THE CRITIQUE SERVICE

 

BOOKS

QCorp offers a free line by line first chapter critique (10 page maximum). The critique includes an overview of plot, character development, context and all the other key components of good writing. Overviews are linked to the line by line edit because that is how an author writes, line by line.
 

If the work is nonfiction then the key components become clarity of thought, development and psychological impact and appeal.
 

The first chapter critique is done without charge so the writer can judge the quality, sensitivity, insight and usefulness of the critique before any money is spent. Only if the first chapter critique is useful should a writer consider a full manuscript critique.
 

The cost of a full manuscript critique and submission conditions are given below. Our page rate is the lowest in the industry. Critiques are a service of QCorp not a business. It is the only place a new writer can get serious, line by line editing at a modest cost. No one is turned away.
 

For QCorp it is a convenient way to scout new talent without being forced into a simple cursory glance or being inundated with manuscripts.
 

To be honest, our line by line approach it is an exhaustive and frustrating process. But, whether a manuscript is good, bad or mediocre, some writer has put their soul into it and deserve respectful -- and unvarnished -- consideration.
 

Submission Conditions:
 

Double spaced
One side of page
One inch margins, at least,
top, bottom and sides
Twelve point font
Manuscript SASE
Laser quality print
$1.00 per page
Payment (over ten pages)
must accompany the manuscript


Submit to: The Editors, QCorp Literary and Screen Agency
                    P.O. Box 8, Hillsboro, OR 97123-0008

Send in the complete first chapter, even if it goes over ten pages and you have to pay for them. Otherwise the editor has no perspective on where the chapter is going or the specifics of how it will get there. Writers can send as many chapters as they want, even the whole manuscript, as long as each page, over the first ten, is accompanied by the required critique fee and the chapters are complete and sequential.

A FULL CRITIQUE DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR, IN ANY WAY, IMPLY REPRESENTATION.

 

 

SCREENPLAYS

QCorp is an Agent Signatory to the Writers Guild of America West. As an Agent Signatory to the Guild, QCorp cannot charge any reading or critique fees, regardless of whether the screenwriter is a Guild member or not.

Unfortunately, such a restriction also makes it impossible for QCorp to accept unsolicited screenplays. To be honest, if we read and critiqued unsolicited material without charge, there would be neither the time, the financial resources nor a vehicle large enough for the return trip from the post office.

Queries are accepted and welcomed, however.

I would prefer to offer comparable terms to screenwriters as those offered to book authors, but Agent Signatory status is something like a union card for agencies and a distinct advantage when dealing with directors, producers and studios. For some it is mandatory.

Therefore, send us your best queries and we will consider them seriously. .

Also be aware that the formatting requirements for screenplays are exacting and complicated. Consult a standard reference or your local library for all the gory details. No screenplay will be accepted for critique unless it is in standard format.

The approximate page length of screenplays is determined by the running time of the final product (110-120 pages for a 90 minute feature, pro rate for other times).

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