Rate Your Story offers writers a number rating (1-10), and some writers *may* give helpful feedback along with your score. However, you may benefit from having a full critique of your story – something not offered from Rate Your Story.
If you've already received your free rating, you might consider getting a critique or line-edit of your story in order to understand how to make it better (or not tamper with what is so good about it).
Volunteer judges at Rate Your Story offer these services for a fee on their websites. If you want to know (on a much deeper level) what's great–or not so great–about your story, consider getting a professional critique from one of these writers:
Anne E. Johnson will release three novels in 2012: middle-grade paranormal mystery Ebenezer's Locker (MuseItUp), middle-grade historical mystery Trouble at the Scriptorium (Royal Fireworks), and noir sci fi Green Light Delivery (Candlemark & Gleam). She has published nearly twenty short stories for both children and adults. Visit Anne's website to inquire about professional critique services or to learn more about her stories. 
Terrie Hope grew up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Africa, and founded Critique Cafe as a way for writers to network, join critique groups, and get help with their manuscripts. Terrie is as much of a reader as a writer, and has contributed to creative endeavors ranging from puppet plays to church newsletters. If you're looking for critique partners, visit Critique Cafe or connect with Terrie via her website, www.TerrieHope.com. 
Freelance writer and children's librarian Sharon Verbeten has been a writer/journalist for more than 20 years. She has been widely published in national and local trade and consumer titles and she is the author of The Best of Barbie (Krause, 2001). She can be reached at toylady@athenet.net or via her company's Facebook page under All Write Creative Services.
Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a freelance writer, editor and author of The Hybrid Homemaker who offers critiques and other writing services. Contact her through Elance or follow her writing at Peace & Projects.
Margot Finke is an Aussie Transplant who has lived in Oregon for many years. Her 11x published children’s books can be viewed on “Margot’s Magic Carpet.” If you want to HOOK a publisher with writing that is tight and terrific, Margot’s Manuscript Critique Service offers personal guidance. She focuses on what is vital to the plot plus richly drawn characters. An in-depth critique includes suggestions + examples that are as tight as your granny’s new girdle. ** For self-editing and other writing help, visit Secrets of Writing for Children. |
| Photo: Karen A. Lloyd |
Lisa Wheeler is passionate about children’s books. “I love everything about them, including the smell.” To date, Lisa has thirty titles on library shelves, with more to follow over the next few years. She’s written picture books in prose and rhyme, an easy reader series, three books of poems, and creative nonfiction for the very young. Learn more about Lisa's books at her website, http://lisawheelerbooks.com/
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Simon Rose is the author of seven novels for middle grade readers, along with The Insistence of Memory, a novel for young adults to be published in 2012. Simon is also a contributing author to The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction Volume One, has written several non-fiction books for younger readers with Weigl Educational Publishers, and works as a writer for Dark Roasted Blend online magazine. He offers workshops and residency programs for schools, is an instructor for adults with Chinook Learning Services and the University of Calgary and offers a variety of services for writers, including manuscript evaluation, editing, online writing workshops and coaching, plus copywriting services for the business community. He is the founder of Children's Authors and Illustrators on Facebook, served as Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI Western Canada and organizes the Calgary Children’s Book Fair and Conference. Full details can be found at his website www.simon-rose.com. You may also visit his blog at http://simon-rose.blogspot.com/, his channel on YouTube, follow him on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Jill Esbaum is the author of 11 picture books with major publishers. She is a former instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature, and, in addition to critiquing picture book manuscripts privately, she is a longtime workshop facilitator at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival and co-hosts the annual Whispering Woods Picture Book Writing Workshop. Jill and her husband live on a family farm in eastern Iowa. You can learn more about obtaining a professional critique from Jill at her critiques page, http://www.jillesbaum.com/
Katrina DeLallo is a spiritual, fantasy writer whose work has been published/is forthcoming in several small eZines, SuperTeacherWorksheets.com, and in a couple of print anthologies published by Static Movement. Her earliest writing memory stems from the age of six, when she wrote her first story into a journal given to her by one of her older sisters. She adores imagining new worlds, new places, new people and characters. Her main draw is to fantasy, because fantasy allows her to create worlds that do not exist. It allows her to craft worlds that are her own. Her favorite authors are Diana Wynne Jones, Brian Jacques, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Patricia McKillip. Visit Katrina's blog or request a critique at her website, The World Crafter.
Lori Degman is a picture book author and teacher of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Her first picture book, 1 Zany Zoo (Simon and Schuster, 2010), was the winner of the 2nd Annual Cheerios New Author Contest! She writes mostly in rhyme, sometimes in prose, and always with humor. “I love helping writers with their rhyming picture book stories," she said. "My professional critiques include comments on all aspects of the story, as well as a line-by-line review of both rhythm and rhyme.” Learn more about Lori’s critique service on her website: www.Loridegman.com.
Linda Skeers LOVES children's books! She's the author of picture books, children's nonfiction, magazine stories, poems and articles on the craft of writing. She is a former instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature and co-teacher of the annual Whispering Woods Picture Book Writing Workshop. Linda enjoys mentoring aspiring writers and does private manuscript critiques. For more information go to www.lindaskeers.com.
Mira Reisberg - Mira is the Director of the Picture Book Academy www.picturebookacademy.com where she hosts extraordinary online courses including the upcoming Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books and provides free teaching picture book video reviews on her blog. You can also find her at https://www.facebook.com/
Lisa has presented workshops on writing and the publishing industry for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and has appeared events held by the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, the Wisconsin Book Festival, and the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books.
In addition to being an author, Lisa is a Library Assistant at a K-8 school library and loves being surrounded by books and children every day.
Ella Kennen – Freelance writer and editor Ella Kennen has authored a sci-fi storybook series and children's ebook. Ella has also published over a hundred pieces, including over two dozen articles and stories for children in magazines such as Girl's Life, Appleseeds, Boy's Quest, SuperTeacherWorksheets, Knowonder!, and more. A staff editor for Musa Publishing's mystery and science fiction imprints, Ella obsesses about structural issues like plot, pacing, and characterization, but is also a mean line-editor. Learn more about Ella at https://ellakennen.wordpress.com/.
Want to know what to expect from a professional critique? Harold Underdown's website has an entire page devoted to what a writer can expect from a professional critique here.
