I was one of the fortunate folks chosen to participate in PitchWars 2015, the well-known contest hosted by the lovely Brenda Drake. Through the contest I met awesome writerly friends and my amazing, insightful mentor, Elly Blake, and her enthusiasm for my project carried me through one of the lower points on my writing rollercoaster. She helped me polish my project, cheered me on, and continues to do so today! (If you write MG you should DEFINITELY sub to her!!) I don’t have the time to dedicate to mentoring for the 2016 contest, but I still want to pay it forward and help out a handful of PitchWars hopefuls this year!
I currently intern for an awesome literary agent – reading her query slush, assessing manuscripts for potential representation, helping prepare client manuscripts for submission, and providing insight on revise and resubmits as well. I’m a regular critique partner for a number of agented writers and even some of the 2016 PitchWars mentors. I’m also a member of The Winged Pen, a fantastic group of writers at various stages on the journey. As a group we provide regular feedback giveaways and writing advice, which you should definitely check out. All this to say, your work will be safe with me. I’d love to help you hone and polish your query and opening to help improve your chances of being chosen for this amazing contest. I mean, did you see that 2016 agent list? Wowsa!
To be considered, please comment on this post with the genre and category of your project (ex YA Contemp), a quick sentence about your premise (nothin’ fancy here, just curious!), your name, and your Twitter handle/email, and I’ll choose 5 of those who comment for a query and first 10 page critique. The comment window will close at 5pm EST tonight (6/24). I’m looking forward to reading your work!
Hilary Harwell | A Life Inspired 
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June 24, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Susan
YA Contemporary Fantasy. Current day retelling of the Greek Cassandra myth. Susan Monroe McGrath @sumomcgrath
June 24, 2016 at 1:39 pm
amywagnitz
YA contemporary retelling of Peter Pan set in Hawaii with Hook as the main character. Amy Wagnitz, @amywagnitz
Thank you for doing this!
June 24, 2016 at 1:43 pm
jacymerrill
YA Contemporary Fantasy. A girl searches for her dad in a hidden realm only to find out he’s part of a magical genocide to exterminate creatures with powers, and she’s one of the targets.
Jacy Merrill | @jacymerrill
June 24, 2016 at 1:45 pm
Monissa
Adult Historical Mystery.
It’s a 1820s Police Procedural–you don’t see many of them about 🙂
Monissa Whiteley @monissa
Have to add, thank you for doing this.
June 24, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Kristy Leigh
MG Contemporary. 11-year-old spends summer with her grandparents, learns new hobbies/makes new friends/overcomes struggles. Kristy Leigh @kristyleigh3211 Thanks for the opportunity!!!
June 24, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Marlene Farrell
MG Magical Realism. 2 years after the death of his sister, Timothy thinks perhaps he too will die, when a talking otter pup living in driftwood house shows him there’s much to live for. Marlene Farrell marlene@team-farrell.com
June 24, 2016 at 2:00 pm
hurricanechrissy
Upper YA, Eco-centric Urban Fantasy. A girl with two souls must choose between protecting her adopted family or saving the kin she’s never known from extinction. Christina Fritts @yssirhchrissy This is such a wonderful example of paying it forward, thank you so much for your engagement with us hopefuls! (And FOR REAL, that agent list!!)
June 24, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Nicole
Adult/general market thriller
Police task force specializing in technological threats works to stop plot to shoot down US electrical substations or risk the US losing power for 18 months.
Nicole Wilson @nwilson31
Thank you for doing this!
June 24, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Leanne Schwartz
Thanks for doing this! YA fantasy. My book’s a fairytale mashup of stories all having to do with glass. @lifebreakingin leanneschwartz at gmail
June 24, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Miranda Burski
Adult comedic fantasy about a group of leprechauns who need to recover blackmail evidence in order to save their species. I’m Miranda Burski, and Twitter handle is @MirandaB016.
And also, good on you for offering this! It’s a greaty opportunity for everyone.
June 24, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Jan Satterlee (@SatterleeJan)
Thanks for this great opportunity. Mine is YA fantasy. Teen seeking to rescue dad and others gone missing, must trick even woman to stop her, but first evade her deadly soldiers. @SatterleeJan
June 24, 2016 at 2:42 pm
Jan Satterlee (@SatterleeJan)
Sorry, meant to write *evil*
June 24, 2016 at 2:51 pm
alyshamichelle
YA Historical Fantasy. In 1870 Ceylon, 17 yo Nanda travels through a magical realm to find her friend, but finds herself accepting the role of Realm Champion along the way.
June 24, 2016 at 3:01 pm
frederkn
YA contemporary fantasy. A girl (coming off the worst summer vacation of her life) discovers her town’s kitschy but beloved alchemy museum is more than just a tourist trap.
Kortney Frederick @frederkn
Thanks so much for offering this!
June 24, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Troy Nagle
#mg #fa Modern day Santa and his diverse cast of reindeer exist in our world and must stop Corp-co from ruining the world with its greed inducing products.
T.Roy Nagle @T_RoyNagle
June 24, 2016 at 4:20 pm
Jill Andrews
#MG Time traveling coven kids must rescue Tituba of the Salem Witch Trials from a power hungry coven of witches. Small town magic with Historic twist.
June 24, 2016 at 4:56 pm
izzy-grabs-life
YA Contemp. A 17yo’s new family and friends mistake their love for a cure, but they can’t fix her panic disorder. Or the rage. Isabelle Felix @WritingIzzy (Thanks for this opportunity!)
June 24, 2016 at 5:07 pm
ML Villax
#YA #ContFantasy. Abby hears voices. Abby sees things. Abby is crazy. But she is not who she thinks she is, nor is everything she deems to be real. Abby is being hunted. She must survive to save the mother she thought dead, the brother she didn’t know existed, the world she is about to leave behind. M.L Villax @MLVillax
June 24, 2016 at 5:43 pm
Kelly Barina
YA Fantasy about a prince forced to choose between saving his father and saving his brother. King Arthur retelling. Kelly Barina @kbarina113
Thanks so much for this opportunity! 🙂
June 24, 2016 at 5:54 pm
johnrberkowitz
MG Contemporary Fantasy. TV’s GRIMM for kids: 12yo Cat has only her wits to beat a goblin with magic and an army who’s bent on destroying humanity. John Berkowitz @John_Berkowitz john_r_berkowitz(at)yahoo.com
June 24, 2016 at 7:10 pm
stephlynnsmith
YA sci-fi. An interplanetary Miss Universe pageant trains young women for galactic war. CINDER + RED QUEEN. Stephanie @slsmithauthor
June 24, 2016 at 7:32 pm
Rachel (@rachelpud)
Such a great opportunity! Good luck, writers! 🙂
June 24, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Anne Hilton
YA contemporary fantasy. Bex Strange confronts the thin line between life and death when she finds a Victorian era village with a macabre fountain of youth while trying to rescue her best friend, Owen.
Thank you for the opportunity!
Anne Hilton
@anniehilton
June 24, 2016 at 8:18 pm
kit grant
YA Retelling : Jungle Book meets Les Mis. The youngest cat burglar in the Thieves Guild tries to find the sister that her father sold to a stranger for a handful of gold. Set in underground criminal Paris in 1832
Thanks for this opportunity!
June 24, 2016 at 8:21 pm
kit grant (@kgtellsstories)
YA Retelling of Jungle Book meets Les Mis. A cat burgler in the Thieves Guild, must find the sister that her father sold to a stranger for a handful of gold. Set in 1830 Paris criminal underworld.
Thanks for the opportunity!
June 24, 2016 at 8:28 pm
kclouthier1
YA Contemporary Fantasy. Is it the power or the person who corrupts? Charlotte’s battle to control the warring forces inside her will not only determine her fate, but humanities as well. Kristen Clouthier. @kris_clo
June 24, 2016 at 8:35 pm
Christy C.
YA scifi. Space pirates! Christy C. @chriscalen
thanks for the giveaway!
June 24, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Cecilia Sjölund
Hello, and thank you for doing this! My work is a adult romantic suspense novel. Premise: FIGHT CLUB meets CINDERELLA when a notorious street fighter attracts the attention of an over-ambitious doctor. My name is Cecilia Johanna, @CecJohanna at twitter, and my email is ci-a@live.se. Thanks again!
June 24, 2016 at 9:34 pm
laknight89
YA gaslight fantasy. Janine must rescue her kidnapped best friend while the members of their team of magical vigilante aristocrats are being hunted by a serial killer. Edgar Allan Poe + Jack the Ripper + magic; described by Cate Hart as The Young Elites meets Assassin’s Heart. My name is LA Knight, @LA_Knight89, email is JaenelleEbony@aol.com. Thank you for this opportunity!
June 25, 2016 at 5:42 pm
bookbabeburlar23
YA Fantasy/fairy-tale retelling of “The Swan Princess” (if you want to get technical, “Swan Lake” XD). Now that Odette’s the reining Harpy Queen, it would be a bad time for a curse, spun by an obsessed dark sorcerer. My name is Ashley Cass & my twitter handle is @BookBabeBurglar and my e-mail is ashley_cass@hotmail.ca NOT com lol!
June 25, 2016 at 6:01 pm
Jack
Reblogged this on Wyrdwend.
June 26, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Laura M. Barker (@SoLauraBarker)
YA Contemporary Fantasy. Alex’s life has been rough…and its about to get worse. Her mother disappears, then her beloved cat. But Alex is about to learn that she has a gift and that not all superheroes wear suits.