Editorial Services:
- Whether you’re looking to begin querying agents . . .
- Need assistance polishing additional materials requested or cracking an r&r . . .
- Are receiving rejection after rejection and feel stuck and frustrated . . .
- Can’t find the perfect comp titles . . .
- Desire more direction and clarity within your creative career . . .
Join our 5000+ satisfied client
Creative Result
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Justin can help you!
SOME OF JUSTIN'S QUALIFICATIONS:
Justin is represented by the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. His first two picture books sold in consecutive two-book deals, for a total of four books: The Quacken (Simon & Schuster, 2024), Impossible Possums (Disney-Hyperion, 2024), Impossible Possum for Mayor (Disney-Hyperion, 2025), and an unannounced companion book to The Quacken (Simon & Schuster, 2025).
For four years, he ran PBChat, a free picture book community and mentorship program where he hosted weekly chats on craft and publishing-related topics (often with special industry guests), reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, and worked with 50 different mentors and over 100+ mentees—several dozen of whom went on to secure representation and book deals. In addition to working consistently with industry insiders to offer timely webinars and classes via The Kidlit Hive, he remains up on the market via Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace.
As a professional, formally-trained actor for stage, screen and voiceover, Justin is well-versed in storytelling. When he critiques your work, he’s bringing to it many years of training that includes the Meisner method, voice and speech, Shakespeare, script analysis, and more. Justin holds a B.A. in History from Fordham, University.
HIS CRITIQUE STYLE:
Justin’s feedback is honest and straightforward, but never harsh or brutal. He aims to honor your vision while posing ideas, thoughts, and suggestions via respectful questions and comments. His critiques provide you with a thorough analysis of your work and overall story, as well as specific, actionable feedback to take it to the next level. It’s his intention to leave you with a sense of greater clarity and direction while sending you off feeling encouraged, inspired, motivated, and equipped to tackle whatever steps you take next.
TURNAROUND TIME:
With the exception of Zoom/Phone Chats, Justin will fulfill all purchased editorial services, within fourteen days from the date he receives your materials. For an additional fee of $25, Justin will critique and return your manuscript within 72 business hours of receiving it. Please note, the ‘Rush Fee’ can be applied to all services except the following: ’30-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat, and ’60-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat’.
HOW HE WORKS:
Justin will leave big-picture and/or line-level comments in the margins of your document, as well as occasional track changes, if necessary. An editorial letter will accompany all manuscript critiques.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
Upon purchasing your oder, I will email you with a form to fulfill all purchased services.
FORMATTING
Manuscripts should be: Word documents, double-spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font, and have one-inch margins on all sides.
WORD COUNT:
The maximum word count for a manuscript is 800 words for fiction and 1000 words for nonfiction (excluding back matter). *Art notes do not count toward total word count.
OPTIONAL:
In your form, please note any specific areas of concern you would like Justin to focus on.
Let’s make something great work together. Get Free Quote
SOME OF JUSTIN'S QUALIFICATIONS:
Justin is represented by the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. His first two picture books sold in consecutive two-book deals, for a total of four books: The Quacken (Simon & Schuster, 2024), Impossible Possums (Disney-Hyperion, 2024), Impossible Possum for Mayor (Disney-Hyperion, 2025), and an unannounced companion book to The Quacken (Simon & Schuster, 2025).
For four years, he ran PBChat, a free picture book community and mentorship program where he hosted weekly chats on craft and publishing-related topics (often with special industry guests), reviewed hundreds of manuscripts, and worked with 50 different mentors and over 100+ mentees—several dozen of whom went on to secure representation and book deals...
As a professional, formally-trained actor for stage, screen and voiceover, Justin is well-versed in storytelling. When he critiques your work, he’s bringing to it many years of training that includes the Meisner method, voice and speech, Shakespeare, script analysis, and more. Justin holds a B.A. in History from Fordham University.
HIS CRITIQUE STYLE:
Justin’s feedback is honest and straightforward, but never harsh or brutal. He aims to honor your vision while posing ideas, thoughts, and suggestions via respectful questions and comments. His critiques provide you with a thorough analysis of your work and overall story, as well as specific, actionable feedback to take it to the next level. It’s his intention to leave you with a sense of greater clarity and direction while sending you off feeling encouraged, inspired, motivated, and equipped to tackle whatever steps you take next.
HOW HE WORKS:
Justin will leave big-picture and/or line-level comments in the margins of your document, as well as occasional track changes, if necessary. An editorial letter will accompany all manuscript critiques.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
Upon purchasing your order, I will email you with a form to fulfill all purchased services.
FORMATTING: Manuscripts should be: Word documents, double-spaced, 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font, and have one-inch margins on all sides.
WORD COUNT: The maximum word count for a manuscript is 800 words for fiction and 1000 words for nonfiction (excluding back matter). *Art notes do not count toward total word count.
OPTIONAL: In your form, please note any specific areas of concern you would like Justin to focus on.
*Critiques and other services are non-refundable but are transferrable.
TURNAROUND TIME:
With the exception of Zoom/Phone Chats, Justin will fulfill all purchased editorial services, within fourteen days from the date he receives your materials. For an additional fee of $25, Justin will critique and return your manuscript within 72 business hours of receiving it. Please note, the ‘Rush Fee’ can be applied to all services except the following: ’30-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat, and ’60-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat’.
Please consider perusing free resources (such as critique groups) before seeking paid services. Paid critiques and consultations are not necessary to break into nor succeed in publishing. Though I bring experience and skill to my critiques, feedback is subjective and publishing titles and accomplishments don’t necessarily reduce the subjectivity of that feedback.
*Please note, using my services is not a guarantee that your work work will result in an offer of representation and/or publication, nor does it mean that my name can be used as a referral in query letters. Thank you.
Testiomonials
Results I have helped create
Hear out what my clients say about me.
Manuscript CRITIQUES:
While Justin appreciates stories written in rhyme, he will not critique them as he does not yet have the skill set to do so.He’s otherwise open to all genres within the picture book format and is especially adept with humor, darker and spookier tales, and nonfiction biographies.
Full Critique
$ 125
- Concept & Premise
- Plot
- Pacing
- Character development
- Tension & Stakes
Revision Critique:
$ 50
- For those who purchase any of the previous critiques, I will provide a follow-up revision.
Rush Fee:
$ 25
*I will provide a critique of your manuscript within 48 hours of receiving the manuscript. This may not be be applied to ‘Submission Package’ or Zoom/phone chats.
*one fee per entire order.
Full Critique:
Price: $125.00
- Concept & Premise
- Plot
- Pacing
- Character development
- Tension & Stakes
Revision Critique:
Price: $50.00
- For those who purchase any of the previous critiques, I will provide a follow-up revision.
Rush Fee:
Price: $25.00
Full Critique:
Price: $125.00
What this critique focuses on:
- Concept & Premise
- Plot
- Pacing
- Character development
- Tension & Stakes
- Voice
- Language
- Structure
- Humor & Heart (where applicable)
- Theme and Takeaway
- Creative suggestions
- Strengths and suggested areas to work on
- Feedback on art notes & how to improve story's visual potential (if applicable)
- Identifying your story's hook
- Page turns and pagination suggestions
- Formatting
- Possible Line edit suggestions (which may or may not address spelling, grammar, punctuation, alternate phrasing and structure).
- Broadcast-quality audio recording of your manuscript (for your private use only)
Revision Critique:
Price: $50.00
*This service is available only to those who’ve previously purchased a manuscript critique through this page. Manuscript must be submitted within three months of initial critique.
- For those who purchase any of the previous critiques, I will provide a follow-up revision.
Rush Fee:
Price: $25.00
*I will provide a critique of your manuscript within 48 hours of receiving the manuscript. This may not be be applied to ‘Submission Package’ or Zoom/phone chats.
*one fee per entire order.
Query Letter Edit
Price: $40.00
Through comments and track changes, I will polish your query letter, focusing on:
- The personalization / connection to the agent/editor (if applicable)
- Polishing your pitch
- Reviewing and suggesting comp titles (if applicable)
- Ensuring your author bio is short and snappy and highlights your strongest credentials
- Brevity/Streamlining all sections
- Formatting
- Producing a query that is professional and has personality
À LA CARTE
The following services may be added to a critique package and/or purchased on their own (unless otherwise noted).
Query Letter
Edit
$ 40
- The personalization / connection to the agent/editor (if applicable)
- Polishing your pitch
- Reviewing and suggesting comp titles (if applicable)
List of Comp. Titles &/or Mentor Texts
$ 50
*This service is for picture book creators only.
- Picture books
- Children's literature within other formats
- Television shows (live action and animated)
Pitch Critique/Creation
$ 40
- Picture book writers: I will read your manuscript, critique your current pitch (if you have one), and craft THREE additional pitches for you.
30-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
$ 60
*Zoom or Phone—your choice! Not to be recorded.
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
60-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
$ 100
*Zoom or Phone—your choice! Not to be recorded.
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
À LA CARTE
The following services may be added to a critique package and/or purchased on their own (unless otherwise noted).
Query Letter Edit
Price: $40.00
- The personalization / connection to the agent/editor (if applicable)
- Polishing your pitch
- Reviewing and suggesting comp titles (if applicable)
List of Comp. Titles &/or Mentor Texts
Price: $50.00
- Picture books
Pitch Critique/Creation
Price: $40.00
- Picture book writers: I will read your manuscript..
30-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
Price: $60.00
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
- Researching & vetting agents
60-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
Price: $100.00
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
- Researching & vetting agents
List of Comp. Titles &/or Mentor Texts
Price: $50.00
- Picture books
- Children's literature within other formats
- Television shows (live action and animated)
- Movies (live action and animated)
- Theatre
- Historical figures and events
- Current figures and events
Pitch Critique/Creation
Price: $40.00
Through Twitter contests, my pitches have received requests from 20 different agents and editors and been used for both my deal announcements via Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace. I’ve also helped dozens of writers and illustrators secure industry requests using pitches I critiqued and crafted for them. I’d love to do the same for you!
- Picture book writers: I will read your manuscript, critique your current pitch (if you have one), and craft THREE additional pitches for you.
- Novelists: I will read your synopsis, critique your current pitch (if you have one), and craft THREE additional pitches for you.
30-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
Price: $60.00
*Zoom or Phone—your choice! Not to be recorded.
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
- Researching & vetting agents
- Querying
- "The Call"
- Author-Agent relationship
- Going on submission
- Writing craft & process
- How to craft compelling pitches
- [Traditional] publishing business & market
- Navigating social media
- Building a career as an author
- Assembling a list of potential agents for you to query
- Next steps & setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals
60-Minute Zoom/Phone Chat
Price: $100.00
*Zoom or Phone—your choice! Not to be recorded.
- A specific manuscript of yours
- Brainstorming ideas & solutions
- Ranking your strongest ideas
- Researching & vetting agents
- Querying
- "The Call"
- Author-Agent relationship
- Going on submission
- Writing craft & process
- How to craft compelling pitches
- [Traditional] publishing business & market
- Navigating social media
- Building a career as an author
- Assembling a list of potential agents for you to query
- Next steps & setting SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals