Story Coaching
Imagine working with someone who knows your story and characters almost as well as you do and can help you work through every doubt, roadblock, flat character, and plot hole your story encounters.
Working with an editor who really cares about your story as much as you do and provides helpful feedback as you write saves you loads of time and frustration.
Instead of trudging through your novel alone and then sending it off to beta readers who give you a laundry list of things that aren’t working after your novel is already finished, imagine working through your book with an editor who cares about your story and gives you personalized feedback as you write. Imagine having someone hold you accountable to your word count goals as they cheer you toward the finish line.
That sounds good, right? That’s because it is. A book coach makes writing a novel so much easier. It’s like hiring a developmental editor, an accountability partner, and a coach all squished into one person. It’s a great way to work through your book because not only will you get editorial feedback every step of the way, but your book will also require less editing when it’s finished. I coach authors through books at every stage—whether it’s still an idea and you haven’t written a word yet, or you’ve already written a few drafts.
We can meet weekly, every other week, or even monthly—you pick the frequency that works best for you. Each coaching session includes a combo developmental and line edit of your submission and a one-hour video coaching session.
I offer two coaching packages:
$200 for up to 2,500 words
$300 for up to 5,000 words.
I also offer add-on coaching sessions for authors who I have completed an edit or manuscript evaluation with me at a special rate of $70 per hour.
Developmental Editing
It’s hard to turn your book over to a stranger. It’s even harder to turn it over to a stranger knowing their job is to find the plot holes and flat characters. I know how taxing the editing process can be on authors, but when you’re working with the right editor, you stop thinking of it as editing and start thinking of it as collaborating. Because that’s what developmental editing is, a creative collaboration where we work toward the common goal of making your book the best it can be for your readers. I’ll help you improve your manuscript’s structure, style, plot, characters, dialogue, and tone while preserving your voice, because this is your book.
Whether you’re a professional writer who knows what a developmental edit involves or you’ve been told you need a developmental edit but you’re not sure why—you can trust me to treat your story with creativity and compassion.
My developmental editing rates are based on your manuscript’s needs and start at 4.5¢ per word.
Line Editing
If you really want your story to sparkle, consider investing in a line edit. A line edit happens after you’ve worked through any big picture blunders in your book and before you correct mechanical oversights. A line edit tightens your story at the sentence level and will help you identify and address the places in your manuscript that might make your reader pause, or worse, take them out of the story.
This includes identifying things like inconsistent character voice, inauthentic dialogue, awkward analogies, phrases or words that don’t quite fit, areas where pacing can be improved, scenes that would benefit from additional description, paragraphs that need polishing, and writing that draws too much attention to the author, all of which can pull the reader out of the story. I always provide revision suggestions to the author where appropriate.
Copy Editing
If your story is where you want it at the sentence level, then you’re ready for a copy edit. Woo! Getting to this point is not for the faint of heart. I mean, you wrote and revised a novel. You’re kind of amazing.
If you’ve ironed out your manuscript’s big picture issues and any line editing you might want to perform, then you’re ready to tidy up the grammar.
Today’s publishers expect you to present your story in its best form, and if you’re self-publishing, then the burden of creating a professionally edited book falls entirely on you. Copy editing is a critical stage in the editing process that cleans up the mechanics of your writing and gives it that ready to share shine.
I’ll go through your manuscript line-by-line and tidy up your grammar, spelling, style, punctuation, and usage.
Have a smaller project you need copy edited? I also copy edit short stories, flash fiction, newsletters, website copy, grant proposals, and marketing campaigns. I will make sure the focus stays on your story and not your punctuation.
My copy editing rates are based on your word count and the level of editing your manuscript needs. My copy editing rates start at 3.5¢ per word
Special Packages
Accountability Support
$100
Need a deadline to meet your writing goals? Have trouble prioritizing your own writing? I’ll be your accountability coach! I’ll meet with you for a half-hour via Zoom. You’ll set a writing goal—time spent writing, word count, or a scene/chapter goal—and we’ll discuss your progress. And progress is relative—it’s all about meeting an attainable goal that you set. The goal is to get you back to a place where you can prioritize your writing goals without a check-in. Together we’ll find a writing routine that works for you. During our Zoom chat, we’ll talk through your progress, plot roadblocks, characters who aren’t sticking to their arc, world-building woes, and anything else you might be struggling with in your story.
Note: This package does not involve me reading any of your work, providing feedback, or editing any pages.
Who does this help? This is helpful for writers who are motivated by a deadline. It’s also great for people who want to talk through their story as they write but don’t want edits or feedback on their writing yet.
“What If” Mini Workshop
$150
Plot holes? Not sure what comes next? Can’t see a way forward? Lost sight of a character’s arc? Not sure how to wrap up the subplot you forgot about? I got you.
In this one-hour, Zoom brainstorm session, we’ll talk through your story, where you’re stuck, and the plot issues you can’t see past. I’ll ask questions that help you view your story in a new light and find solutions. Together we’ll create a list of ideas and possibilities for your story. To get the most out of our hour, I’ll send you a questionnaire to complete before our session.
Note: This package does not involve me reading any of your work, providing feedback, or editing any pages.
Who does this help? This is great fit for writers experiencing writers block or for writers struggling with big picture problems in their story. It’s also a nice fit for writers who outline and want to tighten it before they start writing.
Agent Pitch Prep
$300 – $750
Agent pitch prep! This is for writers who finished a book they want to traditionally publish and are ready to seek representation by a literary agent. I’ll tighten up your query letter, synopsis, and the opening pages of your story to get your novel in pitch-perfect shape. I offer two packages to accommodate different needs and budgets:
Opening Pages – $300
Includes edits and feedback on your query letter (up to 1,000 words), synopsis (up to 2,000 words), and the first ten pages of your story (up to 12,500 words), and a one-hour Zoom chat to discuss your pitch package and next steps.
First Fifty – $750
Includes edits and feedback on your query letter (up to 1,000 words), synopsis (up to 2,000 words), and the first fifty pages of your story (up to 12,500 words), and a one-hour Zoom chat to discuss your pitch package and next steps.
Who does this help? This is perfect for writers who finished a book and want to be traditionally published. If you’re ready to find an agent, then you need these pages to be as tight and polished as possible.
Manuscript Evaluations
2.5¢ per word
I offer full and partial manuscript evaluations for authors who want a high-level overview of what’s working in their manuscript and what can still be strengthened. It’s a great option for authors who want an editor’s professional opinion of their work before they hire a line or copy editor or start sending it out to literary agents. In the manuscript evaluation, I’ll provide big-picture feedback on the story’s arc, pacing, plot, character development, dialogue, and setting. You’ll receive a document that outlines what’s working well and what you can strengthen, and I’ll also include comments in the margins to help you better understand what’s working and what isn’t. Manuscript evaluations are an invaluable tool that gives you an overview of your novel’s strengths and weaknesses. I offer a bonus next-steps guide at the end of my evaluations to help you take the guesswork out of what you should consider doing next, because I know how overwhelming it can be to receive a manuscript evaluation.
Who does this help? This is perfect for writers who want to learn what is and isn’t working in their story so they can make revisions before they move on to a line or copy edit. It’s also a great tool for writers who have been submitting their novel to agents but haven’t received any requests yet—it can help identify any red flags in the story that might prevent agents from requesting the novel.