Services

Beta reading is a crucial step for every author; after all, it is vital to know how a reader in the target audience perceives your book at each stage. So don’t overlook this step or take it lightly because a beta reader’s impressions often make a world of difference. 

When I beta read your manuscript, I will take note of several impressions and summarize them into a separate document. These details include:

• Broadly what works and what doesn’t work (I may throw in a few examples, but it won’t be a comprehensive list)
• A list of plot holes or inconsistencies
• My favorite and least favorite characters and my reasons why, plus any major inconsistencies with said characters
• A ranking and explanation of my reading experience from one to ten (ten being the best). This might explore different angles such as pacing, the flow of plot events, dialogue, and characterization but it will be kept short and sweet

A typical report will not exceed five pages. I am a patient reader and I will provide you with honest and helpful impressions. In addition to the summary, I will also send a returned manuscript with comments in the margins detailing my “live” reactions, emotions, and thoughts. None of these comments, however, will pertain to any structural feedback. They are solely for you to be able to see if your writing is coming across to a target reader as intended and striking the right emotional notes.   

Details

Deliverable

The manuscript marked up with Track Change comments detailing my “live reactions” to the story.

An at-most 5-page report going over what works and what doesn’t, list of plot holes, brief character overview, and a 1-10 ranking of my reading experience.

Cost

$0.004 per word.

Turnaround

1 to 4 weeks, depending on word count.

Your draft is written: rough but ready. Maybe you can’t commit to a full developmental edit, but you still want a critical, objective eye to guide you before revisions, so look no further than a manuscript evaluation. This is a budget-friendly option, a ” light developmental edit” in other terms.

My typical evaluation assesses the entirety of your project with the final intent of publication. While less comprehensive and detailed than a developmental edit, Manuscript Evaluations cover many of the same questions for a significantly lower price. My goal is always is to help you identify your manuscript’s weaknesses and teach you how to address them during your revisions.

Building upon a beta read, my evaluation will encompass the “live” comments in your marked-up manuscript as well as an Editorial Letter, which looks at structure, plot, character development, dialogue, point of view, setting, voice, genre conventions, marketability, and more.

Details

Deliverables

A detailed editorial report, average 5-15 pages for a book-length project.

Cost

$0.02 per word, starting at 50,000 words. The minimum cost for a manuscript evaluation is $1,000, which can apply to lower word counts. 

Turnaround

3 to 6 weeks, depending on word count.

You’ve made it through the depths of a developmental edit or manuscript evaluation and now you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But you’re asking yourself: Is my prose the best it can be? Am I still lacking clarity in places? Is the tone of my novel consistent and appropriate? A line edit answers all those questions.

The purpose of a line edit is to clarify language and clear confusion, leaving your writing shining like the a diamond in the rough. In a line edit, I analyze your manuscript at the line level, then at the paragraph, page, and chapter level. I show you how to trim the excess fat, leaving just the right amount to make your readers’ mouths water; I make cuts, additions, and clarifications to ensure your story shines alongside your voice; and I tweak language to fit your vision and your purpose. In this edit, I will also highlight any inconsistencies or imbalances within the manuscript and ensure that each page anticipates the questions readers will have before they can materialize.

Details

Deliverables

• Annotated manuscript with in-line edits and Track Change comments

Cost

$0.025 per word.

Turnaround

4 to 8 weeks, depending on word count

You’ve taken your manuscript as far as it can go and now you need an expert eye to take it further, to push yourself and your writing to the North Star. You’ve come to the right place. A developmental edit is the highest ceiling, the most comprehensive, detailed compilation of feedback designed to bolster the foundation of your story and ensure top-notch execution.

In a developmental edit, I deliver manuscript edits alongside a meticulously crafted Editorial Letter stuffed full of actionable suggestions and an analysis of big-picture mechanics including but not limited to:

Structure and Organization: Are the chapter breaks appropriate? Does your story start in the right place? If there is more than one narrator, are the chapters split evenly between them for equal narration? Can some chapters be pushed together or others split into two?

Point of View: There are several ways an author go about point of view: first or second person, third person, objective, or omniscient. Whichever one the book takes on, does the author stay within that perspective or is there head-hopping involved? Is the chosen point of view the best perspective to write the book from?

Writing Technique: This is a more mechanical aspect of editing, but very important for a reader’s experience. Is there a lot of telling as opposed to showing? Are character actions and emotions simply told or listed rather than convincingly shown and described? 

Narrative style/voice: This refers to the way in which the voice contributed to the forward momentum of the plot and how well information needed in the moment was revealed. How strong is your main character’s voice? Was it effective at getting the ideas and themes across? Does it aid or hamper the novel’s tension? 

Characters: Are they complex, flawed, and engaging? How do they come across to the reader? Does the reader understand their goals, motivations, and vices? Do they stay consistent or are they dropped halfway? What is their arc and does it follow through? Do they come up against conflict to aid in growth? Does the reader gain a complete and layered understanding of each character by the end? 

Plot: How does the story begin, progress, and end? Is the main goal clear and interesting enough to keep the reader’s attention? Are the stakes high enough? Does the plot lag in any places or lose its focus? Is the perspective strong? Does it earn each plot development? Does it require more suspense, action, or emotion? Are there any inconsistencies or problematic areas and if so, how can they be fixed? 

Pacing: Does the plot move too fast or too slow in some parts? If so, how can these areas be fixed? Does the reader get bored or feel rushed in any places?

Setting and Exposition/World-building: Is the setting rich in detail and consistent throughout? Does it feel authentic? Can I close my eyes and visualize the setting or world? Are all of my senses engaged? Are there any parts lacking in detail or explanation? How is the book’s background information (setting, backstories, plot events that took place before the book, and historical context) revealed to the reader? 

Dialogue: Does the way the characters engage with each other feel realistic? Do the characters have distinct voices? Can the dialogue keep a reader engaged for long stretches at a time? Are there any repetitive words or phrases? How effective are the word choices?

Details

Deliverables

• Annotated manuscript with margin comments and in-text edits
• A 10-20 page Editorial letter explaining my feedback, analysis, and recommendations
• A 60-minute follow-up call once you’ve digested the Editorial Letter to answer any questions, clarify suggestions, or brainstorm.

Cost

$0.035 per word, starting at 40,000 words. The minimum cost for a developmental edit is $1,400, applicable to lower word counts. 

Turnaround

4 to 8 weeks, depending on word count 

If you have a partial draft, words on a page, or maybe just an idea tickling your mind but don’t know where to go next, book coaching may be right for you. Coaching provides that critical eye and feedback of a developmental edit, just broken into short, digestible live sessions. While comparable to the feedback you’d receive in a developmental edit, line edit, or manuscript evaluation, coaching also provides a more personal, hand-held approach, which can be especially helpful for debut authors.

Upon signing up for coaching, we will decide session frequency, determine the content of work sent (by you) and reviewed (by me) prior to each session, and hash out the editorial scope to be provided (by me). The first and foremost goal of my coaching is to empower you in your authenticity and creativity to complete a manuscript you are proud to call your own. We will do this piece by piece, while always maintaining your vision and hopes for path to publication.

Coaching spots are given first to authors who desire guidance on crafting a full-length novel, from ideation to completion. If you are looking for a single coaching session for a particularly tricky chapter, please reach out and we can discuss the right editorial approach for your project. 

Details

Rate

$75 per hour.

Process

All sessions are held over Zoom. The above rate includes up to 4,000 words submitted for review before each one.

The trenches of traditional publishing are calling you home, and when they do, you will want to ensure you’re putting your best foot (and book) forward. I can help edit and position your query letter, synopsis, first 50 pages, and book proposal to make an eye-catching splash. Having worked in literary agencies and lived in slush piles, I know the pitfalls to avoid an automatic rejection and how to spruce up your language for optimal impact.

Details

Deliverable

Annotated manuscript with in-text edits and margin comments.

Cost & Turnaround

Agent Query Package

• Starts at $400: Incudes Query Letter, Synopsis, and First 50 Pages
• Includes two rounds

Agent Query Letter

• Starts at $150 (<500 words)
• Turnaround: 1 week for each round
• Includes two rounds

Synopsis 

• Starts at $250 (<1,000 words)
• Turnaround: 1 week for each round
• Includes two rounds

First 50 Pages

• Starts at $500 (<15,000 words)
• Turnaround: 2-3 weeks
• Includes one round of line edits and an editorial letter explaining feedback and recommendations. 

Book Proposal

Includes one round of structural and line edits, an editorial letter explaining feedback and recommendations, and one 30-minute debrief to go over any questions.

Starts at $1,500 (<12,500 words)

Turnaround: 4-6 weeks

Ghostwriting is the ultimate partnership, where wand-waving magic prose blends seamlessly with another’s lived experience and creative authenticity. It is the heartbeat of two people, an act of total collaboration that, when executed with total client care and mutual respect, yields a magnificent result. My ghostwriting prioritizes authentic writing to best deliver narrative beats in the author’s own voice – in their words, their tone, and their mind. Within multiple literary agencies, I have collaborated with lead ghostwriters and publishers on several ghostwriting projects, ranging from A-list celebrities to social media influencers and leading business executives. I also bring years of journalism experience to the forefront, utilizing my interviewing skillset to expertly draw out the raw emotion of past life events or fact-based narratives – all while shaping their words into a memorable, unforgettable reading experience.

Details

Deliverables

• Fully polished manuscript or book proposal (The project length and subsequent delivery schedule will be decided upon in our first call)

Cost

$85 per hour. This rate is the same for writing and any interviews.

Turnaround

Varies depending on project length.