Real Feedback from a Real Literary Agent and team.

A Manuscript Consulting Strategy Session is a focused, two-on-one, deep dive45-minute consultation with a working literary agent, CEO and founder, Jeffrey Mangus and COO Tim Jacobs built for writers who want honest, experienced feedback on their book and their next step toward publication.

Quick Answer:

A Manuscript Strategy Session is a paid Zoom consultation with Jeffrey Mangus and Tim Jacobs giving you clear, actionable, honest, and reliable feedback and publishing pathway on your manuscript, proposal, or query strategy, plus a written material review before your call.

 

Whether you’re drafting your first chapters, revising a proposal that isn’t landing, or wondering why your queries keep getting passed over, this session gives you the same evaluative lens agents and editors use when deciding what to represent and acquire.

 

Price: $399.00

Schedule Your 2:1 Session

What Happens in a Manuscript Strategy Session?

Before your call, your agent reviews the materials you submit (proposal, sample chapters, query letter, or synopsis) so your full session is spent on what matters most for your project, not general publishing basics. Consulting fee: $399.00
45 Minutes-2:1 Strategy Session with Delivery of Report.

01

Your session includes a written material review using our proprietary PUBMAP™ process, covering:

  • Proposal narrative, comp titles, and platform
  • Query letters and submission strategy
  • Opening chapters or sample pages
  • Synopsis structure and pacing
02

In your session, expect direct feedback on:

  • Your book’s concept, genre, and target readership
  • Manuscript, proposal, or query strategy
  • How agents and editors are evaluating submissions in your category right now
  • Platform-building and marketability
  • What to fix first, and what to leave alone
  • A clear next step for your publishing project

Most writers leave with more than encouragement. They leave with a plan.

03

Who This Is For

  • Writers preparing to query literary agents
  • Authors with a finished manuscript who aren’t sure it’s ready
  • Memoirists and novelists refining voice, structure, or positioning
  • Nonfiction authors, coaches, and experts turning their platform into a book
  • Writers who’ve been querying without traction and need to know why
  • Anyone deciding whether a project is worth the next six months of their life

Choose Agent Publishing Consultant

Jeffrey Mangus — Founder & Principal Literary Agent

For writers who want high-level strategic and editorial insight from the agent building Mangus Literary Group's client list, informed by a decade of manuscript writing, development, and publisher relationships.
Book With Jeffrey Mangus

Tim Jacobs-COO-Publisher

For writers who want direct feedback on a proposal, manuscript, or query letter from an active publishing professional evaluating projects in today's market.
Book Now

Susie Schaeffer-MLG Publishing Strategist

For writers who need foundational guidance on platform-building, proposal development, and manuscript submission prep.
Schedule your 2:1 Strategy Session

Mangus Literary Group Agent and publishing consulting are strategic consulting sessions with the goal of educating authors and enhancing their work and market standing.

Please note: There is no guarantee or implication of literary representation by Mangus Literary Group,
another literary agency, or a publishing deal, even if you take part. MLG offers literary representation at its discretion and after due diligence of any project in a separate representation agreement. 

FAQ

Ask us
Questions

A literary agent strategy session is a paid 1:1 consultation — typically 50 minutes over Zoom — where a working
literary agent reviews your book project and gives direct, personalized feedback on your manuscript, proposal, or
query strategy.

Pricing varies by consultant and session type. See current rates on the booking page for each Mangus Literary Group
consultant.

No. A strategy session is an educational and strategic consultation intended to strengthen your work and your
understanding of the market. It does not guarantee representation by Mangus Literary Group, any other agency, or a
future publishing deal.

No. Sessions are useful at every stage — from early concept development through a completed, query-ready
manuscript.

You can optionally submit up to 10 pages of material — a proposal excerpt, sample chapters, a query letter, or a
synopsis — so your agent can give feedback specific to your work.

A strategy session covers strategy as well as craft: positioning, market fit, platform, and submission approach, not just
line-level notes on a single document.

AALA Disclaimer: Mangus Literary Group has applied for AALA membership; that application is currently pending. Use of MLG’s services does not imply or guarantee literary representation, which is offered solely at MLG’s discretion and formalized only through a signed representation agreement.