Whether the coronavirus pandemic has brought you more free time or less, continued stability or broadening uncertainty, continuing to work on your novel can buoy your spirit. Even so, it’s hard to prepare for a big edit when you’re not sure what’s next for your work, your family, your community.
That’s why I’m making available a host of bite-size ways to make progress on your novel. Consider these catalysts for your creative process. With the right amount of help at the right time, you’ll be able to keep your novel on course even if traditional editing or book coaching isn’t in the cards.
I’m opening as many slots as I can for these affordable editing services immediately, continuing at least through midsummer. My goal is to help you keep your novel afloat during these turbulent times.
The Plot Accelerator
When you’re writing a novel, begin with a Plot Accelerator. The Plot Accelerator is a short-term, one-on-one coaching plan that translates your creative ideas into story. Turbocharge your plot by tuning your story conflict, plot, character arcs, stakes, and more. Get up to speed with compact tutorials, then put the techniques to work analyzing your novel.
You’ll get multiple rounds of feedback on each element over about six weeks, helping you build a strong plot from the ground up. It’s book doctoring in a bottle—the most affordable developmental edit and one-on-one coaching you’ll ever get. Plot Accelerator: $499
The Writing Accelerator
The Writing Accelerator is an edit of about twenty pages of your novel. This is a scaled-down substantive edit, including on-manuscript edits and comments covering concept and genre, storytelling, narrative technique, and writing. You’ll get direct feedback on how you’re using point of view, narrative tense, dialogue content and mechanics, character arcs, character motivation and conflict, characterization, dramatic tension, pacing, and writing style. Use the Writing Accelerator as a springboard to DIY revision by applying the feedback to the rest of your manuscript. You’ll also receive a full-scale, coaching-style editorial report packed with examples, explanations, and links to additional resources, plus a one-hour follow-up consultation. Writing Accelerator: $449
Developmental Report – NEW!
A developmental report is the developmental (story-level) version of a Writing Accelerator; think of it as a miniature manuscript critique. You’ll get a close reading of your twenty-page excerpt plus comprehensive feedback covering concept and genre, storytelling and narrative techniques, and your writing.
The report offers limited insight on plot issues, given the scope of the excerpt, while homing in on storytelling and narrative techniques such as point of view, narrative tense, dialogue content and mechanics, character arcs, character motivation and conflict, characterization, dramatic tension, pacing, and writing style. The centerpiece of a developmental report is the comprehensive coaching report, packed with examples, explanations, and links to additional resources, plus a one-hour follow-up consultation. Developmental Report: $299
Triage Audit – NEW!
Do you like to take writing one thing at a time? How about three? In a Triage Audit, I’ll look through your manuscript to identify the top three ways to strengthen your book. You’ll get a report explaining each issue, plus recommendations for strengthening your manuscript, suggestions for alternative approaches, and resources galore for more reading. Triage Audit: $99
True North Check – NEW!
Is your book on track? A True North Check is a 30-minute video/phone consultation covering your premise statement and one-page synopsis. It’s a high-level checkup of your story’s premise, story conflict, and stakes. This service is not designed to polish the synopsis of a completed manuscript for queries and submissions. True North Check: $99
Consultation – NEW!
You have my attention! Let’s talk by phone or Skype to address your most pressing concerns about your manuscript. Consultation: $99 for 60 minutes, $49 for 30 minutes
Let’s talk about affordable, bite-size help for your novel: Contact Me Now
Free Resources for Affordable Editing and Writing
When paying for professional editing or coaching isn’t in the cards, you can keep moving forward on your own. These ideas will keep you learning, revising, and creating.
- Kick-start your own career development program for new novelists
- Affordable ways to learn to be a better writer
- 10 ways to save money on editing
- Best books on writing fiction—recommended books for novelists
- 10 kinds of books every writers should be reading
- Why you need a critique partner or writing group and how to find one
- Should you use volunteers to proofread your book?
- Productivity for fiction writers—March 2020
- Writing resources for novelists
- Publishing resources for novelists
Want more advice like this? Sign up and get Baker’s Dozen, 13 things for your writing, fresh out of the editorial oven every month.
If you’re looking for an editor to accelerate your journey from new writer to emerging author, that editor could be me. Let’s work together: short-term coaching for story development, long-term coaching for honing your writing, or story or line editing (my editing specialties). Let’s talk.