Paying for a Professional Critique - Some Thoughts

By Leslie Colin Tribble

It’s been a slow year of writing for me. I wasn’t able to attend any conferences in 2017 and didn’t get a chance to have an agent or editor critique any manuscripts. I have several manuscripts that need some final work, but I’m just not sure how to get them to that polished state and my critique group has helped about as much as they can. What to do? 

I’ve decided to pay for a few professional critiques.

Before jumping in, I asked writer friends and folks within Facebook groups what they thought. I've taken their responses and come up with some tips for deciding why to pay for a critique and how to find the best person to do one. 

Hunting for a critique service doesn't have to be hard.

 Why Pay for a Critique

1.       You’ve written a story. And rewritten. Your critique group has been through several rounds of revisions with you. The story is Just. About. There. But you know in your heart something’s Just. Not. Right. This is the perfect time to pay for a professional critique. This person will read your story with a completely fresh set of eyes and will see it in a way neither you, nor your critique group did. That clarity can be the focus needed to make your story sing.

Who needs a professional critique? Maybe you do.

2.       Maybe you’ve already had too many people look at a manuscript too many times and are receiving too much conflicting advice. Again, that fresh set of eyes might show you the right path forward.

Critiques help you get back on track.

3.       Author (and critiquer) Jill Esbaum feels that a professional critique can shorten a writer’s learning curve. She feels one of the differences between published and unpublished writers is published writers are willing to listen to criticism and do the revision work necessary to perfect a manuscript.

Can you bearly stand to hear criticism?

How to Chose A Critique Service

4.       When paying someone to critique your story, choose wisely. Jill Esbaum says book editors, as gate keepers of the kid-lit world, might be a good place to start. But published authors can talk to you on a writer-to-writer basis and possibly explain problems in a way that’s easier to understand. Everyone I asked said to definitely find someone who writes, or edits the type of book you’re writing. Is your book a non-fiction picture book biography? Then don’t pay for a critique from someone who writes YA fiction.

Critiques keep you afloat.

5.       Price isn’t everything when it comes to paying for a critique. You need to make sure you understand what you will receive from the professional. Will they do line edits? Are they simply critiquing the scope and tone of the story? Will they provide a detailed write up of the critique or simply a summary? Do they offer a phone consultation or possibly a second consultation? Do your research and compare services, not just cost.

  

I can’t wait have my manuscripts critiqued. I think it will be just the boost I need to get my stories off my computer and out into the land of submissions!

Have you paid for a critique outside of a conference? What are your thoughts?

Critiques help you see the big picture.

Finding Fault With A Manuscript

Finding Fault With A Manuscript

Today I have three words about

those who find fault with

our manuscripts.

Bring them on.

NAYSAYERS

Can a non-fiction writer have too many

pre-readers? These are qualified, careful

guides who can catch fact errors we

have missed in our own checking.

Equally important,

they can flag issues of nuance,

balance or incompleteness.

PICKY POSSSE

You may want to begin assembling your

picky posse panel as you research the topic,

even before completing the story.

                                          credit: NASA, all rights reserved

My favorite resources include -

1

Public research universities - part A

Look for the website media/press page.

There may be a list of scientists, other

professors in many fields who volunteer

to be interviewed

about their specialty.

If you can't contact them directly, your

your first inquiry to the gatekeeper

who forwards the request might be

something like -

Hello. I would like to talk for 15 minutes

 with,or send 5 e-mail questions to,

Prof. Very Esteemed, about her

ground-breaking research on giant

marshmallow-eating moths.

This is to help me prepare a

non-fiction book of  32 pages,

for young readers,

ages 6 to 8 (grades two to three)

about the strange color patterns of

marshmallow-eating moths,

from Zanadu to Atlantis.

I am a children's literature specialist. 

I have listened to Canadian professor

Highly Prolific's podcast on this topic.

I have also visited the small

marshmallow-eating moth

museum in Candyland. I have read 11

articles about this unusual insect.  I have

taken many photographs of it for 3 years,

which is what initiated my interest in this topic.

Public research universities - part B

Public land grant universities with

agricultural departments

usually supervise field offices. I have found

that the mission of these agricultural

extension programs is to educate the public.

The specialists in our regional office

help with questions on topics related to

farming (today that can include farm-raised

clams!) gardening, forests, fields, bee-keeping,

some coastal environmental issues, such as the role

of sea oats in preventing dune erosion, and wetlands

issues for both fresh and saltwater areas.

2

Public teaching hospitals/museums/historic sites/

Start here with public education departments.

If there is none look for the press, media or

information office.

I can not say enough good about museum staff.

For example, the staff of the

Smithsonian-affiliated Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

vetted a manuscript I wrote and also the

illustrations to accompany it, about a Seminole

Tribe of Florida leader. One of many ideas

they provided, was to change the look on an image

of an implement - a gigging stick to grab fish that

depicted a Tribe member carrying it.

To be more authentic. Done.

3

Public parks, refuges/ wilderness areas

Look online for the headquarters office of

your targeted natural resource. Although it's

helpful to ask questions of individuals on site

as you visit, there may also be federal, state,

or regional experts who cover wider

geographic areas within the program and

are likely not on site when/where you visit.

For example here in Florida, I know a biologist

who was the point person on all living

animal species for all the state parks. So he

was able to put into context, for example,

patterns about black bear, not only in North Florida,

but throughout the state.

Another worked as the statewide expert on all

trees and plants. While a random

ranger/staffer encountered

impromptu will be friendly, they can't be

expected to function as a specialist.

 4

Non-profit, private, research sites or 

public education centers

Sites that aren't government-run, but are

non-profit & open to the public can be an

ideal resource. They are often looking for

publicity. And then you may want to return

to them, as a location to stage a book event

or market it in their shop.

                                               Family Annino/ Gulf Specimen Lab, Florida

5

Organizations, faith communities, professional

groups, societies, clubs

Resources here include Audubon Society, Sierra Club,

astronomy societies, historical societies, major religion

and faith groups, professional societies,

collectors' clubs, artists' organizations,

groups of hobbyists working at a high level of expertise,

and retiree groups in special areas of knowledge

such as math educators, railroad engineers & a

non-ending list of similar groups.

Look for your local chapter/unit and

if there are no appropriate helpers there,

find a regional, state or national contact.

5

Published authors/speakers on your topic

Look at the bibliography you are assembling

of your research. You may want to contact

authors of the books you are citing.

They may be willing to vet your manuscript

or at least, to answer questions. And their own

bibliography can be mined for sources to contact.

Research podcasts in your subject area.

There may be many online to consider in your

subject area. One of those speakers may suit

your needs.

Thank them, very much!

You may collect more experts for your Picky Posse

than you expect.

Keep current with all the ways to stay in contact

during the long haul, especially with 

the updated surface address of where they would like 

to receive a copy of your book

that is published in part, thanks to them.

. . . 

What is missing from this short-list?

Which resources are you using or have used?