Initial ConsultMentoring PackageFiction EditSubstantive Fiction EditingNon-fiction Editing

Fiction Mentoring Package

    Includes:
  • Query & Proposal Effectiveness Consultation
  • Substantive three-chapter edit, including synopsis
  • Two hours voice-to-voice mentoring: one hour after initial edit, one hour follow up

Cost: $500.00 for D’Ann, $1000 for Mary

Once you’ve successfully ventured through the initial consultation, please send your $500.00 or $1000.00 payment through PayPal, using email maryedemuth [at] sbcglobal [dot] net. You may use your PayPal account or use any major credit card to pay. When I receive that, I’ll send you a contract. Once PayPal has confirmed your payment, please send the following documents using Times New Roman, size 12 font to the email address above:

  • A signed contract. You may “sign” it by typing your name in blue on the document and emailing it back to Mary.
  • A query letter (single spaced).
  • Your fiction proposal (single spaced)
  • Your synopsis (Please keep to three pages, single spaced.)
  • The first three chapters of your work, or the first 25 pages, whichever comes first (double spaced)
  • An indication of your availability for our 2 one-hour mentoring sessions

Some things to keep in mind:

  • We use Microsoft Word. Your documents will come back to you marked up using Track Changes. If you’d prefer a hard copy critique, please mail it to us, providing a self-addressed, postage-paid return envelope. In both instances, we include a several-page letter detailing and elaborating on the critique.
  • Editing is subjective. Our editing of your work is based on our experience in the publishing industry, years of mentoring writers, and our own growth in the craft. You do not have to agree with everything we say, but please understand we are critiquing with an eye toward improving your writing. Also understand, this is not a collaborative project. We will point out weaknesses and offer suggestions, but we will not write your book for you.
  • We can’t help ourselves—we critique with many hats. Some editing services offer substantive, developmental, and line edits as separate products. We typically offer all three types of editing when we’re critiquing a piece, giving you a full-package critique for one price point. We will spend more time up front in the manuscript, pointing out grammar and usage problems, but we will not point them out for the rest of the manuscript. Your responsibility will be to learn from our initial responses and correct them throughout the manuscript. (For instance, if we point out you’re using weak verbs, we will point that out and offer suggestions. But it will be up to you to do a Search on Was and beef up your verbs for the rest of the manuscript.)
  • Our suggestions do not guarantee publication. Also, please don’t ask us to introduce you to our agents or to other agents in the industry. Occasionally, we’ll champion a project we love, but that will be by our initiation only.
  • Your privacy and intellectual property are paramount. We will not share or utilize your ideas or words. You retain the copyright to your work.
  • The Fiction Mentoring Package does not include rewrite critiques. If you’d like to have us take a look at your rewrites, our rate is $75.00 per hour for D’Ann, $150.00 an hour for Mary.
  • Every editor has her strengths. This means we come to your manuscript with our own perspective. We look forward to reading your work!

Warmly, Mary and D'Ann