Services
Are you hitting one or two specific obstacles in your writing voyage? Bring them to this half-hour video call, and I’ll help blast them out of your way with clear explanations and specific actions you can take so you can move on. Don’t worry if you write outside my “preferred genres”. Questions on writing technique — e.g. point of view, choice of tense, making dialog realistic, etc., are genre-neutral, except when it comes to aliens or vampires. Not sure I can make them sound realistic. But you can!
Is your manuscript becalmed? Or do you worry that you’re off-course? Or maybe you want reassurance that you’re on course! A one-hour video call gives us time to really figure out what’s going on, and get you moving ahead with confidence on your writing journey. We can address one big concern, or get some clarity of direction on a number of smaller issues. Invite me on board for an hour, and we’ll get you heading in the right way again!
As Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” How true this is, for crossing an ocean or writing a book! We'll start with a one-hour video call to lay the groundwork for a solid book plan that will clarify your Premise, the Arc of Change for your Main Character, Value Scales, Plot Types, and Synopsis. We'll talk about Comps, Accountability and Consequences. After you work on the Plan, I'll give you written feedback so you’ll know where you’re going, and you’ll set a course for that final goal: a finished book.
Think of me as your shore team as you set out on your writing voyage. We'll start with a 60-minute video call to discuss your plan, so you know where you're headed. I'll send one check-in email per week and respond to yours. We'll have two 60-minute coaching calls (after the initial call) each month. In addition, I'll give writing feedback on 5,000 to 7,000 words per month.
You’ve done it! You’ve got a full manuscript from Beginning to End. And now it’s ready for its first sea trial…putting it in the hands of a stranger. That’s a scary thought. But you can do this. After all, you wrote the book because you have something you want to share.
After I read through the manuscript (up to 100,000 words, beyond which there is a surcharge of $100 per 10,000 words) we’ll have a one-hour video call to discuss the story, what’s working well, your goals and my recommended action steps. I’ll send a full written critique covering, among other things, point of view, overall structure, character arcs, plots and subplots. I'll do an analysis of five scenes with the goal of teaching you this valuable self-editing tool. And as for getting underway again, I’ll give you specific suggestions on how to make your next draft even better.