Once again, we are offering One-on-One Manuscript Consultations and Portfolio Reviews with our faculty. These are first come, first served opportunities for you to get an opinion from a professional. You may choose an author consultation and an editor or agent consultation. Fees are nonrefundable. The cost is $40 for each consultation or review.
Individual manuscript consultations and portfolio reviews will be held in the Lewis and Clark room (small room to the left of the main rooms when facing the stage). Each consultation is 14 minutes, no more. We’re allowing 1 minute for passing time.
One-on-One Manuscript Consultations
Author Manuscript Consultations are open to anyone. If you've never had a professional critique before, we strongly recommend you choose an author as your critiquer. (Sorry, Richard Peck is not critiquing.)
Editor or Agent Consultations
You may only choose an editor or an agent, if you have:
– have had a previous critique at an SCBWI conference or retreat
– participated in an SCBWI Oregon Great Critique session
– are in a critique group
– are a PAL author, or
– have attended two or more SCBWI conferences
This will provide the best critique experience for everyone without us having to take the time to jury manuscripts.
Please remember that an Editor or Agent Consultation is not a pitching session—it’s an opportunity to get a professional’s feedback and suggestions on how to improve and/or market your work. Editor and agent critiquers will tell you if they would like you to send your project after the conference. (It’s wise to resist the temptation to count on that happening.)
We cannot guarantee you a written critique, although we have asked our faculty to do so and have given them SCBWI’s gold form as a suggested method.
Manuscript Deadline: April 1st
You may sign up for an editor or agent AND an author. When you register, choose whom you'd like to have critique your manuscript. If you have signed up, but we do not have your manuscript(s) by the deadline, your consultation fee will be forfeit.
New Addition: Picture Book Dummy reviews by Paul Rodeen, also due April 1st.
Please indicate this choice on your registration.
Make sure you read the complete guidelines below:
1-on-1msConsultation-Instructions.doc or 1-on-1msConsultation-Instructions.pdf
TEST YOUR MANUSCRIPT AGAINST OUR CHECKLIST BEFORE BRINGING IT TO BE CRITIQUED: Manuscript Checklist.pdf
ALL ONE-ON-ONE MANUSCRIPT CONSULTATION SPOTS ARE SOLD OUT!
ALL PICTURE BOOK DUMMY SPOTS ARE TAKEN
Portfolio Reviews – SOLD OUT
You may sign up for the art director. This is a very limited opportunity.
Please remember that a portfolio review is not a pitching session, it is your chance to get feedback and suggestions on how to improve and/or market your work. Our Art Director critiquer will tell you if she would like you to submit art after the conference. (It’s wise to resist the temptation to count on that happening.)
Portfolios: Limit your portfolio to 10-12 printed images. No originals, please. Please limit the size of your portfolio to 11” x 14".
Suggestions of what to include:
-Children in motion
-Different views of the same character
-Work that shows a character moving through a story
-Work that shows a cohesive style
-Start with your strongest piece and end with your second strongest piece
-Name and contact info on each piece
-Postcards and business cards
Portfolios are brought to the conference. We can not store it for you.
New Addition: Picture Book Dummy reviews by Patti Ann Harris, Art Director
Porfolio Reviews with Lee White are sold out
Please indicate this choice on your registration. – SOLD OUT
Make sure you read the complete guidelines below:
1-on-1PortfolioReviews and Dummy Guidelines 2015.doc or 1-on-1PortfolioReviews and Dummy Guidelines 2015.pdf
Your Appointment Itself
Appointments are often booked back to back, so please arrive early and depart promptly and graciously when your time is up. Missed appointments cannot be made up, nor can fees be refunded.
Be prepared to answer questions critiquers commonly ask:
Manuscripts: What is your story about? (One to three sentences for both picture books and novels.) What is the genre? Who is your audience? How does the story end? What makes your book/story unique?
Portfolios: Which do you consider to be your best piece and why? What media do you use. What is your background?
After Your Consultation or Review
Attendees may submit material after the conference, according to the information provided on the submissions information sheet in your packet and any other instructions received during sessions. When you submit, refer to your attendance at the conference, and to your consultation or review, if applicable, and mention why you think your work might be of interest. Do not call the editor/agent/art director unless invited to do so.