Critique Slot Available

I'm opening a slot for February for a Premiere Critique (and I'll let you know when it's been filled, both here and on Twitter).  Details below.

I do want to highlight the first thing-to-think-about listed below, which is this:

If nobody has ever read your work before (as in, ever), then don't hire me.  Find a critique partner.

I'm serious about this.  It's imperative that you have others read your work (and, of course, you will read theirs).  Critique is the main way we get better--and it's free.  If you have no idea whether your writing is good or not--have never written a novel before--or have only done one draft of the story, please don't hire me.

For one thing, your work probably isn't ready for pay-by-hire editing.  Sure, you can do it if you want to.  But when I'm spending ALL MY EDITING TIME fixing your commas and pointing out POV errors and tense shifts and overwritten sentences and grammatical train wrecks, there isn't much chance to get to the big picture.  Even worse--sometimes there isn't much of a big picture, because your story has no direction.

(And, no, I am not referring to a particular manuscript.  I would never do that.)

Edit-for-hire is the NEXT STEP in your polishing journey.  AFTER you've done a few drafts; AFTER you've gotten (and incorporated) feedback from critique partners; AFTER you've arrived at the I-like-it-but-I'm-not-sure-how-to-make-it-better stage.

So if you've done your work, gotten your critiques, done some revising, and you're ready for an in-depth look at your first 75 pages to see whether they're working, THAT'S THE TIME TO HIRE ME.  You'll get the MOST out of it, for sure.

(And, hey.  If you've read everything I've just said and you still want to send me your very first novel?  I won't turn you away.  I'm just trying to help you make the best investments for your work.  Capiche?)

As always, my 30-page critiques are available, too.  Names go into the queue in the order in which they are received.  Current reading time is 2 months or less.

WHAT IS A PREMIERE CRITIQUE?

A Premiere Critique is an editorial letter and a detailed line edit of the first 75 pages of your completed, polished manuscript.  I will complete your critique within 1 week of your having hired me. 

Things to think about:

• If nobody has ever read your work before (as in, ever), then don't hire me.  Find a critique partner.
• If this is your Very First Novel, then I am not the editor for you.  My time--and your money--is better served if you have a novel or two under your belt, and if your current manuscript is clean.  (Clean doesn't mean "perfect": it just means...clean.  Polished and proofread.)
• I will edit most genres, but if you're not sure, please check with me in your introductory email.  I will absolutely not accept erotica or erotic romance, and I also do not accept memoirs.  My strengths are YA and MG, though I've done a sizable number of adult critiques since setting up shop in January.  My true loves are fantasy and science fiction, but one of my favorite projects so far this year was a cotemporary YA (who knew?).  So, other than my exceptions noted above, almost anything goes.

The cost:

• A Premiere Critique costs $260.  I will require a $130 dollar down payment, and the remaining $130 will be due after you've received my critique.*
• Payments are accepted via Paypal.  You do not need to have a Paypal account to use Paypal.  (It will ask you for your credit/debit card.)

*Please note that I've raised the cost slightly.  This is because Paypal fees are ridiculous.  (Seriously; that's the only reason.)