Welcome to PEAK TEAM CRITIQUES!

Bri Lawyer and Nicole Garnett are excited to offer PEAK TEAM CRITIQUES!

This unique critique service gives you the opportunity to have not one, but TWO agented authors critique your picture book manuscript. Both Nicole and Bri will each provide insights and feedback to help your manuscript reach its peak potential!

Whether you’re working on revisions of a rough draft or putting the final polish on a manuscript acquired by a publisher,

we can help. We offer professional critiques for picture book manuscripts, including rhyming or prose. (700 words or less).

Critique Style and Strengths

Individually and as a team, Bri and Nicole will share what’s working well while providing feedback, suggestions, and insights for big picture and line edits. Our critique style balances encouragement with constructive feedback to elevate your manuscript.

Bri's Strengths

Humor
Rhyme
Informational fiction
Voice
Pacing/page turns
Line edits
Grammar
Cutting the fluff
Checking for inconsistencies

Nicole's Strengths

Humor with heart
Dark humor
Voice
Character development
Pacing/page turns
Raising the stakes
Line edits
Grammar
Cutting the fluff

Our Feedback may Address:

Plot, premise, voice, pacing, character development, stakes, page turns/pagination,

feedback on art notes (suggestion on when needed and when to cut),

strengths, areas to work on, line edit suggestions

Turnaround Time

We complete critiques within three weeks of receiving your manuscript.

We will make contact with a client if we need additional time to complete a critique for any reason.

How to Order and Submit

Cost for a Peak Team Critique: $80

Please complete the Google Form below where you will submit your payment via Venmo and attach your manuscript.

Once complete, you will receive confirmation that we have received your request.

(If you'd prefer a payment method other than Venmo, please contact Nicole or Bri.)

Testimonials for Bri

“As an author who runs a critique business, I have high standards when it comes to choosing who critiques my work. Bri is at the top of my list. Not only does she provide incredibly insightful feedback on large-scale elements like setting, plot, and character arc, but she also catches the small things like typos and missing quotation marks. She has a keen eye for prose as well as poetry—including rhyme. Bri is knowledgeable, approachable, and kind. My manuscripts always improve after I integrate her notes. I give her my highest recommendation.” -Lizzie B.
"Bri Lawyer is exceptionally good at analyzing manuscripts and identifying exactly what a story needs to go to the next level. She critiqued both a picture book manuscript and query letter for me. Her notes were insightful, direct, and full of new ideas. Bri's advice has been tremendously helpful and I'm so thankful for her notes!" -Mike F.
“Working with Bri Lawyer has been one of the best things to happen to my picture book manuscripts. Her critique style is warm, precise and deeply insightful. She always knows how to highlight what is working while gently guiding me toward stronger choices. Bri does not just critique, she transforms a manuscript. She also offers possible suggestions that open up new ideas and make each story stronger and more engaging for young readers. My picture books have become sharper, funnier and more polished because of her feedback. Anyone who gets the chance to have Bri review their work is truly in exceptional hands.” -Emy M.
“Bri is fantastic at giving critiques that highlight both what works well and what could use some improvement, and she approaches each critique as a thought partner set on bringing out the best in every manuscript. She has a keen eye for opportunities to amp up the humor and knows how to fine-tune the balance between text and art notes. Bri's critiques are detailed and her turnaround time is awesome. I highly recommend her!” -Julie H.
“Bri’s insightful feedback has helped me improve my picture book manuscripts by offering alternative wording, suggesting storyline edits, and consolidating word count. She demonstrates her vast knowledge in the field of kidlit and is particularly good with rhyme and knows her meters!” -Yessi R.
“Fantastic support! Bri offered thoughtful, detailed suggestions that significantly strengthened my manuscript.” -Joseph K.
“I appreciate how much thought Bri puts into critiquing manuscripts. I always come away with new thoughts on how to elevate my story. I especially love how brilliant she is with rhyme. And she is a pro at correcting grammatical errors. What else can I say except for Bri is BRILLIANT!” - Ryann J.
“Bri has critiqued several of my picture book manuscripts and I can’t recommend her enough! Her input has been invaluable. I can always feel how much care she puts into giving honest, heartfelt feedback. She is supportive and genuinely invested in helping my story shine. I always walk away with a better story than I stated with!” -Jessie R.
“Real Talk: Bri has provided me with some of the best critiques I have ever received. She is incredibly knowledgeable, detailed, encouraging, and offers tangible feedback and ideas to implement. Her critiques are well rounded offering support on plot, voice, marketability, and line level notes. She is a phenomenal partner to level up your manuscript and writing career!” -Danielle R.T.
“Bri’s attention to details ensures the plot & characters of a manuscript are cohesive. She can tackle grammar, heart, rhyme, and humor. Her approach is encouraging. Even when changes are recommended, I feel like she is really cheering me on.” -Ellen M.
“Not only does Bri's amazing feedback take my stories to new levels, but I can tell she's invested in my journey and wants me to succeed. Her kind encouragement is the icing on the critique cake. I'm so blessed to know her!” Daniele A.
“When I send a manuscript to Bri, I know she'll put her all into her critique. She's insightful, knowledgeable, and kind with her comments. Many of my manuscripts are much stronger after her comments, I am so grateful for her expertise! Highly recommend!” -Andi C.
“Bri provides incredibly thoughtful and insightful critiques. She really dives in to understand the heart of the story and finds ways to bring even more to your work—whether humor, heart, conciseness, or flow. The suggestions she has are spot on. Her keen eye, attention to detail, and experience with kidlit are such an asset and valuable resource in helping your work shine even more!” -Jana M.

Testimonials for Nicole

“Nicole gives thoughtful critiques that help amp up your picture books. She asks the right questions to make your story shine and is excellent at cutting unnecessary words. You will not regret using her services! Nicole’s humor is top notch! Send all your funny PBs her way!” -Maria P.P.
“Nicole's critique was the perfect balance of encouraging and editorial. Her suggestions transformed my manuscript while keeping my voice and vision. Through her critique, I gained the confidence to start querying the manuscript she edited and even submitted it to PBParty.” -Kate D.
“I was the lucky winner of one of Nicole's critique giveaways. Nicole's feedback was SO thorough and SO helpful! Her suggestions really helped me make some great revisions!” -Jenna S.
“Nicole was a great set of fresh eyes on a rhyming story I was workshopping. She pointed out forced wording, described how the illustrations formed in her mind, and suggested helpful training and resources for me to do some homework. I appreciated how constructive and positive Nicole’s feedback is, from big picture concepts to minor punctuation corrections. She’s also a friendly and uplifting presence on social media for PB writers, so give her a follow!” -Nikki D.V.
“Nicole's critique was the most effective critique I have received in terms of pushing me to grow and make improvements that altered the story for the better. Her critique was a mix of praise (which told me where to keep going) and constructive guidance on edits that aided me in providing clarity to a reader and more momentum for the story. She has a clear understanding of how to help with feedback on attention-grabbing lines, building tension, developing a clear picture of characters, and using pagination and layout to your advantage. I am incredibly thankful for Nicole's critique. Her feedback was clear, easy to follow, and thorough. My story changed for the better because of the time she spent with it and with me and my questions.” -Page P.
“Nicole always finds a way to help me look deeper into my MS. She notes things about my stories that I didn’t notice before. Nicole challenges you without making you feel lesser of a writer and truly helps to elevate my writing. I highly recommend her. Also, if you’re looking to amp up your humor, she’s the person to ask!!! Nicole is trustworthy, professional and truly cares about her clients projects.” -Dani C.
“I so appreciated Nicole's critique. She was thorough in her review, and her insights were both helpful for the story arc and character development. She even included musings on the current state of children's writing which guided future focus. Thanks for a great critique, Nicole!” -Jacqueline L.
“I've enjoyed working with Nicole. Her critiques are always thoughtful. She is super kind and encouraging but also points out areas for improvement. I really appreciate her feedback and hope to work with her again!” -Laura S.
“Nicole gives feedback that is thoughtful, thorough, and kind. She knows how to ask the right questions and brainstorm alternatives, and she's super skilled in bringing out the humor and heart of a manuscript. I've had the pleasure of receiving several critiques from Nicole, and I cannot recommend her enough!”- Julie H.

Disclaimer: Due to both Nicole and Bri being critique coaches for the Picture Book Author Academy,

if you are a student of the academy, we are unable to critique your story through Peak Team Critiques.

Check out the Picture Book Author Academy to get a critique from us there!