EDITING
Shaping Drafts Into Stronger Stories
You've created a manuscript with all the right ingredients, but it hasn't quite figured out how to become a book yet.
Manuscript Assessment
The traditional publishing model assumes every manuscript needs the same kind of help. But manuscripts, like people, have different problems. This is an affordable, low-risk way to get a professional, empathetic read of your story before you dive into revisions. I'll provide you with an honest roadmap that highlights what's working, what feels unclear, and what your manuscript is actually trying to become.
What you get: A detailed report that identifies your book's natural structure and what it needs, not what the industry expects.
Timeline: 3-4 weeks.
Investment: $1,500 (credited toward a full edit or doctoring if you move forward).
Developmental Editing
Revision can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to. It's not about just making your draft better—it's about discovering what your draft is actually about and making that thing as clear and compelling as possible. I provide a supportive partnership where you maintain control of your voice and vision while I focus on the architecture. We will work together to refine your book, ensuring your vision remains at the heart of it.
The Process:
Structural Revision: Reorganizing chapters, scenes, and narrative threads to serve the story's natural momentum.
Developmental Polish: Line-level work focused on clarity, pacing, and emotional impact.
Timeline: 3-5 months.
Investment: $12,000–$15,000 (varies by manuscript length/complexity).
Book Doctoring
Some stories need more than notes and suggestions alone can provide. They need reconstruction. This level of intervention is for those with a powerful story where the raw material is there, but the execution has gone wrong in ways that require more than guidance. A book doctor acknowledges that sometimes the person best equipped to fix your story isn't you, because you are too close to it. I step in to do the heavy lifting of rewriting and re-crafting while staying true to your voice and vision.
What you get: A significantly revised manuscript that accomplishes what the original was trying to do.
Timeline: 4-6 months (varies widely by scope).
Investment: $25,000–$35,000.
The Advantage of This Tiered Approach
Every memoir represents someone’s attempt to make sense of their own experience. This model ensures you only invest in what you need, matching the level of support to your manuscript’s actual needs rather than your assumptions about what editing should look like. You will know exactly what to expect, and you’ll always be supported with empathy and respect for the courage it takes to share your story.
Ready to find out what your manuscript actually needs?