Verla Kay's Critique Service Opens

It's finally happened. I yielded to outside pressure, broke down and opened a critique service for people who want me to help them with their picture book manuscripts. So far, it's going very well. I've been very impressed with the quality of the manuscripts coming across my desk. They have a lot of merit and have been written by people who obviously have a lot of talent. I love being able to help people take good writing and mold it into even better writing.

When I think back to my early days at writing picture books, I shudder at some of the manuscripts I sent out. I had no concept of what a picture book text needed to have in it to be publishable. I didn't think about the visuals - what descriptions needed to be in the book and which ones needed to be left out of the book for the illustrator. I didn't know about pacing for picture books, length, tightness of the text, or the natural rhythm that must be in a great picture book to make it read and flow well - whether it's in rhyme or not.

It didn't occur to me that the rhymes I wrote had to have a constant rhythm and pattern for the book to flow well. I didn't know how to make the natural rhythm of the words in the story match the rhyming pattern of my story without forcing them. I didn't know what I needed in my stories to make them rich and full and desirable to editors.

All of this I learned over time, but much of it was learned through "The school of hard knocks" through my rejections. Slowly I came to understand that picture books aren't like writing novels. You don't have unlimited numbers of words to tell your story. A picture book is the equivalent of a long, epic novel written for toddlers in something like 500 words. Somehow you have to get the full story across using the bare minimum of words.

My rhymes perfected over the years until I am getting the ultimate in compliments on them. People have told me about my books, "That's almost like poetry, isn't it?"

"Yes," I replied, with a huge smile on my face, each time I was asked that question. "It is."

But of course, my story wasn't written "like" poetry, it "was" poetry. But obviously I'd written it so well that the readers noticed the STORY first... and only noticed it was in rhyme after the fact. That is one of the best compliments I have ever received on my writing.  The other was when the master poet, Lee Bennett Hopkins told me I'm "a master at couplets." What a compliment, coming from an incredible poet like him!

When people send their stories to me to be critiqued, about half of them are in rhyme. I love being able to help people with their rhyming stories! And I do. (Help them with their rhymes.) Sometimes they just need a bit of tweaking to be absolutely perfect. Sometimes they need help seeing the story through the rhymes. Sometimes the writers haven't yet found their rhythm and beat in the rhymes. Sometimes they are trying to write a story in rhyme that would be better told in prose. I've seen it all - and all of it can become better.

Occasionally, stories come across my desk that aren't appropriate for toddlers. Most toddlers don't want to read about a girl getting a new prom dress. They do want to read a story about a child losing a favorite toy, or not wanting to take a nap, or having a problem with a playmate. Sometimes it's hard to find an unusual and unique slant for a time-worn story - like a monster under the bed story. For a tried and true subject like that - one that has been written so many times before, you have to have a totally different approach or it won't ever get past a first reader.

So many things to think about when writing picture books, and my new critique service is now here and open to help others who want to become successful and get their picture books published.

WARNING! I give my all when doing critiques. If all you are looking for is a cheerleader - someone to say, "Oh, that's WONDERFUL! Send it out!" then do not send your story to me to be critiqued. Because what you will get from me is my honest opinion about your story. I'll tell you what I feel you are doing right, and where you can improve. (And I have yet to see the manuscript that can't be improved somehow!) I'll encourage you to expand on your strengths and I'll give you suggestions and ideas that can help the weak parts of your story and/or writing. I'll give you everything I can to help you get your story where you want it to be - ready to submit.

I'm excited about this new critique service. For so many years, I learned from others and from my own experiences. It's wonderful to be able to "give back" now.

I have had 9 picture books published so far and there are two more coming out in the next two years. Every one of my published books has gotten some kind of acclaim. Quite a number of them have been named to recommended reading lists, a few have been on the Social Studies awards lists, one was named a "Best Book of the Year" by Child Magazine, and one was put on the Amelia Bloomer List of Recommended Reading.

I'm a former student of ICL - the Institute of Children's Literature. After going through both their basic "Writing for Children" course and their advanced course, I eventually became an instructor for them, and for three years I taught the very course that started me on my journey to publication. I also helped give back to SCBWI - The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators - by working as a Regional Advisor for three years. It was great to "give back" to the organization that taught me so much through the years at conferences and workshops.

My writing career has been exciting, fun, and hard work, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! And now I'm ready to "give back" to the public some of the expertise and knowledge that has been so hard-earned by me over the years. If you are interested in having me consider your work for critique, check out my rates and send an email to me. I'd love to discuss your picture book story with you!

So if you write picture books and would like to have one of your books personally critiqued by me, send an email to: 

verlakay2 (at) aol.com

Put CRITIQUE SERVICE in the subject line of your email. Payment will be via PayPal to this same email addy. Be sure to take the spaces out of the email addy and replace the @ symbol for the word (at) before using this email! 

You will email your manuscript to me as soon as a confirmation email that your payment has been received has been sent to you. You will receive, by return email, a full critique of your manuscript. This will include some or all of the following:

"Overview" comments about your story concerning its appropriateness for today's market and the age of children for which you are writing
Assistance and or comments about the pacing and image possibilities of your story
Line by line editing of the story itself
Assistance with rhyming and rhythm when appropriate


You may include a cover or query letter in the word count if you wish to have it critiqued, also.
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Special introductory prices for this critique service will be as follows: (These introductory rates will go up once the service is fully operational.)

300 words or less = $50

301 to 500 words = $75

501 to 750 words = $100

751 to 1000 words = $125

1000 to 2000 words = $200

Note:  Word count is for the story only. It does not include your name and/or byline or the title of the story.


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I'd appreciate if you would spread the word about my new critique service and if you have used my service, please go to my message board and post about your experience. I'm eager to help others. It's what I love to do most!


http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=52790
http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=52791