From idea to outline to POLISHED DRAFT

The developmental edit is the process of finding the optimal structure and flow for you book—and resolving any “big picture” issues with your manuscript. It begins with a phone call. After our call, I go into a deep, quiet, uninterrupted space with your manuscript 2-4 weeks in order to give your book a thorough edit. During my time, I will consider whether your book has found its optimal organizational conceit. I will review your book’s tone and voice. And I will offer edits to ensure your book is a dynamic and compelling read. 

What you get:

✎ An 10-12+ page edit letter highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript

✎ Chapter by chapter notes

✎ Tracked changes and inserted commentary from page one to the end

✎ A follow-up 60-min call to go over any questions you have about my feedback and to coach you on your next steps

How long it takes:

Two to six weeks, based on the length of your manuscript

How payment works:

You pay first half of the fee at signing of an editorial contract that outlines the scope of our work and our agreed deadlines, then pay the final amount after your follow-up call. I accept checks, credit cards, and payments by Venmo. 

(If you want me to review your changes after you’ve revised your manuscript, I’ll do an additional editing round for a discounted price.)

I praise the universe every day for my writing group, a regular gathering of friends and writers where we share our work and feedback. Writing can be a lonely venture—and it seems all the more challenging when we are going at it alone. As a book coach, I will be your writerly friend, cheering you on, keeping you accountable, and giving you feedback and exercises to help you get your book written—in your voice. We can focus our coaching time together on the writing of your book proposal or the writing of your book itself.  Whatever the case, my goal is to help you find your creative flow zone, so your prose (and your output) thrives.

What you get:

One-on-one coaching, either on Zoom or via emails, apps, and/or editorial notes, for the amount of hours we agree will best serve you and your writing project

How long it takes:

Variable, based on the scope of the work

How payment works: 

After signing an editorial agreement, in which the timing and scope of the work are well defined, I will bill you at my hourly rate for our time together once a month.

I have ghostwritten a select number of titles in the genres of mindfulness and spirituality, yoga, and relationships. It is one of my favorite jobs in the writerly life because I find it to be both challenging and an honor to craft your content in a way that is entirely authentic to you.  As a book collaborator, I will do all or a portion of the writing for you, all based on your story, our conversations, your workshops, your notes, your interviews, and more. There are a million ways I can pull and craft content for you when you don’t want to do the writing yourself. Discovering and staying loyal to your voice will drive the project. Your voice comes from not just your words—but through your intonation, your body language, and what you notice and pay attention to. In short, collaboration involves getting to know you a bit so that I can write your book in the voice that is uniquely yours. In addition to the writing, I can also research engaging content—from stories in literature to scientific studies to current events — to further illuminate your book’s ideas. 

*Because collaboration is a deep dive, I am only able to take on one to two collaboration projects a year. 

What you get:

A polished draft of your book, ready for an agent or publishing house (or self-publishing)

How long it takes:

Variable, based on the scope of the work

How payment works: 

You pay 25 percent of the agreed fee at the signing of our editorial agreement. The balance will be split into a number of equal payments made between contract signing and the completion of the project.

For nonfiction books, a compelling and unique book proposal is central to securing an agent and a book deal. Throughout my close to decades as an acquiring editor for a major publisher, I have become well versed on both the secrets and fundamentals of book proposal writing. Book proposals I’ve worked on have been acquired by HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Sounds True. I can work with you to write and assemble your proposal from start to finish, or I can help with particular sections.

My philosophy: writing book proposals is freaking fun. There is an art to them. As an acquisitions editor at a traditional publishing house, I looked at them through a magnifying glass, evaluating them based on the presentation of ideas, marketability, and on the strength of the writing itself. I love helping authors figure out the most strategic and creative way to capture an editor or agent’s attention. A good friend of mine, novelist Buzzy Jackson, thinks it’s wise to write a book proposal even if you don’t need one for an agent or editor because it can help you hone your message, your book’s place in the market, and your target audience. For some, writing a solid book proposal can serve a book more than writing an outline!

As an add-on, once your proposal is complete, I can help you with your query letters for agents and publishers. And I can also support you in creating your list of suitable agents and publishers for your book.

What you get:

A polished book proposal, ready for shopping to agents and/or publishers

How long it takes:
Variable, based on the scope of the work

How payment works:
After signing an editorial agreement, in which the timing and scope of the work are well defined, I will bill you at my hourly rate for our time together once a month.

A manuscript assessment offers you an overall evaluation of the manuscript—its tone, voice, structure, and any big picture issues. This is an idea way to go if you have a full but very early draft and aren’t sure what next steps to take as you begin to further revise and craft your book.

What you get:

✎ A 5-6 page editorial letter in which I highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your draft

✎ A line edit on one full chapter of the book

✎ A one-hour follow up call to go over my feedback and coach you on your next steps.

How long it takes:
One to two weeks

How payment works:
You pay first half of the fee at signing of an editorial contract that outlines the scope of our work and our agreed deadlines, then pay the final amount after your follow-up call. I accept checks, credit cards, and payment by Venmo.

A partial manuscript assessment is an abbreviated version of the full manuscript assessment. With this package, I spent 7-8 hours skimming over your book—with attention to the book’s overall structure, tone, and approach. The partial assessment is the way to go if you’ve only written one draft, you know it’s a messy first go at it, and you want further direction as you begin to rewrite and revise.

What you get:

✎ A 2-3 page editorial letter in which I highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your draft

✎ A one-hour follow-up call to go over my feedback and coach you on next steps

How long it takes:
One week

How payment works: You pay first half of the fee at signing of an editorial contract that outlines the scope of our work and our agreed deadlines, then pay the final amount after your follow-up call. I accept checks, credit cards, and payment by Venmo.

Children’s literature is one of my favorite genres. As a former children’s book acquiring editor and a picture book author myself (and many, many hours attending children’s literature conferences), I know what makes a great picture book work. Reviewing your children’s book text and offering feedback to help you get it to the next level would be my delight.

What you get:

✎ A 3-4 page editorial letter evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your picture book text, along with insights and tips to give your book a boost in the current children’s market

✎ A one-hour follow up call to discuss my feedback and next steps

How long it takes:

One-to-two weeks

How payment works:

You pay first half of the fee at signing of an editorial contract that outlines the scope of our work and our agreed deadlines, then pay the final amount after your follow-up call. I accept checks, credit cards, and payment by Venmo.