Editorial Services
Whether you are working on fiction or nonfiction, we can support your vision by bringing our active knowledge and insight of the publishing market to your particular project.
We offer a range of services across audiences, categories, and genres to assist you at any stage in your writing process from early concept to completed draft. If you are a beginning writer or a multi-published author—or somewhere in-between—we can guide you in the next phase of your career with our custom editorial and consulting services, providing our specialized perspective as experienced professional literary agents.
Let us help you shape your proposal or manuscript to achieve your goal of traditional or self-publishing! Not sure what service is the best fit? Schedule a complimentary 10-minute consultation call to discuss how we can tailor our approach to your needs.
First Look
Beginning a new manuscript is exciting—and challenging. We can help you optimize your progress. Is your idea relevant and original? Does it have what it takes to stand out in a crowded market? Do you have a great opening but you are unsure how to keep moving forward? Before you spend months—or years—developing your book, let us have the first look! We will evaluate the start to make sure you are on the right track, address what you may need to resolve before getting in deeper, and where to look for inspiration.
We will:
- Review up to 20K words of your manuscript opening
- Provide annotations directly on your manuscript (using Track Changes1)
- Present an analysis of what works and what needs attention
- Suggest potential comparative titles
- Consult with you in a one-hour phone call or digital conference
Fee: $500
Manuscript Evaluation
A professional evaluation differs from a beta-reader in many ways. We are not influenced by a personal relationship and critical reading is our passion! If you have completed your first draft and now need an experienced assessment to see where and how it may fit in the market—what works, what needs fixing, and who the audience may be—this is the service for you. We will give you the feedback you need to kick-start your editorial process.
We will:
- Review your full manuscript (up to 90K words2)
- Provide a multi-page editorial letter, as well as annotations directly on your manuscript (using Track Changes1)
- Highlight examples of areas that need attention or development, with specific suggestions for improvement (approximately 20)
- Offer market analysis and potential comparative titles
- Consult with you in a one-hour phone call or digital conference
Fee: $1,200
2 Each additional 10K words will be charged at a rate of $100 up to 130K words. If the length of your manuscript is beyond the scope of this service, please reach out to discuss other options for your work.
Substantive + Line Edit
Every manuscript can benefit from a substantive edit. The more polished your manuscript, the easier it is to get it accepted by both agents and editors. We will address every element of your work from character development to dialogue, plotting, story arc, pacing, point of view, and overall craft. Get the professional perspective and comprehensive editorial feedback you need to prepare for a successful submission.
We will:
- Review your full manuscript (up to 90K words3)
- Provide a multi-page editorial letter
- Deliver detailed line-edits on your manuscript (using Track Changes1), highlighting specific examples of areas that need attention or development, with suggestions for improvement (approximately 60)
- Offer general market analysis and potential comparative titles
- Consult with you in two one-hour phone calls or digital conferences; one on delivery of our edits, and a follow-up call within the subsequent two-week period to address additional questions
Fee: $2,500
3 Each additional 10K words will be charged at a rate of $150 up to 130K words. If the length of your manuscript is beyond the scope of this service, please reach out to discuss other options for your work.
Proposal Evaluation
Do you have a brilliant idea for a nonfiction book, but no concept of how to write a proposal? We’ve got you covered. We will provide you with the basics, then work with you to develop the best presentation for your topic. In addition to directing you on your content, we will help you identify your audience, create a marketing plan, and offer advice on building your platform. From memoir to pop culture and everything in between, we can coach you in drafting a winning project.
We will:
- Provide proposal template, including curated examples relevant to your content
- Review up to 5K words of your sample chapters, with annotations (using Track Changes1)
- Offer general platform-building tools, detailed market analysis, tips on creating a marketing plan, and discussion of potential comparative titles
- Consult with you in a one-hour phone call or digital conference
Fee: $1,000
Children’s Picture Book Evaluation
The finite length of a picture book text means that every word counts. Though fewer words might seem like less work, there is an incredible amount of skill and craft involved in writing picture books. From the concept to the illustration notes, we can help you shape a text that shines.
We are open to all projects from fiction to nonfiction, and prose to poetry. We cover standalone and series across genres and audiences from ages 0-8. Whether you are working on an early concept board book for toddlers or a narrative biography for early readers, we can offer you direction on age-level appropriateness and thematic content, and assist you in streamlining and formatting your text.
We will:
- Review your picture book text (up to 500 words4)
- Provide an editorial letter addressing overall strengths and weaknesses
- Highlight examples of areas that need attention or development, with specific suggestions for improvement (using Track Changes1)
(Text only, please! We do not provide illustration evaluations at this time.)
Fee: $300
4 Fee is based on a text of 500 words or less. Each additional 50 words will be charged at $30, up to a maximum of 1500 words in total.
Coaching and Consultations
Our consultation services are an open forum for discussion on topics of your choosing. This is your opportunity to get questions about your writing and the business of publishing answered. Have an idea? Let’s brainstorm how best to develop it. Feeling stuck? We can talk through your block and find solutions. Need direction? Coaching might be the best fit for you.
As industry insiders, we can speak to the possibilities for your work, whether just the seed of an idea, a work in progress, or an already contracted manuscript. Consulting services are open to writers of all levels. We aim to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the options for your work, and to assist you in making informed choices in your publishing career. Ask us about industry standards, the landscape of domestic and international markets, and your writer’s craft. Our consultation service is customized to your individual needs, from pitch practice to mentorship. Get ready to work!
We will:
- Review up to 1500 words of your materials, including query, synopsis, outline, first pages, or proposal—or a combination!
- Consult with you in a 45-minute phone call or digital conference
Topics may include:
- Query letter writing
- Pitch practice
- Fiction and nonfiction concept development
- Overcoming blocks
- Market landscape
- Genre and audience identification
- Writer’s craft
- How to find an agent or editor
- General industry advice
Rate: $175/45 minutes
Mentorship
We offer ongoing writing mentorships on an individual basis. The focus and length of the mentorship depends on your work and your needs, but we are open to work of all kinds at all stages from picture book to adult fiction, and work-in-progress to completed manuscript. If you are looking for a highly personalized, one-on-one experience, please do reach out for more information.
Follow Up
Have you previously engaged our services? Do you have follow up questions? Or would you like us to take a look at your revisions? We offer follow-up services to all of our clients. You can book a 30-minute phone chat or digital conference to discuss your new draft and next steps.
Rate: $100/30 minutes5
5 Based on text of 5000 words or less. For additional word count, additional fees apply.
Publishing Contract Review
You’ve been offered a publishing contract—congratulations!—now what? As literary agents, this is our business. We are intimately familiar with publishing contracts ranging from independent presses to Big Five houses. Let us guide you through the elements of your contract, advise you on what should be added and/or removed, and provide you with industry specific tips for your negotiation. Let us help you build your knowledge, and your confidence, in brokering the best possible terms.
We will:
- Review your offer memo and/or draft contract
- Provide annotations on your contract, highlighting areas that may require further discussion with your publisher, with sample contract language (using Track Changes1)
- Consult with you in a 45-minute phone call or digital conference to answer any questions and offer negotiation strategies
Fee: $475
A few notes:
1 Track Changes is the editing tool in Microsoft Word that allows us to recommend changes and ask questions directly on your manuscript without affecting the integrity of the text.
Currency is listed here in Canadian dollars, but may be converted for payment in US dollars, euro, or pound sterling.
We take special care to insure the security and confidentiality of your work.