Consultant

Services Provided: Primarily, my clients include writers of poetry who have full-length manuscripts (~9,000 words) or chapbook-length manuscripts (~3,000 words) that would benefit from an expert’s advice on how to prepare it for publication.  On a case-by-case basis, I can also be available to fiction and nonfiction writers, including scientists and researchers.  My rate is $85 per hour.  The average project will take been 5 hours and 18 hours to complete, depending on your needs.

The assessment of your poetry collection includes:

Written overall assessment of my findings, concerns, and suggestions, including an evaluation of your skills and your project’s readiness for publication

Written revisions, edits, and/or comments on each poem, as needed

Poetic-line-break suggestions, as needed

Thematic assistance, if needed

Evaluation of the quality of your imagery and sensory details

Evaluation of the quality of your word choices (with an emphasis on nouns and verbs)

Evaluation of sound qualities

Transitions/section breaks evaluation

Evaluation of the organization of the poems

Point-of-view assessment

Evaluation of title, if requested

Grammatical edits, if requested

Book recommendations, if requested

Website recommendations (e.g. lists of contests, magazines, small presses), if requested

After I’ve completed the assessment and sent it to you, you have the option of one back-and-forth email exchange or a one-hour meeting in Seattle. Alternatively, a 45-minute Skype date or a 45-minute phone call can be scheduled.

My approach unites consulting with coaching and advising.  Additionally, I will honor your needs by providing individualized consulting, meet our agreed-upon deadline, honor your art’s integrity, and delete all digital and paper copies of your manuscript

Extras (fees may apply*):

Advice on classes, graduate school, writing groups, etc.

Support for your writer’s block*

Craft lessons*

Critique of individual poems not included in the manuscript-in-progress*

Book blurb

Post-publication marketing support*

Exclusions:  Introductions to literary agents; researching manuscript contest and small/university presses; incorporating edits into your manuscript; refunds.