Hello, writer!

Do you need a critique?

Critiquing and editorial feedback are essential parts of preparing a manuscript for publication. Critiques help you consider how to move your manuscript to the next level for submission.

I love helping other writers improve their manuscripts. My feedback is direct and insightful. I work with writers seeking traditional publishing as well as those pursuing self-publishing.

What I critique

• Nonfiction picture books

• Fiction picture books

• Rhyming picture books

• Middle grade nonfiction

• Young adult nonfiction

• Query letters, cover letters, résumés

• First page of a manuscript

I also offer Zoom consultations to help you navigate the children’s publishing industry and answer any and all questions you may have.

Fees

• Prose picture book critique (up to 10 pages) - $100

• Rhyming picture book critique (up to 10 pages) - $150

• Query letter, cover letter, or résumé review - $40

• First page of a manuscript - $40

• Zoom/phone consultations - $75 per hour

How it works

• To inquire about a critique or consultation, click here or email me: rebeccahirsch [at] mac [dot] com.

• I’ll email you back in 1-3 days to answer any questions you may have and to iron out details.

• For manuscript critiques, I’ll ask you to send a 1-2 sentence summary, your vision for the project, up to three specific craft-based questions, and an overview where you feel you are in the writing process.

• You’ll submit up to 10 double-spaced pages. For picture books this means submitting the entire book. For longer books, this usually means submitting either the proposal or first chapter.

• Please submit as a MS Word (or comparable) document.

What you receive

• Comments written on the manuscript. Depending on what you want in a critique, this may involve line-editing or copy editing (editing for grammar and punctuation), or I can give you ideas and highlight areas to discuss further.

• Questions and ideas to help you think more deeply about the project.

• A 15-minute follow-up Zoom or phone conversation. This is your time to review my feedback with me and ask me questions about it.