THE DEAL: No BS about your MS
CRITIQUE, EDITING, PROOFREADING, MENTORING:
Need help editing your manuscript in order to submit it to an agent, publisher, or contest?
The Real Writer (Chris Stewart) offers critique, editing, and proofreading services (broken down below) for writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The ideal client is one who is passionate about writing and learning how to improve his/her skills and who is ready for constructive critique/edits to move to the next level. Chris' work is thorough and insightful, but also includes as much instruction on craft as she can squeeze in, while honoring your voice and vision for the manuscript. Chris' goal is to provide you with the tools and skills to empower and inspire you as you revise your current work and begin future projects.
The Writing Life: Through her residencies, teaching experience, the conferences she attends, and her contacts, Chris stays up to date on what agents and editors are looking for and can point you in the direction of some fantastic resources that will get you face time with editors from leading publishing houses and hot new agents. She can also point you in the direction of resources for grants, residencies, fellowships, online communities, and contests, as well as make suggestions for publications to subscribe to to keep informed on the latest news and opportunities in the writing world. Chris will make the appropriate suggestions after working with you on your book.
Your Pitch, Synopsis, Query Letter: Chris can also help you write and revise all of these necessary documents that are required during the submission process, so you're ready to showcase your book (hourly rate; please inquire).
About Chris Stewart, The Real Writer. Chris has an MFA and MA in creative writing, has led workshops for more than 15 years (currently in the Johns Hopkins Odyssey program), and is a Pushcart Prize nominee, a Ruth Lilly Fellow, and first runner up for the 2012 Maureen Egen Award from Poets & Writers magazine. She is a frequent contributor to the online magazine JMWW and The Writer's Edge blog, as well as her own blog, The Real Writer. Some of her publications include Poetry, Ploughshares, Five Points, Blackbird, and Smartish Pace. Her last residency was at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.
(Please do not call to respond to the quote or finalize working together. Phone conversations must be prearranged. Communication is by email, to start.)
CRITIQUE, DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING, and PROOFREADING SERVICES:
CRITIQUE: $4 per page
Chris will read through the manuscript and suggest where to trim and clarify the work until only your unique voice remains, and offer thoughtful interpretations and suggestions. You will receive a written evaluation of the manuscript's strengths and weaknesses, as well as a critique of characters, plot, voice, pacing, dialogue, structure, and quality of writing, pointing out where the writing is on target and effective, and making suggestions on ways to improve the parts that need revision. This is a 'big picture' service that is often the best way to begin the revision process after completing a manuscript. With critique, no changes are made to the manuscript itself. See Developmental Editing below.
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING: $4 per page
Editing suggestions made at the level of the line/sentence where appropriate through Track Changes. You'll receive that version of the ms electronically, as well as a second document where changes have been accepted so you have a clean copy with just comments. This editing service checks for spelling, grammar, sentence structure, flow, consistency, point of view, suggestions for deleting and adding material and general revisions. Includes margin comments about craft/editing issues related to plot, dialogue, structure, character, voice, etc. is included.
Note: these editing comments are suggestion in the margins only. It's the client's responsibility to make the revisions that delete, fill in gaps, move material, change material, and elaborate.
PROOFREADING: $3 per page
Correction of punctuation, grammar, spelling, syntax issues, consistency, typos. This step is best left until the manuscript is the best it can be, per the above services. Proofreading and editing are separate steps that require two different ways of reading the manuscript, so editing is not included.
Services include a discussion of the manuscript by phone or email, any follow up emails, and a no-cost reading of up to 25 revised pages.
Note: Manuscripts must be formatted properly prior to start of service:
- double spaced
- 1 inch margins on all sides
- Times New Roman
- 12 point font
- Chapters begin halfway down the page and start flush left
- New sections, scenes where there is a leap in time, location, or a move to a sustained new point of view should start flush left
- The last name, portion of title, and page number appear in upper right hand corner like this: Name/Part of Title/Number, except on first page.
Short pieces (short stories, essays, a group of poems) are charged the two hour minimum rate ($140) in lieu of the per page rate to start and on from there ($70/hour).
Poetry: this includes everything it should: syntax, grammar, punctuation, line breaks, pacing, consistency of figurative language (metaphors are the trickiest), title, stanza structure, successful use of form (if that's being used), voice, how poems interact with each other, the book as a whole, etc. Depending on your plans for the poems or book (contest, MFA portfolio, publication), comments will be geared towards reaching that goal.
MENTORING:
Sign up for one-on-one mentoring sessions of one to two hours, your choice (once a week or twice a month). You and I will work together on your poems or short fiction or that novel or memoir (or blog entries - anything and everything!)
Whatever your goal:
-experimentation, exploration, and FUN
-recording family memories and stories
-creating a portfolio for a MFA application
-polishing a MFA thesis
-submission to an editor or agent, or to a contest
-skill development
Please note that for a one hour session, I will need another hour to read and evaluate your work prior to our meeting.
For a two hour session, I will need two hours, as there will, naturally, be more of your writing to prepare.
I will work with people online who can't meet in person.
FEES:
The fee is $70/per hour and breaks down as follows:
One hour session/one hour prep = 5 poems or 20-25 pages of prose. (Cost = $140)
Two hour session/ two hour prep = 10 poems or 40-50 pages of prose. (Cost = $280)
Payment is required at the time of our meeting.
WORKSHOPS:
If you're local, I'm teaching a three week class called WRITE YOUR BOOK PITCH on writing and delivery your pitch to agents and editors beginning April 2, 2013 for the Johns Hopkins Odyssey program. Email me for details on how to register or go here in the spring: Register for Pitch Class
Whatever service you choose, I'll help to sharpen your poetry and/or prose, help you with plot and structure or elements of form, tune your dialogue, teach you the fundamentals of craft, help prepare a manuscript for submission, or accompany you in an exploration of the art with exercises and projects.
Whether the goal is publication or simply gathering a record of a period in your life for yourself, family, and friends, I will respect and honor your unique voice and gifts. There's no time like the present to further your dream of being the best writer you can be.
It's never to late to be what you might have been. -- George Eliot
