Please Note: this information is from last year's Institute. Save the date: the 2013 Writers' Institute will be held April 12, 13, and 14.

Conference Critique Service

Wondering how your writing stacks up? Had a few rejections and want to ferret out why? Conference instructors offer a confidential written critique on your pages or poems. Your material will be returned to you at the conference if we receive it by March 20. For anything received past that date we will try our best to return it at the conference, but may need to mail it afterward.

Here’s what you may send and the fee:

  • The first 10 pages of a fiction or creative nonfiction manuscript, double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman or Courier, $40.
  • The first 10 pages of a screenplay in correct screenplay format, $40.
  • A poem not over a page in length; $10; limited to no more than five poems from one author ($50 total per author).

Send your critique material to Writers’ Institute Critiques, 21 N. Park St. Room 7341, Madison, WI  53715, or email it as a Word document for PC or a Rich Text File (RTF) to lkahl@dcs.wisc.edu. You may collect your material at the conference; however, if you wish to have your material returned to you please send a self-addressed-stamped envelope with postage affixed to cover the return cost. Thank you.

Questions? Please contact coordinator Laurie Scheer at 608-265-3972, lscheer@dcs.wisc.edu or contact Laura Kahl at 608-262-3982 or lkahl@dcs.wisc.edu.

line of dots

There are a number of writing resources available during the conference described below. Take advantage of this opportunity to have your work read and critiqued by writing experts.

Send your critique material to Writers’ Institute Critiques, 21 N. Park St. Room 7341, Madison, WI  53715, or email it as a Word document for PC or a Rich Text File (RTF) to lkahl@dcs.wisc.edu. You may collect your material at the conference; however, if you wish to have your material returned to you please send a self-addressed-stamped envelope with postage affixed to cover the return cost. Thank you.

Conference Critique Service-Written

Wondering how your writing stacks up? Had a few rejections and want to ferret out why? Conference instructors offer a confidential written critique on your pages or poems. Your material will be returned to you at the conference if we receive it by March 8. For anything received past that date we will try our best to return it at the conference, but may need to mail it afterward. Please include a self-addressed-stamped envelope with enough postage affixed to return your material if you are submitting it past the March 8th date.

Here’s what you may send and the fee:

  • The first 10 pages of a fiction or creative nonfiction manuscript, double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman or Courier, $40.
  • The first 10 pages of a screenplay in correct screenplay format, $40.
  • A poem not over a page in length; $10; limited to no more than five poems from one author ($50 total per author).

Staff: Christine DeSmet, Laurie Scheer

Critique group

Fiction critique groups will be held on Friday evening with Christopher Mohar (5:30-7:00PM and 7:15-8:30PM) 

A Fiction critique group will be held on Sunday morning with Laurel Yourke (9:00AM-10:30AM)

Additional Fiction critique groups will be added on Friday evening and Sunday morning.

The first 10 pages of a fiction manuscript, double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman or Courier, $60.  We must receive the material by March 8. Critique group is limited to 6 registrations (so sign up soon).

Friday Luncheon- Success Stories/Writers Networking/Genre Lunch
You’ll have the opportunity to be seated at designated tables featuring your writing genre, i.e. there will be tables for Romance, Mystery, Literary fiction, memoir, nonfiction, etc. There you can network with other writers writing in your genre.  Additionally, Writers’ Institute director Laurie Scheer will celebrate the writers who have had success stories in the past year. 

Please note: There is a separate fee for this luncheon.  If you choose to bring your own lunch, you are still invited. There will be seating available at the side of the room.

Advanced Manuscript Critique With Instructors

If you would like one of our instructors to provide you with feedback for your first 10 pages of your fiction or nonfiction manuscript (double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman or Courier), and then meet with you at the conference for 30 minutes one-on-one, then submit your pages by March 20, $70, $85 after March 20.
When choosing your instructor, think about their expertise and the kind of feedback you’re looking for. The areas of expertise vary from instructor to instructor.  If you have questions about these instructors’ backgrounds please visit the Instructors page on this website or call Laurie Scheer.

Instructors include: Kimberly Aime, Laurie Buchanan, Jeanette Hurt, Jim Pappandrea, Tina Schwartz, Penelope Trunk, John Vorhaus, Angela Voras-Hills and Christine DeSmet and Laurie Scheer.

Personal Consultation with Instructors

If you would like one of our instructors to provide you with feedback concerning an aspect of writing, i.e. craft, publishing, marketing, the industry, trends, etc., schedule a time to meet with us for a 30 minute one-on-one session.  The fee is $50 by March 15, $65 after March 15.
When choosing your instructor, think about their expertise and the kind of feedback you’re looking for. The areas of expertise vary from instructor to instructor.  If you have questions about these instructors’ backgrounds please visit the Instructors page on this website or call Laurie Scheer.

Instructors include: Kimberly Aime, Laurie Buchanan, Jeanette Hurt, Jim Pappandrea, Tina Schwartz, Penelope Trunk, John Vorhaus, Angela Voras-Hills and Christine DeSmet and Laurie Scheer.