Testimonials And Reviews

Hear from writers–just like you–who’ve worked with our agents, editors, authors, and experts.

We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Fiona has given me such fresh and seasoned advice! Her encouragement and input has helped me greatly; to view my work, my job in storytelling, with a deeper understanding and connection . From beginnings, to the arc of the story-the where why when all the way through to an exciting and delightfully natural ending , keeping the reader in mind, and wanting more. Her knowledge of not only writing but illustration is so valuable to me as an author/illustrator. I am thrilled to have this opportunity !
As long as she is available through Manuscript Academy, I plan on booking time with her, because of her wise council. She is also a kind, funny and authentic person, which always helps!

Ellen Carroll

April 20, 2025

I can’t say enough positive things about my consultation with Stephanie. She was encouraging about my work and provided actionable, well-reasoned feedback on areas I might think about tweaking. I loved hearing her thoughts on voice, in particular, and how she was willing to answer other questions about the industry as well! I could have kept asking her questions all day, but feel like we covered a ton in what time we did have! I would definitely recommend a consultation with Stephanie to any author looking for a pair of expert eyes.

Debbie Trecek Volkens

April 20, 2025

I am so glad I booked a query and first pages critique. Caitlin was lovely to talk to and her objective feedback somehow unlocked what I needed to do to improve my first pages. I have confidence now that my next round of querying will yield better results.

Cathryn deVries

April 20, 2025

This was one of my favorite consultations Iíve done with Manuscript Academy. It is such a unique experience meeting with editors versus agents and being able to see how they view pages differently. Emma was very easy to talk to, she understood the vision I had for my opening pages, and offered great insight into how to tighten things up. The changes Iíve made since our meeting have helped a great deal in picking up the momentum of my first 10 pages. Overall, it was a very positive experience and I plan on booking another consultation with her in December for another book.

March 26, 2025

What a wonderful conversation with Linda Camacho, who read the first thirty pages of my novel. She was warm, funny, congenialóand ultimately inspiring. The almost-magical part was that she conducted a discussion that was so relaxed, so unrushedóyet it covered a lot of territory. My six pages of notes about language, pacing, genre, and the ever-dynamic market are packed with Lindaís astute insights and actionable suggestions. Sheís an expert agent and editoróand a lovely person whom I canít recommend enough.

Bud Jennings

March 26, 2025

Ivan was full of encouragement and thoughtful advice! He gave me the positive feedback and strategic pointers I needed to polish my story for submission. Grazie Ivan and Manuscript Academy!

Adrienne Baumann

March 26, 2025

Renee’s expertise was invaluable in shaping my query letter for agents. Her feedback was precise, insightful, and encouraging, showing me where to enhance emotional impact and sharpen the pitch. Her guidance brought out the best in my query, leaving me confident and ready to approach agents. She went above and beyond expectations. Highly recommended!

Rand Briggs

March 25, 2025

I had the pleasure of working with Molly Cusick on my query letter and I couldn’t be more grateful for her expertise. Mollyís keen eye for detail and insightful feedback transformed my letter into a polished and compelling representation of my work. She not only helped me convey my ideas more effectively but also boosted my confidence in the submission process. I highly recommend her services to anyone looking to elevate their writing!

March 25, 2025

I am a bit late to writing this, but I benefited greatly from my 10-page consultation with Fiona Kenshole. My work-in-progress is a feminist eco-fantasy retelling of a Sufi literary classic ó Fiona is so well-read that she was even familiar with the source text! She helped me visualize the intro in a whole new way that really improved the manuscript.

March 24, 2025

Alyssa was fantastic! It was clear she had read through my manuscript carefully and thoughtfully. Her insights pinpointed several of the problem spots I have been wrestling with and then we were able to brainstorm through some possible options for revising. I left feeling like I had the direction I needed to keep moving forward on this project.

Kristen C. Strocchia

March 24, 2025

Monica was a pleasure to speak to and she gave me such great, concise feedback. She has a great eye and was able to support me with what I needed. I appreciated her industry insights as well!

March 24, 2025

I am so grateful to have connected with Stephanie! I feel she truly understood my work and where I wanted to go with it, so she provided guidance that fit my vision. It was a breath of fresh air to hear her thoughts, which echoed some Iíve had and relieved some of my concerns. Wonderful support, priceless connection. Thank you, Stephanie!

Jaimie Hunter

March 24, 2025