Testimonials And Reviews

The advice concerning my query letter from Melissa was probably the best I have received during my writing career. It was personal, and caring, and my query will be much stronger thanks to her help.
I highly recommend other authors to invest in this consultation.

Melissa is WONDERFUL! The 10-minutes was packed with great feedback I could implement immediately and then explained WHY she was giving me this feedback. It was so helpful and I’m feeling incredibly refreshed and excited. Thank you so much!

Eric was so helpful in critiquing my query. He pointed out what worked and what didn't, and even helped me brainstorm ways to clarify my stakes and polish up my wording. He was so nice and approachable too – it felt like chatting with an old friend, which really helped my nerves!

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 time with Samantha Wekstein from the Manuscript Academy was a wonderful experience! Not only did I gain some incredibly solid and productive input on my query letter, but I also received some much needed validation and encouragement about my concept. So often, the world of the writer is an isolated bubble of questions and worries and wondering whether what we have to say will be of any interest to anyone beyond our desk, and quite often, the email responses we get don't give the kind of feedback that we really need to realize our project's worth or potential -- perhaps that it's just not a great fit. Samantha gave me honest and concrete feedback, and she did it in a professional, yet safe and comfortably human way. Thank you SO much!

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

Caitlyn was so fantastic in this follow-up chat; I'd met with her several months ago and got to work on revising my query based her feedback. To have the opportunity to share the revised version with her--and then dig a little deeper still!--was just immensely helpful. Thank you!!

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!

Stephanie was wonderful. Her comments were encouraging and constructive. I was nervous at the start, but within a few minutes I felt like I was talking to a good friend- and a supportive one. I highly recommend her to other writers!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fiona's brilliant and insightful comments shed so much light on the areas I needed to strengthen in my manuscript. In a matter of seconds, she identified core issues that otherwise may have taken me months to figure out.

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!!

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.

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

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.

This session was extremely helpful. I am able to pinpoint my style a bit more and know what the main issues are that need to be resolved before querying.

I loved the event! It was my first time interacting with agents in a panel and was happy that two of my questions were answered. I ended up with a page of helpful notes, even though my query and first page were not chosen to be read.

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.

Molly was incredibly helpful and sweet. If you’re looking for feedback that will get your manuscript to stick out above the rest, then I definitely recommend signing up for one of these critique sessions. I came away from the phone call with a couple of really insightful tips, and I look forward to seeing how my manuscript does in the year.

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."

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

Caitlin was so fantastic in this follow-up chat; I'd met with her several months ago and got to work on revising my query based her feedback. To have the opportunity to share the revised version with her--and then dig a little deeper still!--was just immensely helpful. Thank you!!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

Danielle was fantastic! I got so much out of our talk. She was really insightful, and I felt like she both understood what I was trying to do, and the ways in which I needed help achieving it. She had actionable suggestions that made sense, she recommended some excellent articles to read, and just overall I felt like I learned a ton. I think my first chapter is going to be much better as a result of this meeting. I would absolutely recommend doing this.

CeCe provided me with immensely helpful feedback that I can readily put to use in my writing efforts. She is as much a teacher as an agent, and artfully provides feedback in an encouraging manner. Be prepared to take notes - CeCe does her homework in advance of the call. She knew my main character well, asked informed questions, and gave me a ton of great ideas to work on. I am so appreciative to have spent time with her discussing my work.

Caitlin is awesome. I've spoken to her twice now and her feedback is so on-point and specific, while always being kind and upbeat. She's a terrific advisor and I bet she'd make an excellent agent, for anyone lucky enough to get her.

I had a helpful conversation with Andrea. She answered my questions honestly and thoroughly. Despite my nerves, her accessibility put me at ease and allowed us to get through several of the subjects I'd hoped to touch on. Turns out ten minutes gives you a good bit of time to learn! I'm glad I did this.

I had a written critique of my first ten pages done by Fiona Kenshole. It was amazing! It’s like having a critique done by your wise, funny, loving aunt (whom you’ve never met) but who still always sends you the perfect thoughtful gift on Christmas and your birthday. But this aunt just so happens to be a professional literary agent who knows everything there is about publishing, writing, film and being kind, insightful and wonderfully genuine. Don’t we all wish we could have a Fiona in the family. Well, now you can! Or, at least you can pretend to

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.

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 had a 10-minute phone consult with John Cusick and I couldn’t be happier. Talking to John was like being given a pep talk by your favorite coach growing up. That wily coach that knew how to bring out the very best in their players with kindness, compassion, wisdom and a sense of humour. That coach that still has their skin in the game (John is a successful writer) and still knows all the craftiest plays and sneaks. And he knows how to best wrap an injury (even if it’s just your ego). That coach that has you play to your strengths but doesn’t fail to point out your weaknesses. Get some critique coaching from John. You may not win ... but at least you’ll still enjoy playing the game.

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!

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.

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.

Andrea's love of language---delight, actually---was quickly evident in our First 10-pages manuscript feedback call. Her notes were precise but also served the whole. She pointed to areas needing simplification, suggested a word change or three, and we had a laugh over an unintended image (um, 'overhead pages bursting' in my medical mindset vs. her literary one. Oh!) She was enormously encouraging about my query letter, my prose and my pages. Best of all, Andrea's enthusiasm is absolutely infectious. This woman sparkles! What a lovely and much needed reminder that agents are truly motivated first and foremost by the written word. Thank you, Jessica and Julie, for a great experience!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

I highly recommend a consultation with Alyssa! She asked questions to understand my manuscript and she offered feedback that will make my manuscript better. I also loved that her approach didn't make the 10 minutes feel rushed.

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.

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

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!

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!!

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!"

Fiona Kenshole was generous with her time and comments, warm and easy to talk with, and most of all, she helped me see the key next step for my revision! I am encouraged and challenged, in a good way. I absolutely recommend talking with Fiona to learn how to make your MG more immersive and relatable to the target reader. She also gave me helpful feedback on my query.

Lizzie was kind and helpful. She covered a lot in 15 minutes while still giving me time to ask questions and explain my book. She offered unique insights and specific actionable recommendations that will improve my work.

My consultation with Anne Elliott was awesome! When I finished writing my first short story about a month ago, I wasn't sure what the next step should be. I considered having a consultation with a Manuscript Academy faculty member, but when I read their bio's, there didn't seem to be anyone specializing in short stories. And then I came across Anne's "Finding a Home for Your Short Story" talk, which was super informative. And when I saw that she was offering individual consultations, I couldn't believe my good luck. Our Zoom call and her follow-up email were incredibly helpful and encouraging. She was also just really personable and fun to talk to. I'm much more knowledgeable about writing and publishing short stories now. Thanks so much for bringing Anne into The Manuscript Academy's family.

Alyssa was awesome to talk with. I knew as soon as I saw her name on the list that I wanted to talk with her. It was so easy to ask her questions and an amazing help to hear a quick answer rather than deliberating for months about a certain aspect of my project. I will most definitely be doing one of these again and will also be re-reaching back out to Alyssa! Thanks for this opportunity!

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.

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 Smith is so wonderful to consult with! He generously sent some comments before our session so that our time could be maximized when we connected. After speaking with him I made some major changes to my manuscript that I feel have made a big difference. Thanks Eric!

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.

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.

Alyssa was friendly, approachable, supportive, and supremely knowledgeable--my consultation with her was a genuine pleasure, and she gave me some great advice about improving my queries. 10/10 would recommend.

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!

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 submitted a small writing sample prior to my meeting with Hannah. I was a bit anxious as I knew we only had a short time, but she got right down to business. She was extremely helpful with her feedback as well as her insights on new author websites, social media and query letters. I truly appreciated everything she had to say and felt I really benefitted from our time together.

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!

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

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.

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'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!!!!!

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.

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.

At our meeting, Lane Heymont proved himself to be a magician. I filled several pages of notes with his information and insights, yet in the short time he didn't seem the least bit rushed. He answered questions, addressed my doubts, and in the end was encouraging and patient. From my research, I know he's a successful agent; but after our meeting, I know he's a gifted teacher.

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.

I had a 10-minute phone consult with John Cusick and I couldn’t be happier. Talking to John was like being given a pep talk by your favorite coach growing up. That wily coach that knew how to bring out the very best in their players with kindness, compassion, wisdom and a sense of humour. That coach that still has their skin in the game (John is a successful writer) and still knows all the craftiest plays and sneaks. And he knows how to best wrap an injury (even if it’s just your ego). That coach that has you play to your strengths but doesn’t fail to point out your weaknesses. Get some critique coaching from John. You may not win ... but at least you’ll still enjoy playing the game.

I sent Renee my first page of the novel that I will be ready to query this fall. She loved it and asked me to send her the full manuscript when it's ready. I'm stoked!

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.

My meeting with Ms. Bishop was excellent. It was my second meeting with her. For the first meeting, my query was terrible and she pointed that out and gave me suggestions. I did what she asked and in our second meeting she acknowledged that my second effort was much better. She gave me a few tweaks and answered all my questions like a professional.

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 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.

The meeting went fantastic. Danielle gave wonderful advice and I felt like she truly cared about the time we spent together. Her recommendations were relevant and highly personalized. Definitely happy with the meeting!

Thank you for your work in setting all this up. I am happy I found out about the Academy!

My 10 minutes with Melissa Warten was great! She gave me both thoughtful and encouraging feedback, as well as suggestions on how to improve my query letter. I would love to work with her again!

I recently had a consultation with Molly Cusick regarding the first 10 pages of my manuscript. At first I was nervous, as I wasn't sure if she was going to be harsh, and I didn't know what to expect. I'm extemely pleased to say that she was kind, encouraging and provided amazing feedback. All of the ideas she gave for improving my work, had the gears in my head turning and had me thinking- I can't wait to make these changes! Everything she brought up were ways to elevate my pages and strengthen my work, I never felt as if she was cutting my writing down. Aside from the helpful feedback, she made me feel confident about my work, encouraging where the story would fit in the market and going out of her way to answer all of my questions. I never felt rushed out of the conversation, and she was engaging and helpful throughout the whole phone call. It was truly a pleasure having a consultation with her, and I would consider it an honor to ever work with, or recieve feedback from Molly Cusick in the future.

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.

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.

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!

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.