Pitch Perfect gives aspiring authors the opportunity to receive professional feedback on their manuscript and query letter from a literary agent or editor.
With dedicated submission periods for both adult and children’s literature, writers with a completed, unpublished manuscript can apply to have a sample of their manuscript and query letter reviewed. Participants receive valuable industry insight to help strengthen their work and prepare for the publishing journey ahead.
"In 2021, the FOLD Pitch Perfect contest was the first place where The Full Picture was truly seen. That moment—thanks in large part to Léonicka Valcius, someone I’m still connected to and who has offered invaluable advice over the years—was pivotal in my journey to bringing the book to life."
Submit a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your completed manuscript. Review the submission criteria clearly in relation to your genre and target audience.
Successful applicants will be matched with an agent or editor with relevant experience related to your genre.
Once matched, your agent or editor will carefully review your submission materials, then meet with you virtually to provide individualized feedback on your manuscript.
Our Pitch Perfect: Kid Lit Edition focuses on children’s literature with agents and editors who specialize in working on picture books, chapter books, and young adult literature, whether fiction or non-fiction.
All submissions must fall into one of picture book, middle grade, young adult, or graphic novel formats.
Submission Deadline
August 31, 2026
Cost
$39, payable when application has been approved
Please be ready to upload your query letter, synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your completed manuscript.
If you have questions that have not been addressed above, please contact writers@thefoldcanada.org. Please use “PITCH PERFECT” in the subject line.
Our Pitch Perfect program focuses on adult fiction and non-fiction, connecting writers with agents and editors who specialize in genres including literary fiction, commercial fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, and more.
Submission Deadline
February 15, 2026
Cost
$49, payable when application has bee approved
The submission period for Pitch Perfect 2026 has passed. Please check back in December 2026 for the next round of applications.
In 2021, the FOLD Pitch Perfect contest was the first place where The Full Picture was truly seen. That moment—thanks in large part to Léonicka Valcius, someone I’m still connected to and who has offered invaluable advice over the years—was pivotal in my journey to bringing the book to life.
I participated in the Pitch Perfect program, where the editor I met with taught me about the "dark night of the soul" moment in romance, and gave me advice that's shaped my writing ever since: "Raise the stakes. Break your reader's heart."
Pitch Perfect is open to any aspiring author who has a completed manuscript that has not been previously published. Priority will be given to applicants who have not yet published any works (either traditionally or independently) and reside in Canada.
Yes. So long as the manuscript you are submitting has never been published in any way, it can be submitted to the Pitch Perfect program. Please note that preference will be given to applicants who are not yet published.
Please refer to the list of eligible genres listed under the Pitch Perfect programs above.
No. The Pitch Perfect program will only accept manuscripts that have never been published.
No. Agents and editors will only review and provide detailed feedback on the first twenty pages of the manuscript.
The goal of Pitch Perfect is to give aspiring authors the chance to discuss the work they submitted as it relates to the entire manuscript. In the one-on-one meetings, you will be asked questions about where the story goes and how the characters evolve. Without a finished manuscript, it is difficult to answer clearly, which in turn makes it difficult for the agent/editor to provide useful feedback.
The pages you submit should be polished, but the remainder of the manuscript does not need to be. However, the Pitch Perfect program is most effective if your manuscript is as close to ready for publication as you can manage on your own.
Yes. Generally, synopses are an essential part of pitching manuscripts to agents/editors. They allow agents/editors to quickly review the entire arc of the story, including how it ends.
Everything! Seriously. A synopsis should include all major plot points, as well as minor ones that you think are important. It should also include the ending–spoilers required! Author Jane Friedman has some advice on how to write a good synopsis.
Yes. Generally, query letters are an essential part of pitching manuscripts to agents/editors. For the Pitch Perfect program, the query letter will help us match you with an agent/editor best suited to review your work.
We were going to explain all of this in our own words, but that’s a lot of work. Instead, check out this guide to query letters by author Jane Friedman. Query letters can take different forms and agents/editors/publishers often require differing information in the letters they receive. Use Jane Friedman’s article as a starting point and customize it based on your own manuscript and circumstances. In Pitch Perfect, your assigned agent/editor may also give you feedback on how to improve your query letter.
An agent is an author’s representative when submitting manuscripts to publishers. Most traditional publishers do not accept submissions from unagented authors. Agents agree to represent authors when they believe they can successfully sell the manuscript to a publisher.
An editor works at a publishing house. If they are an acquiring editor, they are responsible for reviewing and accepting manuscripts for publication. There are also other types of editors who specialize in various aspects of writing craft.
Both agents and editors have extensive experience in reviewing manuscripts and query letters and offering advice on how to improve both.
In the application, you will have the opportunity to indicate whether you prefer an agent or an editor. We work hard to match each applicant with an agent/editor who is best-suited to their manuscript. However, we cannot guarantee the type of reviewer you are assigned.
No. All of the Pitch Perfect sessions will be virtual and will take place over Skype, Zoom, or telephone–whatever works best for you and your assigned agent/editor.
You can expect questions about the plot of your story and how the characters evolve. You may also expect questions about how you envision the work will be published, as well as your publishing goals in general. These questions will inform the feedback you receive, which may include what works well in your manuscript and query letter and what needs improvement. You may also ask the agent/editor specific questions about your manuscript. The purpose of the one-on-one meeting is to give you advice and direction for improving your manuscript and motivating you on your publishing journey.
Yes. There is a fee to participate ($49 for Pitch Perfect, $39 for Pitch Perfect: Kid Lit Edition), which will be payable only after your application has been accepted. This fee goes toward compensating the agents and editors who are reviewing manuscripts, as this work is outside of their regular job responsibilities. The fee also helps cover the cost of organizing and facilitating the Pitch Perfect program.
If cost is a prohibitive factor, please indicate so in your application. We understand that writers from marginalized communities may face financial hardships, and we will try our best to accommodate.
You will be notified of the status of your application a few weeks after the submission deadline.
If you are accepted, you will be sent a link for payment. You will also be given an opportunity to submit updated pages.
