Hey, wonderful writerly people! It’s time for our monthly critique contest! This month, winners will receive feedback from a professional editor. So exciting! 🙂
This contest is closed. Please try again next month. If you’d like to be notified when the next one goes live, consider subscribing to the blog (in the sidebar).
Five winners will receive a critique of their first six pages.
If you’re working on a manuscript and would like some objective feedback, please leave a comment. Any comment :). As long as the email address associated with your WordPress account/comment profile is up-to-date, I’ll be able to contact you if you’re chosen. Just please know that if I’m unable to get in touch with you through that address, you’ll have to forfeit your win.
Here’s the editor you’ll be working with:
Erica Converso
I’m Erica Converso, author of the Five Stones Pentalogy (affiliate link). I love chocolate, animals, anime, musicals, and lots and lots of books – though not necessarily in that order. In addition to my work as an author, I have been an intern at Marvel Comics, a college essay tutor, and a database and emerging technologies librarian. Between helping adult patrons in the reference section and mentoring teens in the evening reading programs, I was also the resident research expert for anyone requiring more in-depth information for a project.
As an editor, I aim to improve and polish your work to a professional level, while also teaching you to hone your craft and learn from previous mistakes. With every piece I edit, I see the author as both client and student. I believe that every manuscript presents an opportunity to grow as a writer, and a good editor should teach you about your strengths and weaknesses so that you can return to your writing more confident in your skills. Visit my website astrioncreative.com for more information on my books and editing and coaching services.
Contest Guidelines
- This month’s contest will work the same as it usually does…except our amazing guest editor will be the one sending feedback if you win.
- Please be sure your first six pages (double-spaced in 12-point font) are ready to go so our guest editor can critique it before next month’s contest rolls around. If it needs some work and you won’t be able to get it to me right away, please plan on entering the next contest, once any necessary tweaking has been taken care of.
- This contest only runs for 24 hours, start to finish, so get your comment in there!
Five commenters’ names will be randomly drawn and posted tomorrow morning. If you win, I’ll contact you with information about sending it to me. Then, I’ll forward it to our amazing editor for feedback.
We run this contest on a monthly basis, so if you’d like to be notified when the next opportunity comes around, consider subscribing to our blog (see the right-hand sidebar).
Good luck! I can’t wait to see who the winners will be. 🙂
PS: If you want to amp up your first page, grab our helpful First Pages checklist from One Stop for Writers. And for more instruction on these important opening elements, see this Mother Lode of First Page Resources.
Mindy loves giving back to the writing community. She’s a founding member and Administrator on the From the Mixed-Up Files…of Middle-Grade Authors blog, an SCBWI volunteer, and host of the PBParty chats, New Draft Challenge & Critique Train, and annual contest. She writes middle grade novels and picture books filled with humor, heart, and hope and is represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Thank you, just heard I’ve won! Fabulous, can’t wait to hear from you Erica.
Thank you all for entering to win a critique of your first six pages from editor Erica Converso.
The five lucky winners are:
Sara Etgen-Baker
Laurie Smollett Kutscera
Brenda Davies
Deena Graves
Doug Fricke
Huge congrats! I’ll e-mail the winners with instructions. Erica can’t wait to read your opening pages.
Thanks a bunch to WHW for running the contest. What a great way to bring writers together.
And congratulations to the other winners, Sara, Laurie, Brenda, and Deena.
You’re welcome, Doug. Congrats again! I hope Erica’s feedback helps take your manuscript to the next level.
Congrats to all the winners! I’m very excited to work with each of you and can’t wait to get started!
Thanks again for being our guest editor, Erica! I can’t wait for the five lucky winners to receive feedback from you. 🙂
Hello. Thank you for this opportunity. Would love to be considered if you’re looking at MG manuscripts, too. Thank you again.
I would love to work with Erica on my first completed project: Narkey Hole and the Quest for Immortality.
Excited for this contest!
Thank you for this opportunity!!
This would be amazing!
Thanks for this opportunity!
I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you
Mindy—when do you sleep? I would love to win this opportunity and I’m ready to go!!!
I’ve completed the first draft of my novel, “Nothing Really Bad Will Happen,” a holocaust story of loss and legacy based on my family’s experience. I’m currently reworking the manuscript for flow and clarity and would love another perspective.
What a great opportunity. My MG fantasy novel is ready for critique. Extra points for the MC who is an aspiring comic book creator! 😉
At my age, 77 years of age, I would love to be selected to have the first six pages of my first novel manuscript reviewed!
That’s so impressive! How long have you been working on your book?
I’m working on the final book in a four book series and this one is challenging me as the characters are younger at the start of the book than any prior. So hooking my readers into their journey from the start is extra important. I’m loving using my subscription to think about their wounds, fears, flaws, goals and motivations, and I’d love to make the characters shine from the start. So an opportunity like this would be amazing. Such a generous offer ❤️
I’m working on revising my first draft and could certainly use some professional feedback. I appreciate the opportunity.
What a fab opportunity! I’m a debut author over 50 with a fun MS. Hope to be selected.
Hi! What a great opportunity. I would love to work with Erica on the first few pages of my middle grade novel. Wishing everyone good luck!
Hello, I would love to work with Erica. My manuscript is ready for a critique and I thank you for this opportunity.
This opportunity would be extraordinarily valuable
I’m definitely interested and would love some professional feedback.
I would love to have my work critiqued! Good luck to everyone!
I would love an opportunity to learn by getting feedback!
I’m a first time author writing a memoir and would appreciate your valuable input.
What a terrific opportunity to get my first six pages scrutinized by Erica. I’d love to be chosen.
Would be very grateful for this opportunity!
Thanks for the opportunity!
What an amazing opportunity!
Oh this is awesome! Feedback would be amazing
I’m getting to the point in my romance novella where I need to connect with an editor. Thank you for this opportunity.
Thank you for the wonderful opportunity! I hope I’m selected.
What a great deal! Would love to be selected.
Thank you, Angela! Fingers crossed!
Yes please. Thank you so much for the chance.
I’d love a critique!
I’d love some feedback on my book, thank you!
Happy Thursday, everybody! Great to learn about another editor.
I would love some feedback, please. Thank you!
Yay! The contest is back! It’s not like I was checking my email daily to ensure I didn’t miss it again. 😅
Good luck to everyone!
Getting feedback would be so helpful. Thank you for the opportunity.
Thanks for the generous giveaway!
Thanks so much for giving five of us the opportunity to have a critique. So generous of your time. I’d love to win one of the places. Mari
What a fabulous opportunity. I would so love this!
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!!
This is a great opportunity for me. I love your site. I was looking in quite a few places to get the information that you’ve created right here for writing more thoughtfully and professionally. I hope I am contacted.🙏
Erica, thank you for generosity of time. I’d love a critique of my pages.
What a great idea you have here.
Thank you, Erica, for your generosity. I’m eager to learn and grow my storytelling skills, perhaps with your help!
Count me in, please. I’d love to have my work critiqued.
Happy springtime, everyone. Hope the sun is shining where you are.
Would absolutely love to win!
Amazing opportunity! Thank you so much for doing this!
Thanks for the opportunity!
I love Marvel comics! They were the reason I’ve always wanted to be a reader. I was telling someone the other day I even remember the first three I ever owned: Daredevil 81, Avengers 80 and Amazing Spider-Man 101. I would have loved to have been an intern in the bullpen.
This is a wonderful gesture on your part and I hope we get a chance to work together.
Totally awesome chance for some really helpful advice. Thanks for the opportunity.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Thank you, this is a wonderful opportunity.
Always appreciative of your emails and opportunities like this! My 6 pages are ready to go! Fingers crossed to us all!!
Thanks for such a wonderful opportunity
Good morning and thank you for the chance to get some professional eyes on this story’s kickoff!
Yes, it would be a great opportunity for a first pages review! Thank you!
What a great opportunity! Thank you!
Thank you for organizing such a wonderful opportunity!
What a wonderful opportunity! Thank you!
This sounds fantastic, how generous.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Thanks so much for this opportunity.
Yay. Thanks again for this opportunity
I am thrilled at this possible opportunity! Thank you!
I would love the opportunity to have my first six page reviewed. Thank you.
Hi Erica, I’m a big Marvel Comic fan too. Been reading them since the seventies when I was a young child. Would love to have the opportunity to work with you and have my first six pages reviewed. Thank you so very much.
Once again, WHW is offering a great opportunity!
The first six pages are critical. I’m excited for the potential opportunity!
Thanks for this opportunity to work with Erica! My pages are ready to go!
Thank you for this amazing opportunity! Getting my first 6 pages review ready just in case 🙂
I’m thinking of entering a competition at the moment so this would help enormously! Thanks for your kind offer 🙂
Thanks for the chance to get feedback!
This is a great opportunity! Thank you.
In my 2nd draft, I’m ready to learn how my first page will influence the remainder of my story. Good luck to everyone!
Thanks for this amazing opportunity!
Wow, the first six pages. Thanks for the opportunity.
Absolutely! 🙂
This is a great opportunity!
This great opportunity. Thank you.
Thanks for this opportunity!
This contest is so cool. It’s creative and practical, something I look forward to. I get the regular newsletters but sometimes I don’t have time to go to the site. The contest gets me here and “Whilst I’m here… I may as well look around.” I find something interesting every time. Today I’m downloading the First Pages checklist.
Thanks!
Erica sounds like a terrific editor! Thanks so much for a chance to work with her.
Thanks for this opportunity.
Wow! What an amazing opportunity!
Would love to work with Erica and thank you for this opportunity!