The Writer

1:1 coaching and editing services for writers who want to get published

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Coaching Services

Writing on your own doesn’t have to mean writing alone

It’s no secret that writing can be pretty lonely work.

Whether you’re seated in your home office or perched at a coffee shop counter, only one person can transform your thoughts and ideas into words: you.

For some, such solitude is delightful. A beautiful chance to escape the world and tune out the never-ending hubbub. They’ll deliver 10 pages by noon and think nothing of it.

For others, though, such solitude is stifling. They sit down to write and … nothing happens. Every now and then, a few sentences make their way onto the screen. But then they’re hurriedly deleted. And soon, despair sits in.

Here’s my good news:
you don’t have to write alone.

I can’t write your words for you. However, I can help you discover WHY you’re blocked and WHAT you can do about it.

While my 1:1 coaching programs are customized to each individual, I build them around three basic principles:

Self Compassion.

If you’re having trouble writing, there’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing at all. I believe it’s actually a sign that you’re learning and growing. That’s why I believe that you should:

Write every day.

In most cases, writer’s block does not magically disappear. It has to be written through. That’s why I created a shared document for you. While I offer writing prompts and questions, you respond with, well, words.

Play is the cornerstone of creativity.

As much as I strive to be professional, I insist upon being playful, too. Because you must learn how to play with words if you want to write things worth saying and reading.

Whether you’re an aspiring writer or an experienced author, my coaching will ignite your imagination, give you newfound confidence, and embolden you to write your best work.

Complete your 1:1 coaching application today.

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Polish and publish your project

You’ve got a first draft. And hey, it’s not as bad as you thought it would be! You’re excited. And yet you also wonder, “What do I do next?”

Whether you’re planning to self-publish or hoping to catch the eye of a literary agent, my editing services can help you put your best foot forward.

Developmental Editing

In publishing lingo, a “developmental editor” is someone who helps you solidify the structure and integrity of your manuscript.

Think of it like a house: the developmental editor is like an engineer. They pore over your plans, making sure that the structure is safe (the roof isn’t going to collapse) and sensible (you don’t end up with dead-end-hallways-to-nowhere).

This in-depth process typically involves:

A full read-through of your draft...

…so I can fully understand your project and its current state.

An initial set of recommendations:

Big picture comments and questions to guide your first set of revisions.

Feedback on your first revision:

Affirming the developments you’ve made thus far and offering further suggestions for your next steps.

RECOMMENDED BUDGET: $2,000 to $4,000 (USD)

Have questions? Send them my way via my contact form, no strings attached. I want what’s best for you and your project. If I don’t think that’s me, I’ll be straight and say so.

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Line Editing

Once your project is soundly structured and ready for polishing, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and look at your manuscript line-by-line.

Which, yes, is why we call this work “line editing.”

When you’re in the throes of this work, you might think that “line editing” is a euphemism for “being overly pedantic and picky about sentences.” But after it’s done, you’ll be SO thankful that you took this time and spent this energy. Kinda like going to the dentist. (Except that I won’t fill-and-drill or make your mouth feel funny.)

Line editing is a back-and-forth process. You send me your manuscript, ideally in chapter-sized chunks, and I go through them one at a time. Using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature, I highlight problematic phrases, suggest alternate wordings, and emphasize bits that catch my attention in a good way. (The praise is just as important as the constructive criticism!)

I typically advise writers to budget for two rounds of back-and-forth. While it’s time-consuming, this important work is often the different between clear, compelling prose—the kind of book readers start AND finish—and a book that sits unread or half-read on the shelf.

RECOMMENDED BUDGET: $2,500 to $5,000 (USD)

Have questions? Send them my way via my contact form, no strings attached. I want what’s best for you and your project. If I don’t think that’s me, I’ll be straight and say so.

Get Started