MANUSCRIPT AND QUERY CRITIQUES
I am now offering manuscript critiques on a limited basis. See below for pricing and options. As an agent, I follow the AALA's Canon of Ethics with regard to critique services (see below).
* QUERY CRITIQUES - $30
Put your best foot forward with a critique of your picture book, middle grade, or nonfiction query.
* QUERY PACKAGE CRITIQUES - $100
Includes a critique of your query along with up to 10 sample pages of your manuscript.
* PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE - $80
Full critique of your picture book will look at pacing, plot, character development, voice, etc.
* SECOND LOOK PB CRITIQUE - $40
Want a second look at your picture book after you've revised? Sign up for a follow-up critique.
* WORK-FOR-HIRE PACKET REVIEW - $100
Review of your cover letter, resume, and writing samples for submission to educational publishing companies.
* NONFICTION PROPOSAL CRITIQUE - $100
Review of your complete nonfiction proposal and sample pages.
*ZOOM CONSULTATION - $60
Have questions about the publishing industry? Want to talk about your manuscript? Book a 30-minute Zoom consultation.
Contact me using the button below to schedule a critique or consultation!
* QUERY CRITIQUES - $30
Put your best foot forward with a critique of your picture book, middle grade, or nonfiction query.
* QUERY PACKAGE CRITIQUES - $100
Includes a critique of your query along with up to 10 sample pages of your manuscript.
* PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE - $80
Full critique of your picture book will look at pacing, plot, character development, voice, etc.
* SECOND LOOK PB CRITIQUE - $40
Want a second look at your picture book after you've revised? Sign up for a follow-up critique.
* WORK-FOR-HIRE PACKET REVIEW - $100
Review of your cover letter, resume, and writing samples for submission to educational publishing companies.
* NONFICTION PROPOSAL CRITIQUE - $100
Review of your complete nonfiction proposal and sample pages.
*ZOOM CONSULTATION - $60
Have questions about the publishing industry? Want to talk about your manuscript? Book a 30-minute Zoom consultation.
Contact me using the button below to schedule a critique or consultation!
TESTIMONIALS
Lisa, my editor loved your recommendations. Thank you a million times!! - Julia K.
Lisa’s critiques are phenomenal. She is able to see the whole picture as well as the details and gives great suggestions. She’s also one of the only people I trust to help me with my rhyming manuscripts as she has an excellent sense of meter! She brings a wealth of experience to the table and has a great understanding of the industry. She is both kind and professional in sharing her feedback. I can’t recommend her highly enough! - Lindsay B.
After I wrote the first draft of my first picture book, I felt pretty helpless. I didn't have anyone with the time or expertise to help guide me through the editing process. Once I found Lisa, this changed. She was able to highlight problem areas and walk me through the corrections I needed to make. This helped me feel confident to move forward with my story. Not to mention, she even provided me with some resource recommendations (which I definitely need). She's awesome! - Ashlynn T.
Lisa was a dream to work with. Her expertise helped me to craft a professional cover letter and resume. Her insightful feedback helped me to polish my writing samples. She responded to every question I had in a timely manner. Because of Lisa, I now have a work-for-hire package that I'm proud to submit to educational publishers. - Jenna G.
Wow! You have helped me so much. Showing vs. telling has made it so much better. This is going to help me in all my writing. - Kristina T.
CANON OF ETHICS
A) The Association believes that the practice of literary agents charging clients or potential clients for reading and evaluating literary works (including query letters, outlines, proposals, and partial or complete manuscripts) is subject to serious abuse that reflects adversely on our profession. Members should be primarily engaged in selling or supporting the of selling of rights and services on behalf of their clients, i.e. members should not be primarily pursing freelance editorial work and misrepresenting themselves as literary agents or support staff of a literary agency. Members may not charge any reading fees for evaluating work for possible representation. However, members may provide editorial services in exchange for a fee to authors who are not clients, provided members adhere to the following provisions:
I) Members who render such services must make clear to the author in writing in advance that the rendering of such services does not indicate or imply that the member will represent the author as a literary agent and must provide to the author at the outset a copy of this Paragraph (8A-8B) of the AALA Canon of Ethics; and
II) if during or after the rendering of such services the member agrees to represent the author, the member must then return in full all payments received for such services prior to submitting the work and waive any further payments for such services for that author; and
III) to help prevent confusion, abuse, and to further separate paid editorial services from literary representation, at no time may members respond to an author who approaches them only for literary representation by instead suggesting or directing the author to pay for editorial services by the member or by anyone else financially associated with the member or member’s agency. Members must provide paid editorial services only to authors who have approached them directly for such services.
B) Literary representation of any author must not be contingent upon the author engaging any such paid editorial services, nor shall a member retroactively charge for editorial services in the event a client’s project is not sold. For avoidance of doubt, the intent of this clause is to allow members flexibility and independence in their payment structures while avoiding the conflict of interest that may arise from members making a profit on top of commission from the sale of both their client’s works and separate paid services rendered to that client.
I) Members who render such services must make clear to the author in writing in advance that the rendering of such services does not indicate or imply that the member will represent the author as a literary agent and must provide to the author at the outset a copy of this Paragraph (8A-8B) of the AALA Canon of Ethics; and
II) if during or after the rendering of such services the member agrees to represent the author, the member must then return in full all payments received for such services prior to submitting the work and waive any further payments for such services for that author; and
III) to help prevent confusion, abuse, and to further separate paid editorial services from literary representation, at no time may members respond to an author who approaches them only for literary representation by instead suggesting or directing the author to pay for editorial services by the member or by anyone else financially associated with the member or member’s agency. Members must provide paid editorial services only to authors who have approached them directly for such services.
B) Literary representation of any author must not be contingent upon the author engaging any such paid editorial services, nor shall a member retroactively charge for editorial services in the event a client’s project is not sold. For avoidance of doubt, the intent of this clause is to allow members flexibility and independence in their payment structures while avoiding the conflict of interest that may arise from members making a profit on top of commission from the sale of both their client’s works and separate paid services rendered to that client.