Mentor and Editorial Services

MASTER YOUR MANUSCRIPT: TAILORED EDITING AND MENTORSHIP

Never give up on your dream to publish. That’s what I always tell writers. I also tell them that writing comes with an obligation: if you want readers to invest in you and give you their time, you have to invest in your craft and give them your best shot.

I believe that writing and revision are inseparable aspects of successful stories, be it fiction, narrative nonfiction or memoir. Revision is also, to me, the most exciting phase of writing a book. It’s where all the puzzle pieces fall into place. To assist aspiring and published writers in their writing and revision efforts, I offer mentor programs and editorial services. Well versed in the US and the Dutch publishing world, I can help you navigate the next steps in your publishing career.

Because I strongly believe that an editor and a mentor have to have a connection to the work, all requests for a mentorship or editorial services are through submission only. For more detailed submission guidelines, please contact me, briefly describing your project and whether you are interested in a mentorship or in editorial services.

MENTOR SERVICES

I mentor aspiring writers in their pursuit of a career in fiction writing and I mentor accomplished writers who want to hone their craft or branch out to different genres or age groups. No matter how big or small your project is, I can:

• Help develop your writing techniques;
• Review your manuscript and offer a detailed evaluation and plan of action;
• Analyze and discuss your work in in-person or online meetings;
• Help you revise, edit, and shape your manuscript from the first page to the last;
• Assist with book proposals and help navigate the publishing landscape.

Since all writers are on their own journey and all writing projects are different, every program is customized in focus and length. Whether you are trying to find your voice as a writer, receive specific feedback, or want general guidance on your path to (further) publication, I can create the program that is right for you.
For the first read of your draft and the creation of a program tailored to your project, I charge a Quick Scan tariff. After that, I charge an hourly rate.

To give you an example: a twelve-month mentorship could consist of:

• 10 two-hour mentor and instruction sessions. Mentor and instruction sessions will focus on plot and story structure, plotting and structuring your project, crafting characters, world building, narrative voice and dialogue, details that make a story come to life, and revision techniques.
• 40 hours of preparation. Part of the preparations are deep readings of your draft manuscript and subsequent revisions, analysis and written feedback, developing mentor and instruction sessions tailored toward your project and your wishes, preparation of written course materials.

EDITORIAL SERVICES

Manuscript Assessment

Based on a thorough reading of the manuscript, an Editorial Assessment includes a concise manuscript evaluation with a 1 to 2-page editorial memo that will give the writer general comments and some more specific comments on story structure, voice, and characters. If needed/requested the Editorial Assessment can be followed up with a brief email conversation.

Developmental Editing

Based on multiple thorough readings of the manuscript, Developmental Editing includes a concise manuscript evaluation with an editorial memo that will give the writer concrete feedback on the story’s big picture elements, its content and its narrative structure, voice, and character. For projects in their end phase, you will also receive a detailed line-by-line editorial through Word’s Track Changes. A follow-up in person, by email or phone is part of the package.

RATES

Fees are tailored to individual projects and based on a variety of factors including word count, complexity, state of the manuscript (early draft or final draft), genre, etc.

Mentorships

Manuscript review and designing a plan of action starts at $1,500 for picture books and $4,000 for novels, narrative nonfiction, and memoir. The hourly rate for subsequent mentoring is $125.

Manuscript Assessment

Quick scans start at $750 for picture books and $1,500 for novels, narrative nonfiction, and memoir. Rate depends on word count and complexity of the manuscript.

Developmental Editing

Developmental editing starts at $1,500 for picture books and $4,000 for novels, narrative nonfiction, and memoir. Rate depends on word count and complexity of the manuscript.

CONTACT