Manuscript Review
I offer three levels of service to help you deliver a polished, publishable manuscript.
Level One: General Review
I’ll read your manuscript and offer a general critique of its strengths and weaknesses. My feedback will target the specific areas where you’ll need to focus your efforts during revision.
For fiction, this covers characterization, plotting, dialogue, and the like. I’ll nominate characters for assassination or Extreme Makeover if I don’t think they’re working, help you untangle convoluted plotting or rethink a fizzling narrative, and point out flat dialogue or help you liven up a page by transforming description into dialogue, along with other specific pointers. I might actually edit a paragraph, page, or chapter to show you exactly how to implement my suggestions. I’ll give you an honest—and kind—opinion of whether I think it’s worth your time to dance with that damn manuscript again.
For nonfiction, I’ll help you clarify your thesis, make sure the manuscript’s organization supports it, help you tease out the examples that bring theory to life, and make sure the whole shebang is lively and presentable and does justice to your voice and your goals.
My general reviews run, on average, from five to ten pages. It takes me, on average, 10 to 12 hours total to read a manuscript and write my critique.
Level Two: Page-by-Page Review
I’ll read your manuscript, offer my general critique as above, and actually walk you page by page through your book, giving you very specific suggestions. E.g., “p. 13 Here’s an example of when you’re telling instead of showing; have the character tell a joke here instead of just telling us how funny he is.” Or “p. 25 This dialogue sounds a bit flat; let’s reword it as _____.” Or “p. 32 This research is ten years old; let’s cite something more recent, such as ____.” I give you the marching orders so you know exactly what to do; you implement them.
My page-by-page reviews generally run from 15 to 30 pages and it takes me, on average, 20 to 25 hours total to complete them.
Level Three: Full Manuscript Edit
Just what it sounds like: I edit the manuscript top to bottom. I do only two or three of these a year, since line editing is an incredibly time-consuming task. I only take on those manuscripts I consider fully developed enough to warrant such a labor-intensive endeavor. A full edit takes me several weeks or months, depending on the manuscript.
Fees: I charge $300/hour with a two-hour minimum for General Reviews and Page-by-Page Reviews.
My fees for Full Manuscript Edits are astronomical, but they’re worth it. We’ll discuss when you’re sitting down.