Editorial Services
My critique partners will tell you that I am thorough – but I also don’t hold back. If you’re looking for compliments and a pat on the head, I’m not your girl. What you will get from me, should you choose to procure my services, is listed below.
Why Choose Me?
I recently signed a contract for my twelfth book with a major publisher. I know pace, plotting, structure, voice – in short, I know what makes a novel work, and I can also pin down when one is not working and how to fix it.
I participated in #PitchWars for two years, steering my mentees through multiple drafts and heavy editing. Both of my mentees have secured agents, and one even ended up signing with my editor at my publishing house, Harper Collins.
I have also been a Young Adult librarian aide for thirteen years. I know the market, I know what’s out there and what’s already been done. I read widely, and can give you some pointers on how to distinguish your book from existing titles, if necessary.
What I Know Best:
I write Young Adult, but I read widely and am confident that I can be of assistance in any genre or age range, with the exception of picture books and chapter books. I’m also adept with nonfiction, memoir or biography.
What I’m Offering:
Query Rescue $50.00
The query is how you introduce yourself to an agent or editor. This is your only chance to make a first impression and it needs to be as close to perfect as possible. My query critique package offers five passthroughs of your query, including both inline and overall thoughts.
Synopsis Rescue $45.00
The synopsis offers a walkthrough of your plot and main character traits, illustrating pacing, character arc and resolution, while maintaining the voice of your manuscript. It is no easy task, but I’m here to help! My synopsis critique package offers three passthroughs of your query, including both inline and overall thoughts. If your synopsis is over 1000 words, there will be an additional .02 per word charge.
First Ten Pages Manuscript Critique $75.00
The first ten pages are what will grab an agent’s or editor’s attention. They need to be strong and compelling. I will give you in-line edits along with detailed notes to help you tighten and strengthen those pages. I will remain available via email to clarify any questions you might have about the critique, after it is delivered.
Partial/Full Manuscript Critique .02/ per word
I am only offering partial / full manuscript critiques to those who’ve already received a First Ten Pages Manuscript Critique. This is to ensure that we can work well together and that my style fits your expectations. I want you to be happy and to feel that your money was well spent. The 10 page critique will give you a chance to see if my critiquing methods work for you.
As with the first ten pages critique, I will give in-line edits along with extensive detailed notes. My big picture edits will cover: plot, pacing, character arcs, and the ever elusive voice. Smaller in-line edits are to point out specific points where dialogue might be weak, something might be unclear, or where the writing could be tightened up. I will most definitely alert you to misspellings, continuity errors and any grammar mistakes that I spot. However it should be noted that I am not a qualified or professional proofreader.
The Small Print
All payments will go through PayPal. I will invoice you, which means in addition to my fee, you will pay a small fee to PayPal. As of January 1, 2020, the fee is 2.9%. Please go to the PayPal website for more information.
For the First Ten Pages Critique, Query Rescue and Synopsis Rescue, payment will be required in full when the pages are sent. For Full Manuscript Critiques, half the payment will be due upon sending pages and the other half will be due when your critique is completed. I will notify you when the critique is completed and send my notes to you upon receiving final payment.
Please format your manuscript to industry standard formatting. This means: 1-inch margins all around, size 12 font (Times New Roman is my personal preference), double-spaced, with no extra spacing between paragraphs. All editing will be done using Microsoft Word’s “track changes” function. If you don’t have Microsoft Word let me know and we can try working around it with Google docs.
Receiving a critique from me is in no way a guarantee that you will find representation, or be published. I will help you improve your manuscript, but sometimes even the best manuscripts don’t find a home.
For Ten Page Critiques my turn around time is two weeks after receiving your pages. The turnaround time for Full Manuscript Critiques will be no more than eight weeks. Query and Synopsis Rescue will be returned within two weeks, and subsequent passes within one week. If I have a backlog or anticipate not being able to turn around your manuscript within these parameters I will email you and let you know upon receiving your request.
All submissions received are automatically assumed as copyrighted by you, the author. I will never reproduce your words without your written permission. I will not steal your ideas. If I feel like your manuscript is too similar to something that I am working on, I will pass on editing it. That being said, publishing is full of trends. If you write a book about witches, I cannot guarantee that I won’t also write a witch book at some point in the future. If this is a big concern for you, maybe consider working with a freelance editor who is not also a writer.
You will be asked to sign an editorial contract before we begin working together.
Testimonials
“Mindy was instrumental in helping me find the flaws in early drafts of my manuscripts, and offered clear and extraordinarily helpful suggestions for how to remedy them. She’s a joy to work with, and I consider her assistance to be an essential part of my editing process.”
“If your word count is bloated and pace is dragging, Mindy can spot what’s unnecessary or could be tightened. On the other end of the spectrum, she’s also able to pinpoint areas that warrant more fleshing out.”
“Not only is Mindy an amazing author, but she also has a keen editorial eye. Her critiques always bring new insight to my work, and she can help any aspiring writer raise their manuscript to the next level.”
“Mindy gives close reads where she picks out errors, repetitive words, and spots where unnecessary verbiage can be cut. I have also greatly benefited from Mindy’s big picture notes having to do with plot development, character, and tone. As a librarian working with young adults she has a unique perspective on how teens respond to these different elements that has really helped to shape and inform my own writing.”