PLEASE NOTE: Please do not sign up for coveted and limited critique slots if you are unable to make the deadlines outlined. We will be unable to issue refunds for missed deadlines.
Please read the directions below carefully before registering for a critique!
In conjunction with the 2022 Conference, we are pleased to offer the following types of critiques:
- Manuscript critiques (up to 10 pages)
- Illustrator portfolio reviews
- Graphic novel or picture book dummy critiques
- Website and Search Engine Optimization critiques
You may register for more than one critique or type of critique. Each critique costs $60.00.
Submission instructions for your material to be critiqued are listed on this page. Registering and paying for your critique(s) confirms your spot, so you do not need to submit anything right away. Submissions will be accepted beginning in January, and all submissions must be received in the proper format by February 27, 2022.
Each faculty member accepts only certain types of submissions for critique. See the information below to find out which faculty members handle which kinds of materials. You are responsible for ensuring that you are purchasing a critique that matches your work. You can also read our faculty bios at this link.
NOTE: A critique gives you an opportunity to get feedback on your work from an agent, editor, art director, or published author or illustrator. This is not the same as submitting your work for consideration for representation or publication. All conference attendees will be provided submissions information for faculty members who are agents, editors, or art directors. To have your work considered for representation or publication, you will need to follow the submissions guidelines provided after the conference.
Manuscript critiques
What you’ll submit: The first 10 pages of your manuscript, double-spaced and following formatting guidelines below. (Note: Picture book/board book authors may submit one manuscript only. A picture book or board book manuscript is considered one submission, though it will probably be much fewer than 10 pages. If your submission is fewer than 10 pages, you may also include a cover letter if you wish.)
What you’ll receive: Written feedback using the SCBWI Gold Form via email by April 30th. You will have the opportunity to ask up to three brief follow-up questions of the critiquer via email within 10 days of receiving your critique.
Manuscript formatting guidelines:
Please read and follow these critique submission instructions carefully! You will need to submit a separate attachment for each critique you purchased. If you purchased more than one type of critique, you will receive a separate email with instructions for each type. Correctly formatted submissions must be received by February 27. Late submissions will not receive a refund. Email all manuscript submissions to mddewv-ara@scbwi.org with subject line “All Together Now Critique Submission: [Critiquer’s Last Name]” — Please make sure your email has the correct subject line, or it might be missed!
Manuscript critiques:
-You may include a cover letter as long as it is in the same file as your manuscript pages. Submit no more than 11 pages total – 10 manuscript pages plus a cover letter. (Please note that a cover letter is a message to the critiquer, NOT a query letter. It may include questions that you hope will be answered in the critique.)
-Accepted formats: .doc, .docx, .pdf
-Manuscripts should be in Times New Roman 12 point font.
-Number the pages.
-Prose must be double-spaced. Verse may be single spaced with a double space between stanzas. Graphic novel manuscripts should use graphic novel formatting (https://d2lzb5v10mb0lj.cloudfront.net/darkhorse08/company/submissions/DHScriptFormatGuides.pdf )
-Use a 1-inch margin all around.
-Name your file using this formula: Critiquer’s initials_YourFirstNameYourLastName. For example, Jane Doe would title her manuscript to be critiqued by Veronica Bartles as VB_JaneDoe. If you have purchased more than one critique with the same critiquer, add a number to the end of each filename to distinguish them (VB_JaneDoe1, VB_JaneDoe2).
-For helpful step-by-step formatting demos, see our free on-demand webinar “Formatting Your Manuscript for Submission” at https://mddewv.scbwi.org/free-on-demand-webinars/
-Manuscripts must be submitted IN THE PROPER FORMAT by February 27, 2022. Email to mddewv-ara@scbwi.org with subject line “All Together Now Critique Submission”
-You will receive written feedback using the SCBWI Gold Form via email by April 30th.
-To submit, Email your submission mddewv-ara@scbwi.org with subject line “All Together Now Critique Submissionn: [Critiquer’s Last Name]”. MAKE SURE you have followed the file naming convention above and submitted your email with the proper subject line, as a submission with the wrong subject line or filename is likely to be missed. We would hate for you to miss out on your critique opportunity due to a submission error! Critiques that are submitted incorrectly or late will not be sent to the critiquers and will will not be refunded.
Who offers these critiques:
Picture book/board book manuscripts – fiction:
- Gabriella Abbate
- Andrea Cascardi
- Danielle Collins
- Rebecca Evans
- Tracy C. Gold
- Jacqui Lipton
- Kathy MacMillan
- Ginger Park
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Jonathan Roth
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Picture book/board book manuscripts – nonfiction:
- Gabriella Abbate
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Andrea Cascardi
- Lisa Crayton
- Danielle Collins
- Rebecca Evans
- Tracy C. Gold
- Jacqui Lipton
- Jonathan Roth
- Kathy MacMillan
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
Early reader/chapter book fiction:
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Jacqui Lipton
- Jonathan Roth
- Kathy MacMillan
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Early reader/chapter book nonfiction:
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Lisa Crayton
- Kathy MacMillan
- Jacqui Lipton
- Jonathan Roth
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Middle grade fiction:
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Andrea Cascardi (No sci fi, horror, or high fantasy)
- Tracy C. Gold
- Kathy MacMillan
- Meg Eden
- Jacqui Lipton
- Ginger Park
- Jonathan Roth
- Yvonne Ventresca
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty – no high fantasy or hard science fiction)
Middle grade nonfiction:
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Andrea Cascardi
- Lisa Crayton
- Kathy MacMillan
- Jacqui Lipton
- Jonathan Roth
- Yvonne Ventresca
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty
Young adult fiction:
- Gabriella Abbate
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Andrea Cascardi (no sci fi, horror, or high fantasy)
- Meg Eden
- Tracy C. Gold
- Jacqui Lipton
- Kathy MacMillan
- Yvonne Ventresca
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty – no high fantasy or hard science fiction)
Young adult nonfiction:
- Gabriella Abbate
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Andrea Cascardi
- Lisa Crayton
- Kathy MacMillan
- Rachael Stein (virtual faculty)
- Jacqui Lipton
- Yvonne Ventresca
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Poetry/novels in verse:
- Kat Brzozowski (virtual faculty)
- Meg Eden
Graphic novel manuscripts:
- Rebecca Evans
- Jonathan Roth
- Jim Hoover (LIVE virtual faculty)
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Illustrator Portfolio Reviews and Dummy Critiques
What you’ll submit: For a portfolio critique, you will submit up to 20 images either as a link to your website portfolio or as a single pdf file. For a graphic novel or picture book dummy critique, you will submit your dummy as a single pdf file. All critique submissions must be emailed to Cheryl Mendehall by February 27, 2022 at mddewv-ic@scbwi.org with the subject line: “illustrator portfolio virtual critique: (Critiquers last name)”
What you’ll receive: You will receive feedback via email by April 30th.
Who offers these critiques:
Illustrator portfolio reviews:
- Andrea Cascardi
- Rebecca Evans
- Jim Hoover (LIVE virtual faculty)
- Young Vo
- Jonathan Roth
- Brigitta Blair
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Picture book dummies:
- Gabriella Abbate
- Andrea Cascardi
- Rebecca Evans
- Young Vo
- Jonathan Roth
- Brigitta Blair
- Jim Hoover (LIVE virtual faculty)
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Graphic Novel Packets:
- Andrea Cascardi (no sci fi, horror, or high fantasy)
- Rebecca Evans
- Jonathan Roth
- Brigitta Blair
- Jim Hoover (LIVE virtual faculty)
- Regan Winter (virtual faculty – no historical fiction or high fantasy)
- Minju Chang (virtual faculty)
Website and Search Engine Optimization Critique
Submission Instructions:
Email the following information by February 27 to mddewv-ara@scbwi.org with subject line “All Together Now WEBSITE Critique Submission”
- A link to your website
- What is your primary goal for this platform?
- How would you describe your target audience (age, interests, etc)?
- Are there particular aspects of your website that want feedback on? If so, what are they?
Email the above information by February 27 to mddewv-ara@scbwi.org with subject line “All Together Now WEBSITE Critique Submission: Blair”. Late submissions will not receive a refund.
What you’ll receive: A written review of your website in context of your specific promotional goals by April 30th.
Who offers these critiques:
- Brigitta Blair
To Register for a Critique:
If you have not yet registered for the conference: Go to the main conference page and scroll down to the registration form. When you register for the conference, you will be able to select from available critique slots.
If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add on a critique: Please contact mddewv@scbwi.org.
Illustrator Sunday Intensive Two Picture Book Spreads (Jim Hoover):
In this intensive, sketch any original spread concepts of your choice. It can be something you are currently working on, want to be working on, or an existing public domain story or fairytale. It can be sequential, or any part of the story you feel like fleshing out. Submit the sketches (character studies a bonus!) and any bit of descriptive text to Cheryl Mendehall by February 13, 2022 at mddewv-ic@scbwi.org with the subject line “All Together Now Illustrator Intensive Submission” and Jim will give you feedback by February 21 . You will have time to make additional changes and then we will discuss the final art together as a group during the Sunday morning intensives—college art school crit-style! How fun is that? Please note, submission for this intensive requires registration for this intensive.
Illustrator First Looks Panel: Visual Storytelling (Saturday Breakout)
To submit a image for review during the First Looks Panel breakout, please follow these formatting guidelines:
- provide a high resolution .jpg, .jpeg, .png, or.pdf file
- your image should be 300 dpi, but no larger than 5 MB
- there should not be any writing on the image
- DO NOT include your name anywhere on the image.
- name your file ATNFirstLooks_your initials. For example, Jane Doe’s file would be called ATNFirstLooks_JD
- email your file to to mddewv-ic@scbwi.org by 11:59 PM Eastern on Saturday, March 5, 2022