Critiques: Online or via Email

 
Let me save you some time before reading this post; Do you want to improve your writing? Are you willing to pay to improve?

If the answer to either of those is No then read no further, this post isn’t for you.

 
Answered Yes to both? Read on.

One of the most useful things when learning to write has two parts:

• Work with someone who knows what makes writing worth reading, and
• Have someone who writes well go over your work with you.

I mention these things in my interview starting about 1.45m in.

 
Several people contacted me since that interview and asked if I would critique their work. Several of the authors I’ve interviewed in the Author Interview Plunge series asked me to critique their work. This year more and more writers and authors asked me to work with them on their storycrafting, storytelling, blurbs, backcover copy, pitches, bookcovers, … Recentely a publisher asked me to mentor authors and writers whose work they rejected but which showed promise.

 
Quite flattering, all of that.

Would you like me to critique your work?
I offer individual, in-depth critiques of your work and/or group mentorings.

You can sample my critiquing philosophy and methods at Writers’ Groups – Critiques and So I gave myself an exercise (eating my own dogfood)….

 
Pricing

• Non-paying subscribers and visitors
  • Online – 1hr, $300, 10 double-spaced pages
  • Email – $30/page, double-spaced, 5 page minimum
• Paying subscribers (Muse level and above)
  • Online – 1hr, $150, 10 double-spaced pages
  • Email – $15/page, double-spaced, 5 page minimum

Rules and Restrictions

1. Don’t have five pages to submit? No problem, put two or more stories into the single submission.
2. I’m not the final arbiter of your work. You are. Don’t like my critique? No problem, take your work elsewhere. Note: Your payment is non-refundable even if you don’t like my critique.
3. I’m neither agent nor publisher, nor does working with me ensure publication.
4. My end goal is to teach you enough so that you’ll a) not need me any more or b) be able to confidently go on to someone more capable than I (and let me know who they are. I’m learning, too!).
5. Should I look at your work and believe I’m not going to be helpful (or I simply enjoy reading it), I’ll let you know and refund your payment.
6. Online critique sessions are one (1) hr long. We may run longer. Don’t count on it. If we do, consider it a gift. Use it wisely and well.
7. An important element of being a writer is being in touch with different emotions to connect with characters on an emotional level. Some sessions will seek visceral reactions. Techniques to achieve emotional reactions may seem aggressive, offensive, crude, and/or hateful. By signing up for a session, you consent to any and all techniques used within the session that may seek to connect you with various emotional responses. You agree any offense is non-actionable for any damage you may feel you suffer or for the cost of the session.
8. Material submitted for critique can take 3-10 days to complete. I’ll keep you posted should I need more time.
9. Can’t afford my rates? Contact me. Convince me you’re working hard at your craft and I’ll work hard to make sure you get any help I can offer.

 
Fill in the form below and we’ll get started.