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DevelopmentAL Editing

What on earth gave me the idea that I could actually help writers with their work? There are many, many things I'm not good at, but brainstorming, problem solving, and craft aren't among them. They are actually my favorite parts of this profession. After countless hours of doing it for friends and critique partners, someone suggested I try doing it for other people.

My philosophy:
Your book is yours. You should love it because it’s your absolute best work, the best job you can do at this point in your writing career. It will never be mine or anyone else’s.
That said, writing is really, stinking hard. There are as many rules and methods as there are writers. Unfortunately, there is no ‘one-way to do things' we all wish there was. Everyone's talent, skill, goals, and process work differently.
What I want to do is help you find your process, your style, your voice. Together, we will use your strengths to their fullest potential as well as develop the weaker areas of your writing.
Whether your goal is to sell a ton of books, make a lot of money, or win a Pulitzer, it begins with having a fantastic book. I can help you with that.

Things I will do for you:
I will guide you to write the best book you can.
I will brainstorm and suggest ideas to make your characters fuller, your plot multi-layered, and the impact on your readers longer lasting. All novels should have a theme, otherwise what's the point? But not everyone can recognize theme in what they've already written or understand how incredibly helpful using your theme can be when you're stuck.
I will help you find a way out of plot holes, build your character and story arcs, and get rid of the dreaded ‘saggy middle'.
I will edit all genres except inspirational. I have nothing but respect for inspirational writers, but I don’t think I am the best fit for the genre.

Things I won’t do for you:
I won't rewrite your book for you. By the way, regardless of who you go with, don’t ever listen to someone who suggests you against your heart. Just because your editor doesn’t love it doesn’t mean that millions won’t.
I won't lie to you. All books have issues. The goal is to make the negatives as minimal as possible while still telling the story you want to tell. But you must be willing to do your best work.
I won't belittle you. The longer you do this, the tougher you’ll get. And, believe me, you need to be tough in this business. But I will never purposefully say anything to hurt you. My goal is to help you reach you and your book reach their potential.

I love the craft of writing and have studied it intensely. I also love the art of it and believe that the development of that is what makes certain writers’ work shine above others. So if you're interested in finding out more, please email me for information. Thank you!

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