Happy Friday, friends! In case you missed the news on social media earlier this week, I just announced another new service for writers: the First 50 Pages Critique!

This offering is a shorter, budget-friendly alternative to a full manuscript critique. It doesn’t cover a complete story or project, but it can still give writers a good idea of how to strengthen one of the most crucial sections of their manuscript while alerting them to potential issues in later chapters. So if you’re considering having your work critiqued but aren’t sure you can afford it at full price, this may be a good option.

(Read more after the jump.)

Here’s what you would receive for a First 50 Pages Critique:

• An editorial letter containing my critique of the first 50 pages of your manuscript, including the structure, individual scenes, character development, and other building blocks
• Additional feedback on specific concerns you have about the beginning of the manuscript
• If desired, a 45-minute call (Skype, Zoom, or phone) within 1 week of me submitting my feedback so we can go over any questions you have

I also offer a free 45-minute consultation before we commit to the critique so we can chat about your project, get to know each other, and discuss logistics such as timeline and pricing.

As for genres, I’m accepting First 50 Pages Critiques for the same genres where I do manuscript critiques, outline critiques, and developmental editing. These include speculative fiction (especially fantasy and magical realism), YA fiction, and literary fiction. 

How does this sound? Would you like an editor’s feedback on your manuscript’s first 50 pages? Then send me an email! Make sure your request includes the following details:

• Working title for your story
• Genre
• Target audience (YA, adult, etc.)
• One or two sentences that describe the story’s premise
• Current word and page count for the manuscript
• Project timeline, if you have one
• Current status of the project (e.g., in the middle of the first draft, completing the third draft)
• A five- to eight-page excerpt of your manuscript so I can perform a sample edit

I’m thrilled to finally introduce this new service. Originally I hoped to announce this last year, but now truly is the right time. I’m also aware that the price for editing a full-length manuscript may be out of reach financially for some writers. So whether you’re one of those writers or simply looking for input on the first few chapters of your project, I hope you see this option and feel encouraged to take that step and get the honest, constructive feedback you’ve been seeking.

Curious to know whether a First 50 Pages Critique is right for you? Send me an email with the information listed above, and let’s get the conversation going!

Also, stay tuned next week for a guest post and podcast interview I recently recorded! 🙂