I Help writers with technique and book structure

There are few things more frustrating than feeling like there's a block around publishing your book. You revise until you can't do it anymore, but you know it still isn’t done. The goal of getting that book out there remains incomplete, nagging you in those quiet moments. You see others holding their books up, announcing the launch. Then you see screenshots of their sales and reviews. 

But what about you? 

That scenario can seem out of reach for you when you’re staring at the screen for what feels like the thousandth time, the memory of the bursts of inspiration—and the thrill—fading fast. 

Successful authors have a few things in common. These authors have support, and their the books go through more than just a single copyediting round. Now you can have help, too. 

My customized, three-step method breaks down the editing process to revise your book. This is not a one-size-fits-all system but one that is all about your book and what you need. 

This method is for you if: 

• You’ve written a novel (mystery/thriller, women’s fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction). 
• You’ve written a cookbook or other health and wellness book with a positive message. 
• Your dream book makes you proud and confident.
• You don’t know quite where to begin revising.
• You’re ready to go to the next level.
• You want top-level support.
• You don’t want to sift through thousands of Google hits to find out what to do.

I will help you create the book you've dreamed of creating. Check out the testimonials page to see what others have said about working with me, and read on to learn more about the steps of the method. 

The first step looks at what you've written from a broad view. It is not yet concerned with grammar, usage, punctuation, or style because it's looking intently at the content itself. 

Maybe you've gotten feedback from an agent, but it's not specific and you need help figuring out what could be improved. 

Or perhaps you've gotten feedback from your friends/family/beta readers, and you don't know exactly what to do next because the book made sense to you when you wrote it. 

Sometimes you're just not quite happy with your book and sense something is off, but you're not sure what. 

Working with me will get you answers much faster because my detailed feedback in this step includes solutions, not just identifying problems. 

Here's a sample of what I look at: 

• Identifying and suggesting resolutions for problems with structure, logic, organization, and presentation
• Resolving point of view and narrative distance (this is the top problem I see in fiction) 
• Identifying and resolving inconsistencies and ensuring continuity 
• Helping create properly developed and realistic characters 
• Evaluating the material's relevance to audience, including ensuring case studies reflect the diversity of the audience
• Checking overall use of storytelling tools such as manipulating tension, show versus tell, characterization and character arc, dialogue, action beats, pacing, and more
• Identifying areas that need further clarification or example
• Ensuring objectives (for you, your company, or your publisher) are met

Your quote begins with a free sample so you can see what it would look like for your project. 

The revision process can feel endless. It is likely that you’ve revised your book before you bring it to me, because making some changes is simply part of how you write a book. After a certain point, though, it can seem like you're revising without an obvious payoff or an end in sight. When will the book actually be good enough to publish?

When revising, you may not be sure if the rest will still work if you change something. And why should you change that part? It's your best writing! It came after three days of writer's block. Therefore, it stays! But the new part is good too . . . what do to? 

That might sound familiar. You get so close to something, it's hard to see it objectively. When the revision stage is paired with the targeted advice you’ve received in step 1, your revisions have purpose. You see how the change fits in with your overall goal for the book as the book begins to more closely align to your vision. That makes revision much easier and more satisfying. 

Copyediting is what people typically picture editing to be. It includes checking punctuation, spelling, grammar, and usage. You could also see sentences reworked to remove passive voice when that's appropriate or transitions between concepts and sentences smoothed out. 

My experience comes into play here. Each book has a specific voice, a unique pattern to the language that connects to the author's unique voice. As people who love grammar will tell you, grammar has rules. And there’s also style, which sometimes isn't the same as the rule. Author voice is in style, and I know how to preserve it while applying the right rules. I'm not going to make your book sound like anyone else but you.  

I edit exclusively in Microsoft Word. tracked changes so you can see exactly what I'm suggesting. When I copyedit, I use The Chicago Manual of Style, the industry standard for book publishing, to inform my copyediting decisions.