was thrilled to find a coveted meeting with Jessica available in July. Unsurprisingly, she was awesome! She didn't mind working through technical issues with me to ensure I had her comments in front of me as we chatted (even though she was running behind schedule and had already had a long day running a Manuscript Academy event), and provided excellent feedback that helped me understand the strengths and weaknesses in my query letter. Now as I rework my blurb, I have high hopes that the finished product will be a lot better thanks to her notes.

Kayla crammed an astonishing amount of feedback (including encouraging, positive feedback but also actionable, constructive comments) into just ten minutes. Her thoughts were extremely valuable – I left the call feeling reassured that I was on the right path, and also energized to revise my query and make it even better.

Working with Hannah was wonderful! She was friendly, prepared, and full of practical advice and recommendations. After talking with Hannah, I knew what changes I needed to make to my book proposal. She gave me the input I needed to move to the next step. I appreciated Hannah's input and insight based on her tremendous experience in the publishing field. Thank you!

Stephanie Winter is an amazing and VERY talented agent. She offered such detailed and refined advice that truly strengthened my writing. She is sweet, welcoming, and enthusiastic. 10/10 would recommend to EVERYONE!

My consultation with Eric Smith was excellent. I'd been told by other writers that he is kind, informative, and patient, and I was very pleased to find that was 100% true. Querying and pitching agents can be a very daunting (and sometimes mysterious) process, so it was a relief to have a low-stress talk with an expert, to ask questions and get feedback and insight from someone with an insider's perspective. I'm very glad I made the investment and highly recommend it to other writers!

His words were kind and gentle and gave me the direction I needed to make my story shine. I highly recommend John Cusick for your next critique.

Samantha's suggestions on improving my first page by adding a little more emotional depth were spot-on. I already took her advice and am confident about querying and having my first pages read by other agents.

My talk with Danielle Chiotti was nothing short of inspirational–and it was absolutely motivational! She was cheerful, inquisitive and well-prepared. I got several very concrete pieces of advice that transformed the query I had been struggling with. I now feel confident about sending the revised one out. What more could a writer ask for?

My 10 minutes with Jessica was great! She is fun and easy to talk to, and her detailed feedback helped strengthen my query letter. Also, her words of encouragement gave me hope at a time of doubt. I love these consultations!

I loved the writing exercises and the positivity! I walked away with an appreciation for emotional connections as a transportive sort of thing - the connections that make a character and relationship more real and give them a sense of history and reality. Non-linear structure aside, this was well worth my time, and I'm really glad I signed up for it.

My time with Rachel was very productive.

Despite the fact that my query had been past a professional editor, and reviewed by another, Rachel offered some great tips to improve the letter.

We also had a great discussion about the book itself, which left me feeling encouraged about the months ahead.

Would highly recommend Rachel to other budding authors out there. She was very helpful and great to talk to.

I’m so glad I had this consultation. I was a little nervous when I first signed up but Linda was personable and put me immediately at ease. She gave thoughtful feedback and answered my questions, and we laughed a bit, making for a very open and friendly experience.

It's always lovely working with Melissa! She give such wonderfully concrete and specific information to help make my manuscript better. I highly recommend working with her!

Alyssa was fabulous. Asked questions that helped me understand where I am in my development not so much in novel writing but in query skills. She totally helped reframe the plot description so it flows a little better.

Julie & Jessica, I know you hear this all the time, but I am so grateful for these Manuscript Academy workshops. I learn so much. I would not have gotten this information anywhere else. I like that I don't have to log in at a specific time and can pop in and out of the class throughout the day. The biggest takeaway from this session was that the sample pages need to support what is promised in the query letter. I'm looking forward to more of these classes. Also, they are an amazing value!
Judy Hock

My ten-minute meeting with Andrea was fabulous and incredibly productive. Andrea was so nice and supportive and helped me feel more confident about sending out my query letter. I got so many answers in just ten minutes!

When I won the 30 minute critique and consult with an agent of my choice, I knew I would select Fiona Kenshole. I valued her place in the literary world, especially with picture books. Not only was I impressed with her constructive comments and ideas towards my work, I treasured her tips on 'making my story funny' and engaging for young children.

I am revising and refocusing with new plans and strategies to make my story even more enticing and humorous for the audience.

Thank you, Manuscript Academy, for the opportunity to have this poignant conversation with Fiona Kenshole. It was just what I expected...and more!

Fiona was fantastic! I loved her knowledge an insights and very helpful, specific tips and strategies. Also, her openness and honesty. She sounds like such a fun, joyful agent to have in your corner. I'll definitely query her, for sure.

These workshops are so reasonably priced, but provide so much value. As a "starving" artist (not really, but it sounds romantic), I appreciate the low costs. The speakers are great, and I always learn so much. Jessica and Julie are great facilitators!

Jennifer is awesome. She helped me solve issues I've been having with my manuscript and encouraged me to continue in my efforts to find an agent. She gave me specific suggestions and more general plot and character thoughts. It wasn't so much a critique as a collaboration. I highly recommend her for a critique.

I took part in Fiona Kenshole's Picture Book workshop and had the most wonderful experience. Fiona is clearly a seasoned pro in the writing world. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable, but she was able to convey the information in a way that was fun and inspirational. I walked away from the experience, more motivated and better prepared to write, revise and pursue publishing.

Whether you are a new or seasoned writer, trying to get published or write as a hobby, a workshop from The Manuscript Academy is a must. And I would highly recommend Fiona Kenshole if you have a chance to take one of her classes or book a consultation or critique.

Jessica was extremely thorough, professional and compassionate in helping me to improve my query letter. The day after I took her precise and useful notes and revised my query, I got a full request for my manuscript as well as a note from an agent that my query letter was SOLID. The proof is in the pudding, and Jessica is a gem.

Melissa was kind, outgoing, and fun to work with. We discussed the concept and comps, and she gave me feedback on how to improve one paragraph on my first page. I wish we had more than ten minutes; I would definitely enjoy working with her again.

Hannah was very helpful in responding to my questions and addressing areas where I could improve my writing. She gave me confidence in my ability to make my memoir what I want it to be.

My 10 page video review session with Linda Camacho didn't disappoint. The 15 minutes was packed with actionable feedback. Linda walked me through my pages highlighting things that worked and the areas that I needed to revisit and polish. She has a wisdom about the industry that is immediately evident and I've enjoyed working through her notes. The meeting helped improve my pages and I'm so grateful that I scheduled the time.

Jessica did an excellent job answering my questions. I wasn’t sure my first page was the best way to open my manuscript, and Jessica helped guide me. Her feedback was kind, collaborative, and helpful. I appreciated the conversation and her professional insights were super valuable. She also gave me great suggestions for comp titles. Thank you, Jessica!

I was so happy to get Kayla Lightner's take on the first ten pages of my novel. She offered really astute insights and suggestions. I was concerned that what I was trying to create, in terms of the voice, was not on key, and Kayla provided more than the feedback I needed. Her comments were clear, which of course was helpful--but on top of that she was warm and encouraging. My only regret is that the conversation couldn't have lasted longer. It was a delightful fifteen minutes.

Superb experience. Alyssa was knowledgeable, professional and invaluable in sharing guidance with me on publishing, my body of work and strategy for future publication. I hope to work with her again in the near future.

Stacey is a consummate professional...the most insightful, valuable 10 minutes of my writing career 🙂

This was a FANTASTIC series! I love all the very specific, usable tips, especially the ones on how to research agents using metatags and advanced Twitter and Google searches. I had never thought of that before. I couldn't attend live so watched the recordings. I found all the information extremely helpful and inspiring. It was such a supportive environment. Thank you for all the useful strategies on how to track agent submissions and read rejection letters (that was super helpful!). I've had a few "this isn't right for me. But send me another manuscript" type of rejections. It reminds me not to stop listening at "this isn't right for me." but to make note of that agent for "send me another manuscript." - got to find that silver lining!

I love all the events and classes Manuscript Academy has to offer. Thank you for making industry professionals so accessible to writers.

Although I'd shown my adult sci-fi manuscript to a couple waves beta readers, including Meetups and a writer's retreat workshop with an industry editor, this live session was a great experience. Foremost, Kiana Nguyen provided unique advice about starting the novel at a different point in the event timeline. She provided solid rationale, and even kindly offered a sentence stem to kick off with. Two days later, I had a first draft to show my Meetup, and seven out of eight readers-- both new and old-- preferred the new beginning. Apart from that, Kiana also offered detailed thoughts on weaker and problematic word choices, and how to get the story feeling more appropriate to the timeline. Unexpectedly, she also went the extra mile and sent written notes, including suggestions for my query letter. When Kiana's recommendations conflicted with other beta readers, that was also really informative. A good reminder of subjectivity, and how agents have specific approaches. Mind you, she also said nice things about my premise and certain passages. She was extremely friendly, reassuring, emphasized the need to write frim the POV/style/etc. that one prefers rather than focusing on 'the most commercially viable' strategy. Also, she was communicative when we had technical problems at the start, and shared neat opinions about representing racial minorities in fiction. I can't emphasize how nervous I was at the beginning, but I'm so glad I signed up!

John was so helpful, courteous, and encouraging! I really enjoyed our chat (which FLEW by!) and I got so much out of it. I can tell he is very knowledgeable and experienced.

Jessica was lovely! Very friendly and informal, but with some good quick insights into my general questions about ages for Upper MG vs young YA. Would definitely recommend.

I'll admit, my heart ramped up in the few minutes before my meeting with Lane. I mean, c'mon, meeting with a pro who's going to tell you if the intent of your hard work, uh, works or not? It's a special sort of apprehension.

Lane helped ratchet down the angst pretty quickly. He was clearly comfortable in his role and the ease was infectious. Well, maybe a different adjective would be better during Covid era.

Transmittable?

Communicable?

Drat.

...he made me feel welcome in his world, how's that?

Lane was hospitable during the critique process. He was clear about his thoughts, praised what worked, pointed towards the mistakes I'd made that undercut my goals, and just generally made me feel good about using this service. It felt worthwhile enough that I've recommended to all the people in my Creative Writing Masters degree program.

Would I use it again? Well, quality industry feedback with fairly quick turnaround time? Yep. I'd give it another go.

I've been encouraging all my writing buddies to check out this service. To get a critique AND fifteen minutes with an industry professional for such a reasonable price is like, unheard of. Out of all the other critique services I looked into before signing up, Manuscript Academy totally gives you the best bang for your buck. I of course was an awkward nervous wreck and talking a mile a minute, but Eric is amazing. He took my steam-rolling him with questions all in stride, and gave lots of down to earth, wonderful advice. He quickly helped me realize that most of my worries over the business side of publishing were unfounded. I also appreciated that he took the time to read my pages before our meeting, allowing me to pepper him with questions over email before we "met" over Skype. I left our meeting feeling far more confident and prepared to begin the querying process. If I am unable to get an agent with this MS, I plan to use this service again in the future! THANK YOU!!!!!

I had a super session with Stephanie Winter. My novel is dual perspective, and I've struggled trying to get both protagonists stories in the query. But Stephanie provided some great ideas and really helped strengthen my query!

Samantha was wonderful! She was very positive, and knew exactly what I needed to move my story forward.

Stephanie was succinct and informative. I asked for some hard, honest answers about my project and she gave them. An excellent use of my time and money.

My conversation with Rebecca Raskin was so helpful. That's two out of two for Manuscript Academy so far on exceeding expectations. What a fabulous opportunity to speak with an editor at Harper Collins. I can't think of any other way that could have happened for me. Rebecca went right to the point, deviated from the script if there even was one, and shared generously not only contacts in the field of publishing who might help me, but her own insights into what will happen to my book AFTER it reaches an editor's desk on the road to acquisition. That's exactly what I needed to know, and it was a gift to get so many answers. It didn't feel rushed; it just was intense. Perfect!!

Caitlin's feedback was incredibly valuable, and from the short conversation I can already see many opportunities to improve both my manuscript and my query letter. I would definitely recommend this to any author, especially those going the traditional publishing route.

Although 10 minutes is short, Amy got right down to business and was able to fill the ten minutes with feedback on my ten pages as well as answer the three questions I prepared for her. It was a very beneficial meeting and I believe that her suggestions, especially those for my query, have improved it.

Hannah was amazing! She gave me thoughtful, specific, actionable feedback on my query letter in a straightforward and encouraging manner. She also gave me insight into what agents and editors are looking for when evaluating nonfiction book projects like mine. It was clear she engaged with my query and really thought about how to revise it to make the book's unique aspects shine. Based on her feedback, I am really encouraged to continue to hone the query/pitch as she suggested to make the book's premise, market, and content clear and irresistible. If you have a nonfiction book, particularly practical nonfiction, and are looking for an expert eye to help you with your query/pitch, you need Hannah's perspective. I am so glad I took advantage of this opportunity!

I highly recommend Linda. I’ve done several versions of critiques and edits on various platforms and I’ve found Linda to be the most engaging with great tips and wonderful insights into my writing and characters I didn’t even realize. She was patient and went well past the allotted time. I actually felt bad as 10 minutes became 30 minutes.

I plan on having her critique my next WIP and if my manuscripts were on her MSWL, I’d absolutely query her. I can tell she’s one of the most engaging people and deeply cares about her authors and friends.

Highly recommend her. Although I want to keep her a secret to myself, I know she can help advance your next steps for your WIP.

The greatest value of spending 10 minutes on the phone with an agent and former editor, was that I could get feedback from someone who is objective and experienced. Whitney provided a few nuggets of advice that were helpful in rewriting my first sentence. She was encouraging and kind. She also helped me think more about comp titles and how to categorize my manuscript.

Caitlin had carefully read my ten pages and offered suggestions I could easily understand and incorporate without losing the integrity of my work. I found the session helpful and began editing after letting her directions settle. I have now rewritten the first chapter and feel it is improved. She was always courteous and on point.

Not only did Kate give me excellent feedback on my picture book project, her comments were positive and constructive, and let me know exactly where I was on the right (write?) track and what needed more attention. Thank you, Kate and Manuscript Academy!

I had a blast talking to Samantha Wekstein! She is so fun and had great advice about improving my query. Where else would a budding writer like me have the ability to talk to such a stellar agent? Thank you Manuscript Academy!

Melissa was very prepared and got right into the heart of what needed to be addressed in my first 10 pages. Fifteen minutes goes by quickly, and she was able to give me highly workable action items on my pages and my query.

My consultation with Fiona Kenshole was awesome. I scheduled a 15 minute consult w/ the 10 page critique. and I certainly got my money's worth. She gave me great insight into my story, into my own writing tics and provided me with tools for revising my book. She took her time to ensure I understood what I meant. She asked very specific questions about the story. It was clear she took a lot of time reading and digesting the pages. I learned so much from her. This consult was the best thing I've done this year to improve my writing skills. Thank you so much!!!

My consultation with Valentina was excellent. She had great suggestions specific to me and my situation. Very helpful. It was a real pleasure to talk with her.

Ms. McDonald was amazing. She had a lot of insight on my first page, not only because she gave me suggestions but also WHY she felt those suggestions were necessary in order to help build a stronger hook. She also answered my questions concisely and honestly, which I appreciated.

John Cusick’s 10 minute query critique was fabulous. He narrowed down areas in my query that could be shortened and helped me reword a paragraph to be more from my protagonist’s point of view. He also pointed out areas in my query that worked well. John used the time masterfully, providing valuable insights during every minute of the call.

I found the craft pack to be extremely helpful, particularly Laura Zats' class on voice. She provided actionable advice on deepening POV that I was able to use on my manuscript that same day, and I can already see the difference in my writing. Since I watched the classes, I have frequently referenced back to the notes I took on all of them.

Caitlin was equal parts encouraging and unvarnished feedback - and she packed a lot of insight and advice into 15 minutes. I'm grateful she approached my pages so thoughtfully when I know the end of the year had pretty much everyone running on fumes. I highly recommend her for anyone writing in the YA fantasy genre!

Agent Andrea Somberg provided on-the-mark insights about my manuscript. She clarified what was muddy and gave me hands-on suggestions for improving. I've already begun implementing her wisdom. Thanks, Manuscript Academy, for offering such a fabulous service!

Hannah was very helpful in making some developmental decisions. I'm at 18,000 words in a manuscript that has skirted the edge between memoir and fiction. She showed me how fictionalizing a memoir would provide the freedom I needed to enhance the story. I look forward to reengaging with Hannah or another professional as needed. Thanks so much!

We had a very thorough and insightful chat, not only about tips for the first 10 pages but the rationale behind it. I appreciated her insights suggestions. But for me, the best part was talking about the MS as a whole and how best to start readers on the journey, based on what I am trying to accomplish with the MS. It was a different conversation than what I expected--more discussion about the book and the industry than actual critique, which was exactly what I wanted, needed. Plus, she's just great. So glad I did it.

My consultation was amazing. Cecilia provided me with excellent feedback and opened my eyes to some (now) obvious errors in my prose. Honestly, her consultation was more enlightening and informative than many of my writing classes I attended in my MFA program. Thank you for creating this valuable opportunity.

I had consultations with both John and Molly Cusick and found them to be wonderful to work with. They're friendly, smart, practical and very knowledgeable. Excellent resources and super pleasant people, too!

Stephanie's feedback on my first ten pages has been invaluable. She took the time to breakdown scene, setting, character, and motivations. It allowed me to see everything more objectively, and my brain was buzzing with ideas before even finishing the call. I can't recommend her enough! Thanks Manuscript Academy for putting together a wonderful resource for writers!

The query consult with Caitlin was a terrific experience. She delivered clear insights and specific suggestions--and did so with kindness. I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to receive her expert feedback.

I'd heard Fiona on the Manuscript Academy several times over the last two years and always came away so impressed with her knowledge and her warmth, so I booked her for a 1st page review. I can say she is just as lovely on the phone as she seems on the podcast! Her advice to change my first sentence, because it didn't match the rest of the tempo (or mood) of the first paragraph, was very insightful. A small tweak that had never occurred to me, but absolutely made sense. I had some questions for her about whether or not my first paragraph was starting in the right place and before she answered she asked me several things about the manuscript, so that she could give a good answer. Ultimately, I came away confident that I am starting in the right place, and that is what I was looking for.

Whitney Ross was enormously helpful--in just our 10-minute discussion. She provided specific, insightful suggestions for my query letter--and she did so with real compassion and care. I am grateful for her recommendations and am inspired by her encouragement.