RECENT MILESTONES 

 

Novel published in 2020  
by Owl Hollow Press
The Witches of Willow Cove
by Josh Roberts

Grand Prize 
Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
"We Fly"
by K. B. Rylander 

 

FEEDBACK
FROM CLIENTS

"I'm so excited to tell you that I have just signed a book contract for my novel, THE WITCHES OF WILLOW COVE. I'm so grateful for the guidance I received on my early draft. The critique didn't just address the trouble spots in my manuscript, it also helped me become a better writer in the process. I learned a lot about the craft of writing by applying those lessons to my work." ~Josh Roberts

 

"Your critique [was] absolutely incredible; the level of detail is beyond anything I expected, and you zeroed in with great accuracy on all the soft spots I’ve sensed but could never quite [pinpoint]." ~Paul Bissonette

 

"I couldn't believe the depth you went into. 35 pages! Plot is definitely my weak spot, so the info in that section was really helpful. I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm much more confident now about how to move my novel to the next level." ~Erin Carruthers 

 

"Without a doubt the most useful feedback I've ever gotten. And that includes the comments I got from my college professors!" ~Evan Thompson

 

"Not only honest and specific criticism, but great suggestions to help me improve my novel. The scene analysis you did was especially helpful. I'm going to use that technique on all my chapters before I start the second draft." ~Vincent Marcado

 

 

EDITING SERVICES

Feedback from readers can be helpful, but feedback from an experienced editor can help you pinpoint problems and take your story to the next level.

Most of the manuscripts I read need more than a simple copy edit. What’s the point of paying someone to polish your prose when there are deeper issues to resolve?

That’s why I specialize in developmental editing, which addresses the building blocks of your manuscript - plot, character, theme, world - as well as related issues of setting/description, style, pacing, and point of view. I weigh in on whether your characters are complex and compelling, whether your plot is built upon a plausible chain of cause-and-effect, whether character arcs and plot events support the story's theme. 

 

I analyze all of the major story elements, point out strengths and weaknesses, and suggest specific ways you might improve your manuscript. Plus, I give you tools that can help you as you embark on revisions, such as a questionnaire to help you dig deeper into your protagonist, brainstorming methods, and techniques to analyze the effectiveness of individual scenes. 

Why work with me?

I’m an award-winning novelist with a decade of experience as a writing teacher and staff member of the Odyssey Critique Service. I have taught workshops for professionals as well as beginning writers on topics ranging from enhancing the emotional impact of a story to creating realistic dialogue to the building blocks of writing a novel. 

What you get

·      Two reads of your submission so I can really dig into your story. 

·       Proofreading, line edits and comments within the body of your manuscript.

·       An analysis of the "big picture" elements: premise and promise; theme; world; characters; plot; setting and description; POV.  

·       Feedback on pacing, style, and emotional resonance.

·       Suggestions for improvement that can serve as a road map to guide you through revisions.

·       Tools to help you address your problem areas. 

·       One email follow-up to discuss any questions you might have about your critique.

 

The length of my analysis depends on how much material you submit. For a full novel of 100,000 words, you can expect to receive 25-30 single-spaced pages of feedback. For a short story, editorial comments generally run 5-7 pages.  

Pricing

Rates for developmental editing vary wildly, from $46-$50/hour, from 3-39 cents/word. While I believe all writers should invest time, energy, and money in improving their craft, I don’t believe we have to bankrupt ourselves in the process. That’s why I keep my prices reasonable. For a short story (up to 6,000 words), it's a flat fee of $300. For longer works - including novels - it's 3 cents/word. 

Always compare prices before choosing an editor. And understand exactly what you can expect to get from the editor before investing your hard-earned money! 

 

If cost is a concern, you may submit the opening chapters of your novel plus a synopsis of the entire story. I'll send you guidelines to help you create an outline that covers all the bases. Or you may request streamlined comments from me that will still offer feedback on all the major elements of the story. 

 

Ready to get started? Have questions? Contact me!