Have you written a sapphic fiction novel and feel like you don’t really know what to do next? Are you looking for some feedback before you begin searching for alpha/beta readers, or an editor, or submitting to publishers?
I can help steer you towards creating your best manuscript!
As well as being a multi-award-winning and consistently bestselling author of 17 contemporary romance novels, I’ve also mentored authors for the Golden Crown Literary Society Writing Academy and have experience beta reading for other sapphic fiction authors.
What you’ll get:
-A 15-minute Zoom chat to discuss your needs, as well as a free sample mentoring, where I’ll have a read of your first five pages and give feedback to see if we’re a good fit for each other before we commit.
-I will make one (very) thorough pass through your manuscript and provide feedback, in Microsoft Word, with my comments throughout and any notes inline that I feel are appropriate. Comments you could expect might be something along the lines of: “The leadup to this first kiss is A+ yearning material! Nicely done.” or “I know this is supposed to be emotional because you’re telling me that, but I’m not really feeling that gut punch – consider beefing up the sads?”
-A letter summarizing my thoughts overall, with what I felt worked well and what I think may need some more work.
-A 30-minute Zoom chat to discuss my feedback.
What you won’t get:
-An editor or proofreader. I’m not going to delete swathes of your work, or tell you to completely rework a plot point or add a plot point, or go through line by line to correct your spelling and grammar and continuity.
But, I may make general suggestions, like: “Would Mary really say that to Victoria? Seems out of character.” or “This feels unnecessary to me.” Or point out if I notice a broken “rule” with punctuation/grammar etc. (once) for you to take on board.
I will look at:
-Your plot. Was I engaged throughout, does it make sense, does it feel like it drags or rushes in parts, does it hit the beats the genre requires?
-Your characters. Are they realistic and relatable, did I connect to them in a way that made me want them to succeed or did I hate that villain the way you intended?
-The balance between narrative and dialogue. Does it feel lopsided, does your dialogue come across as natural, are there any obvious repetition of phrases or words, does anything feel superfluous within the narrative?
-Anything you may have specific concerns about, with regards to things above I may not have mentioned. Do you just have a vibe that things need to be cut or the manuscript needs to be beefed up but you’re not quite sure where?
What it will cost:
-Manuscripts 60,000 words and under: $300.00USD
-Manuscripts 60,001 words–80,000 words: $350.00USD
-Manuscripts 80,001 words–100,000 words: $400.00USD
-Manuscripts 100,001–120,000 words: $500.00USD
-Manuscripts over 120,000 words: I will stop reading at the 120,000 word mark.
-A second pass of your manuscript if you’ve made adjustments: $100.00USD
FAQs
So, how do I get mentored?
Send me a message via the “Contact” at the bottom of the page, or in the “About” section.
What if I don’t like the feedback you’ve given me?
That’s why we have a video chat to discuss expectations, as well as the “sample mentoring” to see if I feel that I can help you and that you’re happy with how I work.
I know sometimes getting feedback we perceive as negative can feel like the worst thing but my style is to be encouraging and not cruel, while also being realistic. We can discuss how you feel about it in our final video chat but I’m an author, not a therapist.
How long will it be before I get your feedback?
Short answer: it depends.
Long answer: If we decide to move forward, I will give you a timeframe to have my feedback to you. Depending on my workload, I would usually give a guarantee of “within two weeks.” Usually…
Do I have to have a completed manuscript?
Nope! I can take a look at partially finished work if you’re just looking for a general vibe about what you’ve written. The caveat for this is that giving feedback on an unfinished manuscript might hamper my ability to given in-depth feedback about overall plot points and whatnot.
How is this different to having an alpha or beta reader?What kind of genres will you work with?
Pretty much any, though I’m most experienced with contemporary romance.
I would say the genre where I may not be able to provide the most benefit with is sci-fi/fantasy.
How do I pay and when?
PayPal.
I’ll create an invoice for you Payable on delivery of your manuscript to me. This transaction is final (see above re: feedback).
And yes, I know, PayPal. But given international requirements, this is the easiest and most available solution.
Can I pay in installments?
Sorry, no.
How do I know you’re not just going to steal my manuscript or a plot idea or the whole plot then ride off into the sunset and publish it as your own?
Because my reputation and integrity within this community is very important to me.
Aside from that, I have enough ideas of my own to write.
Sure you can’t edit or proofread this manuscript for me?
I’m sure. I mean…I could, but that’s not what this service is. Manuscript mentoring only.