manuscript evaluation (THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE I’D START, TBH)

If you’re not sure what your story needs, this is the place to start. A manuscript evaluation is an overall summary of the major elements of your story, including plot structure, character arcs, worldbuilding, magic systems, genre tropes, and your writing strengths. This process involves reading your manuscript and providing an in-depth analysis on all these major areas along with a Zoom call coaching session to process the information and to develop a plan for revisions.

A manuscript evaluation is the most bang for your buck and provides a map for developing your story into the niche bestseller it is meant to be.

Manuscript Evaluation Rates:

• $600 for fewer than 75K words

• $750 for 75K to 125K words

• $100 for each additional 50K over 125K

COPYEDITING/proofreading ($0.02/word)

This process puts the final polish on your manuscript primarily addressing grammar, spelling, and punctuation. My rate quote will include a final eBook and print ARC proof. This is highly recommended as a final step before you hit that ‘publish’ button and leave your manuscript at the mercy of all those retired English teachers who consume books like whales. My goal with this process is to correct technical errors while keeping your creative language intact.

Copyediting: This is done before your manuscript is formatted into a book. This catches grammar issues, addresses word choice, and makes sure that you have the correct comma or period connecting your dialogue tags. Copyediting basically dots those ‘I’s and crosses those ‘T’s. This part of the process also involves making sure that elements such as character names and fantastical place names are always spelled and punctuated the same throughout the story. This level of editing includes a stylesheet listing these details so that you have a handy reference for the next two or seven books in your bestselling series.

Proofreading: This is the final shine on your formatted book file to catch anything that might have glitched in the Microsoft Word matrix.

I require a 50% retainer toward your investment to reserve your place on my calendar. If I have already worked with you on your manuscript for content and line editing, this part of the process is available to you at a discounted rate with no retainer.

Formatting (in Vellum or Atticus) and a follow-up eBook proofreading is also included with a manuscript copyedit.

Rental Ninja (quoted)

What the $#@% is a ‘rental ninja’?

rental ninja /’ren(t)l ninje/

noun

A badass ninja and writing coach who can be hired or ‘rented’ to compile a fight scene based on another writer’s loose ideas and/or incomplete sequencing.

My first appearance as a rental ninja was at the Author’s Combat Academy in Nashville, TN in 2014. I killed/maimed/captured several fictional characters over the course of that conference and have since been hired by several authors to apply my fighting knowledge to scenes in their stories. Not sure what this involves? Punch out an email and we’ll be in touch.

BASIC TYPESETTING/EBOOK FORMATTING (STARTS AT $100/PROJECT)

Formatting is what makes your book, well, a book. I use Vellum or Atticus and work within the parameters of that program. Formatting and eBook/PDF file proofing is included with proofreading, or it is available as an isolated service. I can usually throw this into my schedule with short notice, and, I have to admit, it’s kind of fun.

Content/line editing ($0.04/Word)

This is to prepare your manuscript for consumers. Consumers—as in those rabid readers who cannot get enough of the adventures in your weird little world. Content and line editing addresses everything in the manuscript that makes it more reader-friendly, such as character details and dialogue; plot and worldbuilding consistencies; and phrasing and sentence structure. This is the level of editing you are ready for once your story structure is set, your character arcs are arcing, and you’ve almost gone cross-eyed staring at it to figure out if you need to move a sentence to the beginning of that paragraph or just delete it.

This category is the most common editing category, and while it should accomplish the bulk of the editing work, it does not replace a final copy edit or proofreading pass. This is where I dig in and make everything about the story and the prose flow.

When you first contact me, I will ask for a five page sample of your manuscript. After an initial review of those five pages (at the firm industry standard of 250 words/page), I will return the sample with edits and a project estimate. Then you get to look at it, lose a few hours of sleep trying to figure out if you really need this (you do), and then you hire me. I require a 50% retainer (applied toward your final investment) to reserve your project time on my calendar. A lot of information? Don’t worry—through video conferencing and emails, everything will be as clear as shatter-proof glass in a New York City high rise.

Quite simply, this is the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

Developmental coaching/plotting ($62/hr)

Do you have a story idea that won’t let you sleep at night? Not sure how to get it out of your head and on paper? With over fifteen years experience coaching writing, I can help you turn that blank page into a publishable manuscript. This is a one-on-one experience customized according to your needs and progress as a writer. After you contact me, we’ll schedule a time to connect and discuss how to best fulfill your desires.

What does this look like? This is where I bring in my vast teaching knowledge to coach you through your unique creative process. Are you sequential or non-sequential? Visual or Musical? Do you express ideas in the same way you ingest them? Don’t know? That’s what I’m here for.

Fast Pass/Pre-Pass ($0.03/word)

The Fast Pass is a one-and-done editing option for authors who are solid writers looking for only the most relevant and efficient editing feedback. The focus of a fast pass is to clean up the copy and point out the top five to ten improvements you can make to your manuscript before you hit ‘publish’. 50% estimate retainer required to reserve your time on my calendar.

The Pre-Pass option is a look at a completed but rough manuscript to help a growing author target the most helpful changes during the first or second attempt at revisions. This pass addresses only the big stuff—overall story and character development—and comes with a bullet-point summary to help focus your efforts on your next revision round. 50% estimate retainer required to reserve your time on my calendar.

Fight Scene Review ($90 flat rate)

Writing and fighting are my stock and trade. While I was teaching writing, I taught fighting in the form of traditional Japanese karate. I also worked for a newspaper as a sports writer. I will burn through your fight scene or action sequence and give you concrete, applicable feedback. This flat rate covers the content editing (no line editing) for one scene of 1500 words or fewer and a fifteen minute video conference to review the feedback with you. Payment is due in full with your scene submission.

Developmental EDITING ($0.05/WORD)

Have your story down but not quite sure it’s right? It sort of feels close? Maybe not at all? If you have your vision, but you aren’t quite sure how to make it come across on the page, a developmental edit may be what you need. A developmental edit digs into the manuscript in a broad view, addressing all major story elements such as plot structure, character development, world-building, magic systems, genre tropes, and anything that might be unique to your story. A developmental edit digs into the manuscript itself, marking areas with specific notes and guidance to give you a map for revisions.

A developmental edit is similar to a manuscript evaluation, including the summary, and adds notes in the document as a guide. This edit includes two hours of Zoom call consultation.

Curriculum Development ($72/HR)

This is a rare opportunity for authors who write for young adult or middle school audiences. It also offers additional depth for authors who connect to their audiences through schools, libraries, and book clubs. After you contact me, we will interact through email or video conference to establish a clear understanding of your goals and how to reach them. Similar to reserving my content and line editing services, I will give you an estimate for the project and require a retainer of 50% of your expected final investment to reserve your space on my calendar.

Why is curriculum development more expensive than content editing? The simplest answer? It is hard to find. It requires a specific background and skill set that can only be developed with the right education and experience. It also requires an extensive understanding of national/state curriculum requirements and how those translate to practical use in the classroom.

Do you want to expand your product offerings by adding book-related curriculum? I’m your gal.

GHOSTWRITING (QUOTED)

Ghostwriting is when I write your book for you, but nobody knows about it. It’s our little secret. I can write all of it or part of it. One of my great strengths is being able to match your style and tone so that nobody can even tell what’s going on. I basically get to be a ninja writer while you play the role of the public figure. Are you good at plotting stories but get bored with the sitting down and wording part? If yes, then that’s where I come in.