|
| |
| “I’d rather get responses from TeenSpeak critiquers than from my well-read daughter, who’s biased in favor of my writing!” — Melody Cryns |
| |
|
|
See your story
lift off with a
TeenSpeak
critique!
|
| |
“Shaping in
revision isn’t just
mechanical, but
emotional at
its core.” —
Zu Vincent,
author
of
YA novel, The
Lucky
Place |
| |
|
| |
“A professional
writer is an
amateur who
didn't quit.” — Richard Bach |
|
|
“My TeenSpeak critique is exactly what I needed. The form’s questions
were
revealing and targeted key issues. My critiquer’s candid responses
have
helped
me approach re-writes. It was informative and exciting
to have
an interested,
trained teenager review my novel.” — Linda Hale
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Discover what young
readers really think
about your manuscript!
|
TeenSpeak’s Writers Enjoy These Personalized Services:
- A young critiquer who shares your fiction interests. We provide you with a student’s first-name and literary bio; he or she selects your manuscript, based on the “book jacket blurb” and Page One excerpt you provide.
- A preview of the manuscript questions your critiquer will address. See sample topics in paragraph immediately below.
- Responses to two questions that you may submit with your manuscript.
For example, “Does Jessie talk and act like a real 15-year-old?”
- Follow-up. You may email up to two questions for your critiquer, related to previous material, at no extra charge. A distinct TeenSpeak perk!
Another Perk: Preview of Critique Questions
Use this overview of topics to revise and/or envision how a TeenSpeak critique may improve your manuscript. The full critique form contains more details and questions.
- Story’s opening: first few lines, first page, first chapter (grabbers; why or why not?)
- Balance: dialogue, action, narration, backstory, sensory detail, humor
- Characters: protagonist’s personality; clarity of driving goal, conflict, or desire; supporting cast
- Other: pacing (too fast or slow?), time shifts (clear?), repetition (words, scenes); credibility (all)
- Summary: liked best and least; page-turner factor (“I’m anxious to know more about _____”)
Your TeenSpeak critiquer’s spontaneous notes complement the above scripted form—resulting in a practical, lively critique!
For enrollment information, click here.
“The purpose of an editor is to encourage you and to help your writing grow.
Anyone who doesn’t do those two things is not a good editor for you.”
— Marion Dane Bauer, What’s Your Story? A Young Person’s Guide
to Writing Fiction, cited in TeenSpeak manual |
|
Teens! Join published authors, editors, and agents at our Oct. 2-4, 2020
TeenSpeak Novel Workshop, a California beachfront retreat! |
|
