Editing

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  • Feeling like you’ll never get published?
  • Wondering why your self-published book didn’t take off?
  • Sick of getting rejection letter after rejection letter?
  • Tired of hearing “I just don’t connect with this”?
  • Are you overwhelmed?
  • Tired?
  • Burned out?
  • Do you feel like a failure all the time?
  • Wasn’t writing supposed to be fun and rewarding? Yet, suddenly you hate writing now?

I know what that’s like. Trust me. I’ve been there.

The hard truth is … it’s a buyer’s market. Editors and agents are in the position to be picky. And readers have eight-bajillion choices. You have to stand out. You have to use your words to grab ‘em by the balls and say “Pay attention!”

The amazing part is … You can! You can use your words and stories to make a difference—to entertain, inspire, and peel back the shadows of what makes us human. Your words and your stories are your superpower.

So why does it feel so damn hard? In my experience, there were two things I needed to tap into my superpower:

EDUCATION and SUPPORT.

First, I needed the trained eyes of a published author to point out where my writing fell short, along with the education and tools to improve it. Second, I needed the support to believe in myself and take action.

This is why I’ve become a writing coach and provide in-depth development critiques. I want to help you in the way others have helped me.

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My editorial approach is super in-depth: I help you break through the road-blocks in your current work-in-progress, then provide you with the education and tools to grow as a writer. Working with me isn’t for the dabblers looking for a quick-fix, it’s for a serious writer who wants to take his or her work to the next level and have a long-lasting writing career.

Are you ready to write the best novel you can? I am!

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All of My Critiques Include:

A Put-On-Your-Big-Girl-Panties Editorial Letter

  • Your editorial letter covers what you’re doing right (of course!) … but is also designed to treat you like a professional. A professional is ready to hear the tough-stuff and dive in and take action. I want you to write the best novel you can, which means I’m going to push you!
  • It discusses topics relevant to your work-in-progress in the form of analysis, discussion, suggestions, brainstorming, and education.

Page-by-Page Annotations

  • Developmental line-edits in the margins of your manuscript give you my fresh reader-reactions. Additionally, annotations point out specific examples that can illuminate larger concepts discussed in the letter.

An Action Plan for Revision – ‘Cause You’re Totally Gonna CRUSH IT!

  • A step-by-step revision plan helps you unpack my feedback and take action. Critiques can be overwhelming, but remember: your book wasn’t written in one day. This plan is your guide map.

Sweet-Ass Supplementary Materials

  • I provide writing exercises and worksheets with actionable tools to improve your work-in-progress.
  • One of the best ways to up your game is by reading! I curate a list of educational resources tailored to your individual needs to further your mastery of storytelling.

Email Consultation

  • In the week following critique delivery, you get direct one-on-one email access to me to follow up on any questions or concerns you have.

BONUS: If your word-count is 50,000 or above, you also get a 30-minute Skype Chat with me to discuss your project.

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I provide three different story development critique options:

  • The Architectural edit
  • The White-Hot Center edit
  • The Whole Novel edit

Each edit will focus on a different area of story development, allowing you to choose what you want to work on.
 
 
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The Architectural Edit

Focusing on Plot and Structure

2¢ per word / 20,000 word minimum

With an Architectural Edit, you will transform your manuscripts into a well-plotted page-turner that your reader can’t put down. This is done with annotated comments and a personalized editorial letter that discusses your individual plot, structure, and authorial intention. After receiving your critique, you’ll be armed with actionable exercises, education, and a step-by-step plan for revision.

Specifically, I’ll analyze the architectural bones of your story in regards to:

THE PLOT:

  • Central Question – Is there a clear central question that paves the way for your story?
  • Drive and Desire – How strong is your protagonist’s goal and is it powerful enough to sustain the major drive of your novel?
  • Cause and Effect – Are there solid causal relationships in your plot and are they believable? What is the relationship of scenes? Are there plot holes? Do all the scenes add up to a satisfying whole?
  • Reader Investment and Engagement – Does the plot set up expectations for the reader and invite them to be an active participant in the reading experience? Is the story focused and clear for the reader?

THE STRUCTURE:

  • Analysis of Story Structure – In-depth discussion of how well your story fits into the eleven classic beats of arch plot structure. Are any of the beats missing, and how does that affect the whole? Are the existing beats effective or formulaic?
  • Pacing and Story Movement – How does the structure and pacing of the novel affect the reader’s experience, and how can you keep the reader turning pages?
  • Structure as Metaphor – Is there an underlying designing principle in your novel? How can you enhance it to amplify your story’s themes?

Included in this critique:

  • A Put-On-Your-Big-Girl-Panties Editorial Letter
  • Page-by-Page Annotations
  • An Action Plan for Revision – ‘Cause You’re Totally Gonna CRUSH IT!
  • Sweet-Ass Supplementary Materials
  • Email Consultation

Pricing:

  • 2¢ per word with a 20,000 word minimum.
  • A $100 retainer will reserve your critique date.
  • BONUS: If your word count is 50,000+, you get a 30-minute Skype Chat with me to discuss your project.

Ready to master plot and structure?
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The White-Hot Center Edit

Focusing on character, emotion, and use of language

2¢ per word / 20,000 word minimum

A White-Hot Center Edit empowers you to leave lackluster scenes and surface-level characters behind. Gone will be the days of readers saying they don’t connect with your work. This developmental critique will tap into the white-hot center of your novel to find the emotional truth and beating heart of your characters, while ensuring this newly-found emotional power communicates on the page.

This is done with annotated comments and a personalized editorial letter that discuss your character’s development, the voice of the story, and your use of language and how it translates on the page. After receiving your critique, you’ll be armed with actionable exercises, education, and a step-by-step plan for revision.

In particular, we will look at the following areas:

CHARACTER:

  • Character Development – Are your characters fully developed and autonomous? Do they drive the story, or fall flat? Are you honoring your characters, or have you turned them into your plot-bitch?
  • Best Protagonist – Have you chosen the best protagonist for this plot and/or the best plot for this protagonist? Are the character’s inner desires and external goals in line with each other?
  • Emotional Arc – Analysis of your protagonist’s character arc and its relationship to the character’s goals, inner struggles, and revelations. In-depth exploration of how the protagonist’s inner arc aligns with the external plot.
  • Growth, Revelation, or Transformation – Analysis of what type of story you’re telling and how the story builds toward a catharsis for both character and reader.

LANGUAGE AND VOICE:

  • Language on the Page: Communicating with Your Reader – Is the story you believe you’re writing the same one that is communicated on the page? How does language and word choice build the fictive dream and make your characters resonate with the reader?
  • Abstraction and Emotion – Are you truly tapping into the emotional heart of your story, or only skimming the surface through cliché and abstraction? Are you honoring your character and writing authentically?
  • Voice – Does the voice of your novel entice the reader to come on a journey with you, or bail after a couple of pages? How can you make the voice unforgettable?
  • Point of View – Are you using the best point of view for this story, and are you executing it to your full potential?

What’s included in this critique:

  • A Put-On-Your-Big-Girl-Panties Editorial Letter
  • Page-by-Page Annotations
  • An Action Plan for Revision – ‘Cause You’re Totally Gonna CRUSH IT!
  • Sweet-Ass Supplementary Materials
  • Email Consultation

Pricing:

  • 2¢ cents per word with a 20,000 word minimum.
  • A $100 retainer will reserve your critique date.
  • BONUS: If your word count is 50,000+, you get a 30-minute Skype Chat with me to discuss your project.

Ready to tap into the emotional heart of your novel?

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the-whole-novel-edit

The Whole Novel Edit

How Everything Works Together

3¢ per word / 30,000 word minimum

The Whole Novel Edit is for those of you who – Oh Hell, yes! – are ready to become master storytellers. It’s a mini-MFA in a box that combines an Architectural Edit and a White-Hot Center Edit into one cohesive whole. A Whole-Novel Edit will empower you to unravel all the messy and complex strands of plot, structure, character, voice, and language. Then, weave it all back together into a powerhouse novel with complex characters, a compelling plot, and an emotional heart that will turn readers into life-long fans.

This is done with annotated comments, and a personalized editorial letter that discusses your authorial intention, plot, structure, character development, story voice, and use of language. All of which will be followed up with a 30-minute Skype call. After receiving your critique, you’ll be armed with actionable exercises, education, and a step-by-step plan for revision.

The Whole Novel Edit includes discussion on:

PLOT + STRUCTURE:

  • Central Question – Is there a clear central question that paves the way for your story?
  • Drive and Desire – How strong is your protagonist’s goal and is it powerful enough to sustain the major drive of your novel?
  • Cause and Effect – Are there solid causal relationships in your plot and are they believable? What is the relationship of scenes? Are there plot holes? Do all the scenes add up to a satisfying whole?
  • Reader Investment and Engagement – Does the plot set up expectations for the reader and invite them to be an active participant in the reading experience? Is the story focused and clear for the reader?
  • Analysis of Story Structure – In-depth discussion of how well your story fits into the eleven classic beats of arch plot structure. Are any of the beats missing, and how does that affect the whole? Are the existing beats effective or formulaic?
  • Pacing and Story Movement – How does the structure and pacing of the novel affect the reader’s experience, and how can you keep the reader turning pages?
  • Structure as Metaphor – Is there an underlying designing principle in your novel? How can you enhance it to amplify your story’s themes?

CHARACTER:

  • Character Development – Are your characters fully developed and autonomous? Do they drive the story, or fall flat? Are you honoring your characters, or have you turned them into your plot-bitch?
  • Best Protagonist – Have you chosen the best protagonist for this plot and/or the best plot for this protagonist? Are the character’s inner desires and external goals in line with each other?
  • Emotional Arc – Analysis of your protagonist’s character arc and its relationship to the character’s goals, inner struggles, and revelations. In-depth exploration of how the protagonist’s inner arc aligns with the external plot.
  • Growth, Revelation, or Transformation – Analysis of what type of story you’re telling and how the story builds toward a catharsis for both character and reader.

LANGUAGE AND VOICE:

  • Language on the Page: Communicating with Your Reader – Is the story you believe you’re writing the same one that is communicated on the page? How does language and word choice build the fictive dream and make your characters resonate with the reader?
  • Abstraction and Emotion – Are you truly tapping into the emotional heart of your story, or only skimming the surface through cliché and abstraction? Are you honoring your character and writing authentically?
  • Voice – Does the voice of your novel entice the reader to come on a journey with you, or bail after a couple of pages? How can you make the voice unforgettable?
  • Point of View – Are you using the best point of view for this story, and are you executing it to your full potential?

What’s Included in this critique:

  • A Put-On-Your-Big-Girl-Panties Editorial Letter
  • Page-by-Page Annotations
  • An Action Plan for Revision – ‘Cause You’re Totally Gonna CRUSH IT!
  • Sweet-Ass Supplementary Materials
  • Email Consultation
  • A 30-minute Skype chat with me is INCLUDED in any Whole Novel edit, regardless of word count.

Pricing:

  • 3¢ per word with a 30,000 word minimum.
  • A $100 retainer reserves your critique date.

Ready to dive in and become a master storyteller?

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Frequently Asked Questions:

I noticed that your critiques focus on plot, structure, character, and language. What about all the other important elements of story? Do you talk about setting, world building, themes, etc?

Yes, these are important elements of storytelling. And yes, I will absolutely address them in your critique if they’re relevant. The amount these elements are discussed depends on the specific needs of each project.

I have a project that is shorter than your minimum word count. Will you still critique it?

Absolutely! However, I will have to charge you for the minimum word count to critique your project.

I have a project that’s not a complete novel. Will you still critique it?

Yes. I will ask for a synopsis of how you think the story ends.

What is your turnaround time?

My turnaround time is 7 and 14 business days. Full-length novels take a full 14 days. All turnaround times depend on my schedule and commitments. Please note that weekends are not included in those timeframes.

How much time do you spend on my project?

A lot! I’m very dedicated to the craft of storytelling, and I treat your project as if it was my own.

I often spend between 20-40 hours on each manuscript. That includes reading your project, writing comments in the margins, analyzing it, thinking deeply about it, and responding in the form of an editorial letter.

Do I need to make a deposit to reserve my critique date?

Yes. I require a $100 retainer to put you on my schedule. This retainer is credited toward your full critique payment. Full payment is due three days prior to your scheduled critique date.

What is your cancellation policy?

My $100 retainer is non-refundable.  You may “push back” your scheduled date to the next available slot without losing your retainer as long as you notify me 15 days prior to your scheduled critique. If the 15 day deadline has passed, you will need a new $100 retainer.

Remember, your book is a work in progress, and a critique is valuable even when your work is unfinished. It does not need to be “ready” or “perfect” to be sent to me for review. Send what you have!

Do you have payment plans?

I put lots of time and heart into these critiques, so I require full payment before I begin. That said: Contact me and we can start a payment plan, and we’ll put you on the schedule.

What does your schedule look like?

I only take on one project every one to two weeks. My process is very immersive, and I believe in giving each mentee one-hundred percent. My schedule can fill up weeks, and even months, in advance. Please use my contact form to find out my current availability.

I need a critique done quickly. Can you squeeze me into your schedule?

If I have a cancellation, absolutely! Feel free to contact me and ask. However, I never “double up” on clients because I don’t believe in watering down my focus and energy. When you hire me, you get one-hundred percent.

Will you sign a non-disclosure agreement?

You betcha! Send it on over.

Do you do copy edits?

My service is a story development edit. I do not look at spelling or grammar. You will need to hire a copy editor for that.

Who are your literary and film influences?

This is gonna be a long list:

I’m a big reader of Young Adult, Middle Grade, Romance, Fantasy, and Literary Fiction. Some of my favorite authors and media influences are:

  • Contemporary Young Adult: Jandy Nelson, Laurie Halse Anderson, Francesca Lia Block, Beth Kephart, A.S. King, Gayle Forman, Sherman Alexi, Courtney Summers, John Green, and soooo many more.
  • Middle Grade: Kathi Appelt, Cassie Beasley, Kristen Kittscher, Rick Riordan, J.K. Rowling, Jacqueline Woodson, Thanhha Lai, Natalie Babbitt, Neil Gaiman, Larissa Theule.
  • Literary Fiction: Jeanette Winterson, Jean Hegland, Michael Cunningham, Elizabeth Gilbert, Daniel Quinn, Paulo Coelho.
  • Fantasy (YA and Adult): Maggie Steifvatter, Laini Taylor, Sabaa Tahir, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, George R. Martin, J.R.R. Tolkein, Marion Zimmer Bradley.
  • Romance: Cora Carmack, Emma Hart, Alice Clayton, Jennifer Armentrout, Jamie Maguire.
  • Film and Television: Friday Night Lights, Battlestar Galactica, Aliens, Firefly, Game of Thrones, Six Feet Under, Vampire Diaries, Sunshine, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Pride and Prejudice, The Fountain, Doctor Who.

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