Win a full manuscript critique (up to 85,000 words) from Maria Vicente, Senior Literary Agent at P.S. Literary Agency.

Middle Grade, YA, or Adult only, please.

Maria Vicente is a Senior Literary Agent and Advisor at P.S. Literary representing bold and innovative books for kids, teens, and adults. She lives in New Brunswick, Canada, reading and selling books from the Atlantic Ocean shore.

Image: Headshot of Maria Vicente

Win a full manuscript read with reactions, comments and suggestions on margin from award-winning author Francisco X. Stork! Let an award-winning author provide insight into your work!

Middle Grade or YA only, please.

Francisco X. Stork is the award winning author of ten YA novels, including Marcelo in the Real World and I Am Not Alone (July 2023).

Image: Headshot of Francisco X. Stork

Win a 30-minute call with Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author and Cake and Electric Postcard Entertainment's President, to discuss the industry. Dhonielle will also provide a critique of the first 30 pages of your manuscript during your call!

Middle Grade or Young Adult only, please.

Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers series, The Belles series, Shattered Midnight, co-author of Blackout, Whiteout, The Rumor Game, and of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books, and President of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, IP story kitchens dedicated to diverse books for all ages.

Image: Headshot of Dhonielle Clayton

Win a manuscript critique of up to 50 pages (20,000 words) and 30-minute chat with Hena Khan, award-winning children's author.

Picture Book, Early Reader, or Middle Grade only, please.

Hena Khan is a groundbreaking and award-winning author of picture books and middle grade fiction. Her titles include Amina's Voice, More to the Story, Under My Hijab, and more.

Image: Headshot of Hena Khan, photo by Havar Espedal

Win a 30-minute call with Terry Catasús Jennings, author of the Definitely Dominguita Chapter Book series to discuss a critique of the manuscript of your first book in a proposed series and steps for submission.

Early Reader or Middle Grade only, please.

Terry Catasús Jennings is the Cuban-American author of JLG selection The Little House of Hope, The Definitely Dominguita Chapter Book Series, and co-author of the biography in verse: Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist. She supports the mission of WNDB and is delighted to be able to help out in this way.

Image: Headshot of Terry Catasús Jennings

Win a written 30-page manuscript critique from author Jessica Vitalis. The critique will include big picture feedback and in-line comments/edits.

Middle grade only, please.

Jessica Vitalis, author of The Wolf's Curse and The Rabbit's Gift, writes entertaining and thought provoking novels for middle grade readers. As a long-time Pitch Wars mentor, she has a proven track record providing actionable feedback to help level up your work. Her next two books, Coyote Queen and an untitled novel in verse, will release in the fall of 2023 and 2024 from Greenwillow/HarperCollins.

Image: Headshot of Jessica Vitalis

Win a line edit critique of your picture book manuscript by author Silvia López, along with a 30-minute chat to discuss and answer questions about the critique.

Picture Book or Early Reader only, please.

Available within the United States only.

Silvia López's books include Just Right Family: An Adoption Story, Handimals: Animals in Art and Nature, Pacho Nacho, Queen of Tejano Music: Selena, My Little Golden Book about Frida Kahlo and My Little Golden Book about Sonia Sotomayor. Several of her books are bilingual or dual language in English and Spanish.

Image: Headshot of Silvia López

Win a picture book manuscript critique from Katie Heit, senior editor at Scholastic. Katie will provide a written critique as well as an annotated manuscript.

Picture Book only, please. Critique will take place in late January or February.

Katie Heit is a senior editor Scholastic working on picture books and chapter books. She primarily edits nonfiction, with select fiction titles. She works with many nonfiction authors, including Charles R. Smith Jr., Dean Robbins, Denise Lewis Patrick, Sandra Markle, and Rekha S. Rajan. She is drawn to books that approach nonfiction in a kid-friendly way and is especially on the lookout for nature and STEAM topics.

Image: Headshot of Katie Heit

Win a non-rhyming picture book manuscript critique (manuscript must be less than 900 words) including a 30-minute phone call with children's book author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow.

Picture Book only, please.

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is the award-winning author of picture books that center Black and Muslim children. Her books include Mommy's Khimar, Your Name Is A Song, Abdul's Story, and Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children.

Image: Headshot of Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Win a picture book critique from Jess Hernandez, author of First Day of Unicorn School.

Picture Book or Early Reader only, please.

Jess Hernandez has spent her grown-up life working with kids and books-as a teacher, a youth librarian, a freelance developmental editor, and a children's author. Her debut book, First Day of Unicorn School, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum, came out in 2021 from Capstone and she has two other unannounced books under contract. Jess lives in a very small, very LOUD house in Washington with her husband, their three children, a puppy, and some rather terrifying rabbits.

Image: Headshot of Jess Hernandez

Win a 30-minute call from picture book author Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, including a picture book critique (of 1000 words or less) if the winner would like!

Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer afro Latinx Dominican and Puerto Rican author, wife, mother, and community organizer. During the day she works with community organizations, nonprofits and government officials to make the world a better place. Then she puts her writer's hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family food and the fun places she has been.

Image: Alyssa Reynoso-Morris headshot

Win a picture book critique and 30-minute chat with award-winning author Isabel Quintero.

Available within the United States only.

Isabel Quintero is an award-winning writer from the Inland Empire of Southern California. She has authored: Gabi, A Girl in Pieces (Cinco Puntos Press), Ugly Cat and Pablo (Scholastic, Inc.) and Ugly Cat and Pablo and the Missing Brother (Scholastic, Inc.), Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide (Getty Publications), and My Papi Has a Motorcycle (Kokila). Her books have garnered many starred reviews, awards, and have been included in multiple best of lists. When she's not writing she enjoys hiking, laughing, and cooking with her partner and beautiful child.

Image: Headshot of Isabel Quintero

Win a written manuscript critique with Anna Sargeant, Sourcebooks eXplore Editor, for board book, picture book, or early reader nonfiction.

Picture Book, Early Reader, or Board Book only, please.

Anna Sargeant grew up in Southern California, raised on sunshine, sandy beaches, and traffic jams. Anna has a degree in education with a concentration in math and have spent my career working with children as a teacher, tutor, minister, curriculum developer, freelance writer, and book editor. Anna is married and live in Austin, where she enjoys being outdoors, watching movies, eating Tex Mex, and hanging out with friends and family.

Image: Headshot of Anna Sargeant

Author Liz Garton Scanlon offers a picture book critique including line edits, margin notes, and a big picture revision letter. (Manuscript should be 600 words or less unless it's nonfiction, please.)

Picture Book only, please.

Liz Garton Scanlon is a poet and the author of picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels. She serves on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Austin, Texas.

Image: Headshot of Liz Garton Scanlon, photo by Elizabeth-McGuire

Win a 50-page manuscript evaluation and 30-minute strategy session with Book Coach Julie Artz to discuss your manuscript, pitching, next steps, or any questions you have about the industry.

Middle Grade, YA, Adult, or Memoir only, please.

Julie Artz spent her young life sneaking into wardrobes searching for Narnia. When people started to think that was creepy, she went in search of other ways to go on mystical adventures. Now she finds those long-sought doors to magical story worlds in her work as an author, editor, and book coach. An active member of the writing community, she has volunteered for SCBWI, TeenPit, and Pitch Wars and is a member of EFA, the Authors Guild, and AWP. A social and environmental justice minded story geek, Julie lives in an enchanted forest outside of Redmond, Washington, with her husband, two strong-willed teenagers, and a trio of naughty furry familiars.

Image: Headshot of Julie Artz

Win a 20-page manuscript critique (or a full-length picture book critique) followed by a 30-minute video chat with Elizabeth Lee, Editor at Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers.

Picture Book, Early Reader, Middle Grade, or YA only, please.

Elizabeth Lee is an editor at Penguin Workshop who is most excited about "hopeful-but-makes-you-cry" middle grade and young adult novels as well as select picture books. Some of her recent and forthcoming acquisitions include She Sang for India by Suma Subramaniam and Shreya Gupta, Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea, and Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo. When she is not editing, Elizabeth is an author under the pen name, E.L. Shen (The Comeback - January 2021 and The Queens of New York - June 2023).

Image: Headshot of Elizabeth Lee

Win a written manuscript critique of your picture book or the first 25 pages of your middle grade or Young Adult novel from Alex Borbolla, senior editor at Bloomsbury. You will receive valuable written feedback to guide your revision and the opportunity to ask follow-up questions via email.

Picture Book, Middle Grade, or Young Adult only, please.

Alex Borbolla joined Bloomsbury Children's Publishing as Senior Editor in April 2022 after spending the first seven years of her career at Atheneum Books for Young Readers/S&S. She edits picture books, middle grade, and YA novels and graphic novels. Find her on Twitter @Alex_Borbolla.

Image: Headshot of Alex Borbolla

Win a 30-minute call, which will included a critique of your query and first 25 pages of your manuscript, with Tiffany Shelton, Editor and Manager / Acquisitions Outreach at St. Martin's Publishing Group.

YA or Adult only, please.

Available within the United States only.

Critique will be delivered by the end of January / early February.

Tiffany Shelton is an editor at St. Martin's Publishing Group acquiring adult and young adult fiction across genres. She typically gravitates towards voice-driven narratives with dynamic storytelling, immersive worlds, and characters to love (or love to hate).

Image: Headshot of Tiffany Shelton

Win a 30-minute call with Annette Pollert-Morgan, Executive Editor at Sourcebooks Fire and Young Readers, to discuss the first 25 pages of your YA manuscript (fiction or nonfiction) and the industry.

Young Adult only, please.

Available within the United States only.

Annette Pollert-Morgan, executive editor at Sourcebooks Fire and Young Readers, acquires young adult and middle-grade fiction (across genres), as well as the occasional nonfiction project and memoir. She loves working with debut authors to launch new voices and is particularly drawn to narratives that create-and validate-the teen experience in all its diversity. Annette has edited 13 NYT bestsellers, including novels by Marieke Nijkamp and Natasha Preston.

Image: Headshot of Annette Pollert-Morgan

Win a 50-minute Zoom chat with YA author/songwriter Mimi Cross. Send the first 3 chapters of your novel-in-progress, your query letter, and/or your synopsis in advance of the conversation, and Mimi will give you tips to make one or more of them stronger. Or, she'll give you a songwriting lesson! Winner's choice.

Young Adult only, please.

Available within the United States only.

Born in Toronto, Canada, Mimi Cross is an author, songwriter, and arts educator who grew up in New Jersey by the beach. She received a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College, where she worked on the college newspaper and became editor of the literary arts magazine, and an MA from New York University. Mimi lives with her son and a Siberian cat nicknamed The Dark Knight. Her first two novels are Before Goodbye and Shining Sea.

Image: Headshot of Mimi Cross

Win a 30-minute Zoom call with Feather Flores, editor at Simon & Schuster's Atheneum Books for Young Readers, to discuss any and all things publishing: industry, craft, career, you name it! Feather will also provide a critique of your manuscript (full picture book text or first 25 pages of a YA novel) during your call.

Picture book or YA only, please.

Feather Flores joined Atheneum in 2022 after a four-year stint at Chronicle Books. She works on smart, joyful picture books; middle grade romps with coming-of-age themes; and bold, open-hearted YA that reimagines everything our identities can be. You can find her expressing endless enthusiasm on Twitter @featherfully and explore her full manuscript wishlist at featherflores.com.

Image: Headshot of Feather Flores