As rewarding as self-editing is, it can also feel lonely, time-consuming, inefficient, or confusing. This is doubly true if you’re a newer author and have received little or no in-depth editorial feedback.
Enter the chapter consultation: an affordable, low-commitment way to receive personalized editorial guidance and jumpstart your revisions.
Overview
Who it’s for: Budget-conscious writers who are continually honing their craft
What manuscripts it’s for: Novels & novellas, memoirs, other long-form narrative work
I can customize this service for non-narrative work—just ask.
Editing stage: After you’re decently confident in your book’s structure and story arc, but before you’re ready to hire a copyeditor
How it works: This introvert-friendly consultation happens completely via email and Microsoft Word*!
You send me your manuscript’s first chapter or so (up to 2,000 words), along with any questions or concerns you have about these pages. I perform light edits using Track Changes and Comments, evaluating the text’s strengths and weaknesses as I go. I send you the marked-up document along with an editorial letter (up to 3 pages) that summarizes my feedback. Whenever I identify an improvement you can make, I’ll provide a nuanced explanation so you can identify and address similar opportunities for improvement throughout the rest of your manuscript.
*I also accept Pages documents for this service.
Cost: $100
What kind of issues are covered in a chapter consultation?
The issues we cover depend on your manuscript needs and the questions you submit with your chapter. Here’s a small sample of the topics that may be addressed:
- Dialogue
- Scene pacing
- Suspense
- Description
- Effective wording
- Grammar and syntax
- Strength of opening paragraphs
There’s a limit to how much developmental feedback I can give after only reading the first 2,000 words. I won’t be able to evaluate your overall story arc, for example. However, some developmental weaknesses, such as unclear character motivation, may show even in the first few pages. I’ll certainly comment on those!
Still not sure if the chapter consultation is the right next step for you? Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions. Or, if you’re ready to book a chapter consultation, click the button below. We’ll get the process started!
Words Unbound 