FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I got into this line of work because of the positive feedback I have received from members of my writer's groups, telling me how much my input helped them see things about their story from a potential reader's perspective. I teach a trick that I use myself, called "What does 'Bob' need to know?" which can help writers stay focused on the essential elements of their primary plot without getting hopelessly lost in divergent plot lines that may not serve their story.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Be far enough into your manuscript that you feel it "taking off". That is, when you know you are well into the creative flow. If you are feeling stuck creatively, it may help to just talk about what it is you are trying to do, in addition to having someone review your work. I am available for phone consultation and am willing to offer a series of critiques for one fee, to help you get in to, and stay with, your writing as a process.
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
I am a writing coach. I am not a professional editor and do not claim to be. That is to say I have never edited a manuscript in order to declare it ready for publication. Professional editors usually charge an editing fee per page. I work by the hour for small jobs or charge a flat rate for giving you an overall critique of your manuscript, not a line by line edit. Editors can correct content, grammar, and sentence structure, but the nature of fiction writing involves much more than just being able to write an effective and descriptive sentence. This is where a writing coach can help. A writing coach will help you learn to recognize your writing style and what elements of your writing contribute to your own unique "voice". In addition, a coach is someone who is there to encourage you to keep learning new ways to effectively express yourself with words. Writing is much more than just a string of descriptive sentences. A good fiction story, or a memoir, must have an engaging plot, as well as a well-paced rhythm, that allows the reader to become "hooked", and then stay engaged until they turn the final page.