Writing & Publishing Services

Developmental Editing

novel manuscripts

You’ve finished a draft of your novel, but something still feels off or incomplete. Try as you may, you can’t put your finger on it. I’m here to help.

I’ll read through the manuscript and consider the fundamental pillars of fiction: point of view, character, setting, voice, style, architecture, and world-building. I’ll let you know where I see fault lines or major ruptures. I’ll identify lapses in consistency. I’ll comment on proportion and the emotional weight and balance of the story and its characters. Whatever observations need to be made, I’ll search them out and communicate them to you in a way that’s useful and constructive and designed to help you see your manuscript better.

short stories

Some fiction writers prefer the more economical form of the short story. I’ll read your fiction like a literary magazine editor would, helping to identify its opportunities and imperfections alike. Whether 500 or 15,000 words, we’ll get your short story into perfect, publishable shape.

Copy & Line Editing

Sometimes you’re confident in the work you’ve done, but want a thorough copy edit of the book before you bring it to the wider world. I’ve worked with some of the best editors in the world, and learned a thing or two along the way. I’ll go through your manuscript sentence by sentence and word by word. When we’re done, your story will be pristine. And ready for the world to read.

Works-in-Progress

Many writers thrive when they’re accountable to a deadline, even if it’s an imaginary one. Whether you have a hundred pages under your belt, or are just getting started, we’ll work together to establish a schedule that helps keep you on task while simultaneously offering editorial feedback throughout the writing process. That might mean chapter by chapter, or at every hundred page milestone.

Query Letters

Maybe you’ve finished your manuscript and are ready to take it to market, but don’t have a great idea how to do that. No problem. I’ll edit or help you craft your query letter. I’ll advise you on the often difficult process of gaining access to a world that can seem cryptic or impenetrable. Or I’ll help navigate the other possibilities available to aspiring writers.  

Pricing & Project Scope

After an initial consultation, I charge $125 per hour for most of my manuscript editing services. Once we establish a shared vision and understanding of the work ahead, we’ll set milestones, a timeline, and the estimated cost. I will provide a written estimate as soon as I understand the scope of your consultation. You will always be informed if the hours allotted for your project are determined to be too few or too many. The reason I charge by the hour, and not the word, is because each project is unique, and so, too, are their requirements. The common exception to this pricing structure is the query letter consultation, for which I charge $175 per letter review.