Testimonials And Reviews

I enjoyed talking to Caitlyn. She was highly analytical and professional. Her reading was astute--she picked out inconsistencies and unclear spots in a piece of writing I have read at least 300 times. She helped me see the writing from the point of view of the reader, which is not always easy to do. She clearly really thought about the piece and packed in a lot in 15 minutes. I would of course love to work with her as I came away from our meeting eager to rethink not just the first ten pages but parts of the whole thing.

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!"

I hired Caitlin for fifteen minutes to fix a problem after several agent rejections on the first ten pages. It was a problem I feared the pages had, but wasn't sure how to fix them myself, and my beta-readers thought it all seemed fine. In just fifteen minutes, Caitlin was able to help me fix the problem, as well as fix a couple extra problems I hadn't known about at all. I appreciated that it was not a session full of compliments--we got a lot done in that small amount of time. Money well spent. I believe it will probably save my future queries.

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!

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!!!

John Cusick gave me tremendously helpful and positive feedback! I know my YA story is good (OK, I think it's more than good!:)), but my query letter was all wrong. I've revised it and resumed the journey. Thank you Manuscript Academy for your great program to support authors.

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.

Meeting with Brian was super helpful. He was able to clarify what publishers were looking for in my niche, and he provided areas in which I might change my manuscript and my query for a better chance of competing in the saturated YA fantasy market.

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.

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!

My consultations with Manuscript Academy faculty have been SO valuable over the past month. I signed up for several, to get multiple opinions and a variety of input. My most recent consultation, this Monday, was with Jennifer Wills from the Seymour Agency. She had both general and very specific commentary on my query that really helped with the final stages of refining that elusive piece of the publishing puzzle. She was also easy to talk to and super supportive. I definitely recommend choosing Jennifer for a live consult!

Caitlin was wonderful! She reviewed my query with me and gave me great insight into how to integrate "industry standard" pieces, such as comps. We also discussed how important specificity is in a query and she helped me identify places where my language was vague. She was a great manager of time, making sure to leave enough time for me to ask questions at the end after sharing her thoughts. I am excited to rework my query and think it will be stronger thanks to her advice.

Really helpful. I felt connected to the world of authors and agents. I love learning and I really appreciate that you allow for some free learning opportunities.

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!

My consultation with Kimberely Atkins was FABULOUS! She asked insightful questions, gave excellent advice on my query, and I felt like I was chatting with a new friend who genuinely wanted me to succeed and wanted to help me as much as possible.

Thank you!

Samantha is very helpful with great, constructive feedback. She’s also fantastic at making authors feel at ease and relieving anxiety on phone calls.

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.

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.

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!

Sometimes, you want information, sometimes feedback, sometimes notes, sometimes encouragement, sometimes just to relate to a likeable human person. I wanted feedback (what's not working!) and notes (ideas, suggestions, language to use). I got all that, plus a bit of encouragement--which is always welcome-- and a very likeable human person. 🙂 I really enjoyed the Submission Strategy session hosted by Jessica and Julie this past summer, and hoped to benefit from Jessica's knowledge of the industry as well as her artful interpretation of how agents think, to help me understand what's wrong with a query that hasn't been successful. I got suggestions for 1) what genre to pitch 2) focal areas of my narrative to emphasize, 3) what to leave out, and 4) whether it was my pages or my query that's been the main problem. Maybe more importantly: enjoyed our conversation.

Jessica was great! She gave me commentary not only on the overall state of my picture book manuscript, but also specific items for me to tweak. She was incredibly helpful, and I highly recommend her!

Jessica Sinsheimer was fantastic! She was kind, personable and helpful. She gave positive feedback and helpful editing suggestions. She even went out of her way to show me how to look for agents using key words on twitter and using the manuscript wish list website. I left my session with her feeling more confident than ever.

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.

I really enjoyed my 1-on-1 critique session with Stephanie Winter. I feel my manuscript 1st page has been "turbo-charged." In a mere ten minutes, Stephanie combined her erudite literary insight, knowledge of the publishing industry, and experience as avid reader and writer's advocate, while always displaying a diplomatic balance of both praise and criticism, for her succinct and powerful recommendations to improve the first page of my manuscript. Now that I see the result, I'm excited to proceed forward with confidence with the querying process.

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!

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.

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!!!!!

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.

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.

Ms. Sands was an absolute pleasure to speak with. Her guidance was thoughtful and kind, and I never felt rushed. I was so inspired after our conversation that I immediately got to work implementing her suggestions for my query letter! It was a wonderful experience.

While my picture book manuscript has gone through several critiques, edits and rewrites, I had not done the same for my query letter. Jessica Sinsheimer pinpointed out my letters’ strong points along with areas where it needed improvement. Her advice was spot-on. I highly recommend a consolation with her. After all, you can have the perfect manuscript, but if your letter doesn’t grab an agent’s attention they may not bother with your book.

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.

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!

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!

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!

My consultations with Manuscript Academy faculty have been SO valuable over the past month. I signed up for several, to get multiple opinions and a variety of input. My most recent consultation, this Monday, was with Jennifer Wills from the Seymour Agency. She had both general and very specific commentary on my query that really helped with the final stages of refining that elusive piece of the publishing puzzle. She was also easy to talk to and super supportive. I definitely recommend choosing Jennifer for a live consult!

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!

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.

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!!

Talking with Alyssa was a humbling, grounding experience. Not only did she provide honest feedback on my manuscript, I learned so much about the publishing industry from an agent's perspective. It helped me see my writing from her point of view, and inspired me to work even harder on my submissions. Alyssa was very gracious with her time and I greatly enjoyed our conversation.

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.

It was a great pleasure chatting with Fiona. She was spot-on about my submission and gave me wonderful pointers and advice - plus she's a dog lover so my pup, Zinnia, was invited into the Zoom and enjoyed meeting her as well!

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!

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.

My consultation with Ellen was terrific! Worth every penny to speak to an insider in the publishing biz and hear how my first ten pages stack up. I've been having an issue with my WIP since Day 1, and Ellen really talked me through it. Now, I feel more confident about putting my manuscript out there and reaching the right audience.

Megan Barnard was extremely helpful. She got what I'm doing and spotted the bits I'm fond of. Her advice was insightful and clear. I corrected my first page according to her advice and I'm much happier with it. I felt we had a terrific ten minutes and she seemed to be enjoying herself which is a wonderful compliment.

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.

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.

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!

Jessica Watterson provided excellent feedback! She helped me re-structure my query to make it better by sharing her insights about what she looks for. She pointed out which parts were strong and which could be better.

I hired Caitlin for fifteen minutes to fix a problem after several agent rejections on the first ten pages. It was a problem I feared the pages had, but wasn't sure how to fix them myself, and my beta-readers thought it all seemed fine. In just fifteen minutes, Caitlin was able to help me fix the problem, as well as fix a couple extra problems I hadn't known about at all. I appreciated that it was not a session full of compliments--we got a lot done in that small amount of time. Money well spent. I believe it will probably save my future queries.

Alyssa did a great job. I've been bracketing the amount and type of information to provide in my query letter and Alyssa gave me clear actionable guidance on what I need to accomplish. All the Manuscript Academy resources have been instrumental in my development to being a professional writer.

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.

Alyssa was very easy to talk to. Although I was nervous, I had a great time and got questions answered that really helped narrow down which paths to pursue. I would recommend her for consults for sure.

My meeting with Melissa went extremely well! She was kind and friendly and easy to talk to. She made me feel relaxed and asked me just the right questions to help me see what was needed in my query. It made so much sense and now I think my query letter is ready. I would definitely recommend Melissa for a consult!

You put together a terrific event! The workshops humanized the submission process and the homework pushed my query and first pages to a new level. The FB group was an encouraging and thoughtful group of writing peers which made it comfortable and easy to share my work, and see it from fresh perspectives. So happy I was a part of the experience.

Going into the query trenches is daunting no matter how many times you have edited, and re-edited your materials. While I totally respect the need for form emails when an agent feels your project is not the right fit for them, it does leave you wondering if something is WRONG with your query! Is something not up to par? Is that cuss word in the first chapter turning prospective agents off?! My Skype call with Alyssa was just what I needed. She gave some fantastic suggestions to tighten my query letter and it was great hearing from an agent in my field that the important things were there (she said the voice of the chapter was great 🥰) and that I'm not totally off track. Money well spent!!

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.

So, so helpful. I cannot sing Caitlin's praises enough. Her feedback is thoughtful, encouraging, and actionable. For such a short session, she's incredibly organized! Great time management, and leaves room for questions at the end. Loved her so much, I booked her a second time. Both times our session ended, I jumped straight into revising my query letter because I was so excited to get to work and make her suggested changes. I recommended her to my entire writing group and one of them has already used her and loved her as well.

I had a wonderful conversation with Larissa, and am so thrilled to have found this online community!

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.

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!

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.

I was so excited to have a 10 minute call with Caitie because she was one of the agents who liked my #DVPIT tweet back in October. She loved my MC's voice, which was so affirming for me. Caitie also gave me solid tips to strengthen my opening page.

I'm in the middle of an R&R for another agent, so it really helped when I asked her for tips on that. She helped me see that there really isn't a 'time limit' per se for my R&R. Caitie believes in my story enough to wait for my strongest version, so she'll wait for me to resubmit my revised first 50 pages to her. I am so, so, grateful and delighted I got to have such a lovely Skype call with her. Thank you, Caitie and Manuscript Academy!

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

Loved this event! I've been submitting for awhile, and have done a lot of research on queries and first pages so I wasn't sure what I would take away from the event. But, I found this event to be the shot in the arm I needed. I learned some new research techniques, that's always helpful. Jessica's presentation on organizing rejections and taking the emotion out of it was amazing. Every little thing along the way was just what we needed to be able to revise our submissions until they were nice and shiny. I think Julie's final presentation really showed how little time we as writers have to impress agents.

Kimberley rang right on time and straight away I knew I was going to enjoy talking to her. She was really easy to talk to and listened to what I wanted to ask. At one stage the line dropped out and she immediately rang me back. She gave good advice and tips for moving forward. I would have no hesitation in talking to her again and it was lovely to chat to someone so professional and understanding. I now have some points to follow up on. Thanks for the chance to talk to someone in the business and I look forward to what opportunities I will connect with next at The Manuscript Academy.
Thanks from Rhonda Forrest (Australian author)

I would highly recommend both the experience of doing the query consult and doing so with Ms. Kenshole. Not only was she very easy to talk with but she gave me feedback that I could immediately put to use. I also had the opportunity to ask my burning questions. I left the meeting feeling encouraged and hopeful. Whether you’re just starting out or have hit a wall—the ten minute consult could be just the help you need.

The beauty of the design of the 10-minute meeting is that you can do whatever you want with the 10 minutes. It's like being a kid in a candy store. It's a chance to go behind the scenes and get a perspective you'd never have access to otherwise. It's a chance to work one on one with an agent and experience that particular agent's editorial process. It's a chance to evaluate where you are in the development of your craft. It's a chance to get eyes on your writing piece. It's invaluable. For me, it was a game changer.

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 feel more confident now, instead of running in circles trying to guess what agents are looking for as relates to my story and writing style, now I have a clearer idea going forward. I can't say enough about my great experience with Caitlin.

I enjoyed a very instructive chat with Caitlin. She expressed enthusiasm in the project, and pointed out several ways I hadn't thought of to strengthen my query and help it better express the scope of the work. I feel well-positioned and excited to finally begin the query process, and would definitely recommend Caitlin as a wonderful source of guidance.

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.

I highly recommend booking a consultation with The Manuscript Academy. It's incredible how much useful, expert advice can be packed into a short time. I walked away from my conversation with tips that I can use for my current manuscript, and in my stories moving forward.

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!

It truly was one of the most -- maybe the most -- enjoyable webinar I've ever attended. The time flew by. Fiona has a wonderful way of articulating writing concepts. "Feel don't Show" was a favorite. Her discussion of immediacy was another. And I loved the writing exercise -- looking for your phone. She is simply a delightful human!

I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with Kayla Lightner on the consultation service. She had clearly read and considered the pages sent in advance and presented concise and specific feedback on my work. I was also able to ask questions about the querying and publishing process, and Kayla gave invaluable insight into the current state of the industry and helpful tips on how to continue pursuing a writing career.

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.

Had a great consultation with Lane Heymont of the Tobias Agency. He was so easy to talk with and very helpful. I highly recommend him. I've paid so much money to attend conferences and not gotten as much out of those consultations as I did with Lane. Thanks so much to Mr. Heymont and to The Manuscript Academy!

It's incredible how much Em was able to help in 10 minutes! Not only did she give me great general advice as it pertains to query letters' structure and contents, but she also pointed out specific areas of mine that could be improved and tweaked. She was so informative that she actually covered most of the questions I'd written out in advance to ask, so we had time for me to try and come up with new questions on the fly. I can't recommend her highly enough to go over your query letter and give insight as to what is or isn't working as well as how to make it stronger.

Each critique I’ve had with Manuscript Academy has provided new insights. Alyssa Jennette asked me numerous thoughtful questions to help me narrow down the main points for my query. She shared what attracts an agent and what is not necessary to mention. I found her critique extremely practical.

Ten minutes with Fiona was all I needed to get me enthusiastic about my writing again and excited to get started on my editing! Fiona was absolutely wonderful - she was supportive, insightful, encouraging, and critical in all the right ways. As a new author and someone lacking many connections within the industry, it was great to be able to get expert guidance and to receive really specific, tailored advice that will help me take my query - and my writing - to the next level.

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 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.

Amy Bishop was terrific. Very sharp. She gave precise, concrete advice. She's a very good editor.

And a very nice person. I was very happy with my 10 minutes with her and immediately rewrote my query based on her advice.

Stephanie was helpful. She was well-prepared, patient, and thoughtful. Her critique was constructive. When we had technical difficulties linking up, she was quick to follow-up with a backup means of contact. Ten minutes wasn't enough, so she spent a few more minutes answering my questions. It helps when someone is just a nice person, and Stephanie is.

Overall, I'm appreciative. It gave me a confidence boost while at the same time highlighting areas that I could improve and revise. Overall, a good experience. I definitely recommend Stephanie.

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.

Very much enjoyed my talk with Kayla. After seeing her podcast, I knew she'd be great - smart, practical and kind. I definitely recommend a consultation with her.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

In our ten minute chat, Rachel was warm, welcoming and generous with her time. She showed enthusiasm for my project while conveying some of the harsh realities of the publishing industry. She answered all my question and gave great suggestions for my query. My thanks to Rachel and The Manuscript Academy team!

Kayla was friendly and helpful, and was keenly appreciative of making the most out of our 10-minute session. She didn't hesitate to praise my writing when it was warranted and offered constructive, applicable feedback for the first 10 pages of my MG steampunk fantasy. We fit in a lot in such a short timeframe but Kayla didn't make our conversation feel rushed or impersonal. It was a truly productive and fun experience.

Ms. Sands was an absolute pleasure to speak with. Her guidance was thoughtful and kind, and I never felt rushed. I was so inspired after our conversation that I immediately got to work implementing her suggestions for my query letter! It was a wonderful experience.

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!

Fiona is an amazingly experienced professional, but also so warm and friendly and funny. Never expected to enjoy myself during such a potentially terrifying meeting! Great insight, generously delivered.

Great 10 minutes with Rebecca Raskin! She was personable, professional, encouraging, and gave me valuable insights on platform-building, comp titles and networking opportunities, and advice on balancing personal story with prescriptive/informational elements to maintain an emotional connection with readers for a non-fiction project. One of the best 10 minutes I've spent in professional development as a writer. The Manuscript Academy and their faculty are great resources!

Caitlin was off-the-charts helpful. I worked with her twice, and both times, she gave incisive, well-reasoned feedback that immediately resounded with me. Also, she offered me information about presses that handle literary sci fi (and gave me that term, which I hadn't even known was a designation before). She was also very personable. I really enjoyed working with her.