Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Brian Klems, one of the day’s instructors. (This rate is a special event value for North Carolina Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees get a phone/Zoom critique meeting with the faculty member. Options:

• Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction: Faculty member Swati Hegde, an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Adult romance and young adult romance, both contemporary or paranormal: Faculty member A.S. Green, an author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you for 15 minutes in person at the 2023 MWW to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• Picture books, middle grade, adult science fiction & fantasy. Also young adult contemporary, magical realism, fantasy and sci-fi (nothing too dark; no horror): Faculty member Amanda Sun, an author as well as editor at Scholastic Canada, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes. If you are submitting a picture book, make the submission 1000 words maximum, and it can or cannot include illustrations.
• Middle grade, young adult; adult fiction in the areas of low fantasy, literary fiction, romance, contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction, and mainstream fiction: Faculty member Joel Brigham, a writing coach and author, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 10 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
• More critique options forthcoming.