Coaching & Consulting

Working Style

For developmental editing, I offer an initial complementary 15-minute consultation (by phone, or via Zoom) if desired. Clients receive two complete read-throughs of the manuscript, detailed endnotes that discuss what is working and what could be strengthened (typically six to ten single-spaced typed pages for a full-length manuscript; proportionally less for shorter works), notes on the manuscript as appropriate, and a final one-hour meeting (in person as public health regulations allow, or by phone or via Zoom). The format for line and copyediting is essentially the same, though the endnote response will be considerably shorter. I do provide up to two email follow-ups if clients have additional questions after the final consultation.

Availability

Available by appointment. Willing to provide a free, brief assessment of a five-page excerpt. Can meet monthly if ongoing consultation is needed.

Interests

Literary fiction and nonfiction or memoir with a literary bent. I love writers who love language, who aren’t afraid either to be funny or to go somewhere dark (or sometimes both), who are exploring what might be familiar cultural or psychological material in a fresh way.

Working Style

For general manuscript feedback of any length, I include ample marginal comments. For developmental editing, I like to ask a lot of open-ended questions to help writers uncover narrative possibilities. Manuscript excerpts or short stories will get a one page end comment and book-length manuscripts two to three. Each can be followed up with a conversation in person, online, or on the phone. For line edits, I will include an end comment that summarizes how to improve writing at the sentence level. For coaching sessions, I can discuss the writing process and setting manageable goals, suggest exercises and give feedback on them, suggest reading material and opportunities that might be of interest to the student, how to apply for grants, residencies, and MFA programs, and how to give engaging public readings.

Availability

I'm available year-round over email, video chat, or phone. I'm happy to chat with students for free for 10 minutes to assess their needs.

Interests

Literary fiction, including fabulism / magical realism, fiction that looks outward to global issues (I read a lot of novels in translation), fiction that intersects with other arts (visual, performing, etc.), fiction in which place plays an important role. Book reviews and literary journalism. Preparing for public readings.

Working Style

For manuscripts, my edits assess the consistency and development of the characters; the effectiveness and flow of dialog; evaluating and enhancing the plot arc, flow, twists, pace, and use of suspense; enhancing the theme, and evaluating and improving the overall impact and effectiveness of the book. Themes are crucial and often misunderstood, so identifying them and following them through completely is my specialty. I make suggestions on where these areas need improvements and suggest how to do so (or do it for you) as well as point out strengths in the manuscript.

I line edit the manuscript and make comments, changes, and suggestions tracked in Word. I also write an overall assessment (usually two pages long) of what worked well in the manuscript, what I changed and why, suggestions on how to move forward, and what I see as your next steps for revising. My edits and comments offer you clear directions and guidance on how to strengthen your manuscript and get it in the best shape it can be for publication.

Smaller pieces include feature articles, blogs, essays, novellas, resumes, business proposals and anything under 40,000 words. I follow the same process with these items, often including my marketing background on how to reach a larger or deeper audience, if that is called for.

Availability

This is what I do full time for a living, so have evening, day and weekend hours available. After our initial meeting (or talk on the phone) I usually take a month for a full manuscript edit. During that time, writers are free to call me or email me, and then I suggest we meet again after they have had a chance to look over my edits and feedback. If you live in Seattle, I can meet with you in person at my office in the Fremont neighborhood on North Lake Union. I am also available via phone, email, Skype and Zoom.

Interests

My main interest is nonfiction work from experts, memoir and educational or consulting works. I work on novels, essays, novellas, short stories, feature articles and occasionally screenplays.

Working Style

I provide detailed written feedback paired with a conversation in person, through Skype, or through email. Overall, I strive to highlight the writer’s voice while sharing feedback that brings the project closer to its fullest potential.

Availability

I can work in-person, through Skype, by phone, or through email. After an initial meeting in person or online, we can discuss your project needs and a schedule that works best.

Interests

Creative nonfiction of all types – memoir, travel, flash nonfiction, personal essays, nature writing, literary journalism, young adult narrative nonfiction.

Working Style

I provide feedback via phone coaching sessions and email follow up. Here’s an overview of the coaching services I offer, which are customized to meet your needs:
● Tackling fear and mental roadblocks
● Developing an action plan
● Story identification and story structure
● Developing a detailed book outline
● Teach key narrative writing techniques to bring story to life
● Chapter-by-chapter developmental editing
● Accountability coaching/mentoring and support

Availability

Available by appointment. Complimentary 20-minute consultations available upon request.

Three-Month Coaching Package | Cost: $1,500
● 13 one-hour individual coaching sessions
● Access to my online independent study “Write Your Story” course

Interests

Memoir, personal narrative

Working Style

My editorial letters are notoriously detailed, often falling in the 15-35pg range, depending on the length and complexity of a given manuscript. For a full manuscript read, I offer broad feedback and strategies for overcoming issues with character development, pacing, plot development, tone and voice, dialogue, narrative arc, continuity, and world-building. This service can be expanded to include extensive margin notes on the line, paragraph, or page level, along the lines of a developmental edit. For nonfiction manuscripts, I also address the cogency of arguments and/or structure, while placing additional emphasis on audience.

Having edited and pitched dozens of book proposals that sold to major publishers, my book proposal margin notes tend to be fiercely prescriptive. That said, I also strive to be kind, and I always have the author’s best interest in mind, regarding both craft and salability.

One-on-one coaching sessions are typically conducted over the phone or Skype. I am also happy to answer lengthy questions or offer advice over email, charging the same hourly rate for my time. This sort of coaching can be motivational in nature; we can address specific ongoing issues you are having with your writing or writing habits. Alternatively, I can offer oral feedback and suggestions on shorter works read on the spot or in advance (e.g. 15 pgs. of a novel, individual essays or stories).

After years of reading query letters in an agency, I am in a very strong position to offer constructive feedback on how to craft an effective pitch. Query letter reviews involve notes on the line level, and can be catered toward an academic or trade audience as needed.

Overall: As a published author with agency experience and broad editorial expertise, I can deliver both the empathy writers want and the critical eye they need.

Availability

Prefer email or phone/Skype meetings. Flexible schedule. When querying, please include the genre and word count of your manuscript, as well as any known concerns you want to address in your writing.

Interests

My specialties are literary fiction, short story collections, YA, long-form and/or literary journalism, and essay collections. I also have considerable experience with LGBTQ writing, gender studies, women’s issues, and ethnographic cultural studies. I read broadly and voraciously, from Italo Calvino to Joan Didion, Adam Johnson to Kazuo Ishiguro; I devour interviews and youth advocacy zines, folk histories and magical realism, Russian classics and graphic novels. I am a huge fangirl of books that amplify underrepresented voices, such as the Voice of Witness series.

I especially enjoy working with new authors who are still developing their voice, helping to elevate their work and rein in bad habits. I seek out fiction that emphasizes place, memory, multicultural identity and intersectional issues, family drama, or immigrant narratives. I love dark realistic YA, and I prefer essays that keep generating new questions rather than looking for concrete answers. I’m interested in literature as both covert and blatant advocacy. Above all else, I want to discover authors who are unapologetic about their experiences and whose stories jar readers out of complacency.

Working Style

Rate is flexible, and discount rates are available on a per project basis.

When consulting with client writers, I like to take the time to meet and discuss the project in its current state so that I can better understand the project before putting pen to page. Projects and desired results vary widely, but I am happy however the client is most comfortable and productive. In my career, I have approached consultations and freelance editing in almost every conceivable way. I have been editor of a publishing house, started my own imprint, served as a copywriter, ghostwriter, a freelance developmental editor for publishers and private consulting clients alike. Whether the client is interested in tightening up an outline or query letter, or a single pass on copy, line, or developmental editing, or an agreed upon schedule of in-person consultations where we continually check in on the writer’s progress on their project, I am ready to get started helping writers achieve their vision for the work they were meant to create.

Availability

I am available monthly and weekly, year-round. Flexible communication with client writers between scheduled in-person meetings, always available for an email or phone call.

Available for 10 minute free project assessment

Interests

Literary fiction tending toward the dramatic, gothic, dark, surreal, fabulist, and magical-realist. Full-length works of fiction, novels, short stories, collaborative projects, experimental work.

Working Style

I am a big believer that the relationship between a writer and an editor is a sacred one that neither party should take lightly, which is why I invest a substantial amount of time and energy into getting to know YOU first before we even start to dive into what’s on the page. As the Executive Director for The Seventh Wave, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with dozens of incredible writers and artists each year for the past five years, and our working relationships often extend far beyond the point of publish.

To kick off our time together, regardless of what service you’re looking for, I offer a free 15-minute consultation, during which we can learn a little more about each other: your preferred working style, your hopes for your piece or manuscript, and any road blocks you’re hitting as you try to finesse your draft. I can fill you in on my editing style (which is admittedly very hands-on!), and we can determine whether or not this feels like a good fit. From there, we can set up a game plan for a timeline and meeting frequency that feels right for your project or piece.

In general, you can expect plenty of in-line notes and marginalia on your pieces, as well as a substantial summary at the end that points to patterns and areas of improvement, with suggestions for how to dig into and strengthen the work. (For manuscript-length work, I will provide at minimum 6 typed pages; for individual one-off essays or stories, I will provide at minimum 1 typed page.) I view my role as a creative coach who is helping you to identify the core of your work and how to strengthen it, versus as an instructor who will give you easy answers. If you’re looking for someone who will lovingly push you to be your most honest, vulnerable, risk-taking self on the page, I’m your gal.

Availability

I’m available year-round, for either weekly or monthly meetings. As a full-time freelance journalist, my schedule is often full but flexible. I prefer to meet in-person (or at very least, over Zoom) for our initial consultation, and am happy to communicate via email or over the phone from there.

Feedback for larger projects (full manuscript) may require an in-person chat or over the phone, but feedback for shorter projects/pieces (one-off stories or essays) can take place via email, dependent on what we agree upon.

I’m happy to hop on a free 15-minute consultation call, and only require that you let me know if there are any hard deadlines you're up again before we dive into the project, so I can be mindful of how to structure our time together.

Interests

For me, any sort of writing or creative pursuit is an extension of the person who is at the helm, and so I care less about the classification of a piece or manuscript and more about the human behind the work. My professional background is in journalism and creative nonfiction, so work that speaks from personal experience or deep research/inquiry into a specific subject are my forte, but I also enjoy diving into short stories, hybrid works, and especially work that cannot be easily classified by genre. My goal as your manuscript consultant is to get to the heart of the story you want to tell, together, and then guide you gently to bring that into being on the page. I enjoy helping folks develop as writers at all stages of their writing career, so am happy to offer guidance on everything from applications for MFA programs to submitting to literary journals to drafting up the perfect book proposal. Also, as a Taiwanese-American writer, I am particular keen to help marginalized writers (BIPOC, LGBTQ+) find and then amplify their voices through their work.

Working Style

When consulting on manuscripts, I’ll read pages and provide margin comments as well as a detailed editorial letter. My skills are strongest in story structure and language. On meeting, I will ask questions that drive to the work’s purpose, driving concepts and structural integrity.

When consulting on synopsis, query letter or residency/grant applications, I will focus on detailed margin notes and provide feedback on industry standards.

I try to be positive and supportive and embrace the joy and the individual at the heart of creative work.

As a general rule, I can read and comment on 15 pages in one hour.

Availability

I am available to meet twice a month and prefer giving feedback in person, but willing to do so over email.

Interests

Young Adult Fiction, Poetry, Spoken Word, Novel

Working Style

Read Complete Manuscript

I’ll read the manuscript three times. The first pass through will be a preliminary skimming of the entire text. In the second pass, I’ll give the text my careful attention; I’ll welcome it as-is, without an agenda, noting my questions and reactions along the way. The third time through, I’ll give it (again) my careful attention, but by this time the manuscript will have lived long enough inside my consideration for me to see clearly where it does or doesn’t work, and why. At this point I will be able to offer detailed suggestions for syntactical and structural revisions. I like to meet in person to go over my suggestions, which I will provide as specific notes in the manuscript itself, as well as in a separate document giving more general advice.

One-on-One Coaching Sessions

My favorite! I’m able to meet monthly for regular hour-long coaching sessions, which include written and verbal feedback on existing work, help with revisions, and ideas and exercises for generating new work.

Availability

My availability is flexible, depending on the needs of your project. I prefer to offer any extensive feedback in person, though I’m willing to do it via email—or even on the phone—if that makes more sense for the best use of time and travel.

Interests

Literary fiction, short fiction, essay, memoir, art criticism, literary criticism, literary theory, philosophy, poetry.

Working Style

For manuscripts and samples, I provide a 1-2 page typed editorial letter with a first read, in addition to in-person meeting. For a second read, I provide margin comments (in a word doc) addressing more specific elements.
For all services, a 1-page statement from the writer pitching the project and outlining goals for the work and for the consultation sessions is required (not a formal thing: just so I can get a clear sense of where you’re at and where you’re hoping to get to).

Availability

Monthy to weekly: school calendar only.

Interests

Young Adult (all genres), Children’s/Middle Grade (all genres), Science Fiction, Literary Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Screenwriting, Short Fiction.

Working Style

• For developmental editing, I offer an initial consultation (in person, by phone, or via Skype or Zoom) two complete read-throughs of the manuscript, detailed endnotes that discuss what is working and what could be strengthened, notes on the manuscript as appropriate, and a final consultation. I ask a lot of questions and make suggestions based on how the narrative reads to me to help you discover possibilities and approaches.
• For general manuscript feedback of any length, I make comments in the margins throughout the piece and write a summary of issues and suggestions at the end. This can be followed up with a conversation in person, online, or on the phone.
• For line edits, I include a summary at the end (with resources) of how to improve writing at the sentence level. This can be followed up with a conversation in person, online, or on the phone.
• For coaching sessions, I can discuss your writing challenges, help you set goals, suggest exercises and give feedback on them, and suggest reading material to help deepen your learning. We can meet one or as often as you’d like. If you’re working on a book, I can meet with you weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly to read your pages, respond to them, and discuss them.

Availability

I’m available during the whole year. I like responding to work online and discussing manuscripts in person.

Interests

• You and your work, whether your work is fiction, creative nonfiction, or memoir (including spiritual memoir). I invest deeply in the work writers share with me. Using my intuition as well as my skills and experience, I enjoy working with writers as a midwife to help them recognize and give birth to the work they have conceived. The passage from our imaginations to the page is always difficult and it can be painful. I work with you to support and encourage you as well as to help you push through the pain of revising to the beauty of what the story, essay, novel, or book want to be. It’s your work, first, last, and always. I read widely— across genres, forms, styles, and writers—so I’m not looking for a particular way of writing, just writing that knocks you off your chair.
• I enjoy helping writers diagnose what’s not working in their manuscript and determining the best approach to helping it flow and sing. Voice, focus, propulsion, and structure are often the biggest culprits holding work back, and I love thinking about, experimenting with, and teaching all these elements.
• The art of the sentence, learning how to use syntax to serve the narrative.

Working Style

For consultations, online or in person, I’m happy to meet a writer and learn their pitch, reading up to seven pages (double-spaced) from their manuscript before hand. From there our work together can incorporate all levels of advice and revision, from developmental editing, to line and copy editing. For extensive involvement, I can read complete or partial manuscripts and develop a detailed readers report, the length of which is determined by the writer’s budget.

Availability

I’m available to meet the writer once for conversation, or multiple times for a more extensive consultation. If you live in Seattle, we can speak in person; otherwise on the phone, or through Skype.

Feedback can be given in written form or in conversation. Either way should be guided by the writer’s specific concerns for the project, which may be helpfully provided in a list of questions to the editor.

Interests

My reading and writing interests range from high literary fiction to pulp sci-fi and horror, from nuts-and-bolts histories to cutting-edge philosophy. Writers I’ve mentored in the past have been similarly diverse—short story mavens, novelist aces, and scholar hedgehogs—and they typically find my bizarre reading recommendations spot-on. I tell my writing friends my ideal author would have the philosophical speculation of Borges and the emotional depth of Carver. Because of my training and voracious literary diet, I’m qualified to advise writers of literary fiction, genre fiction (sci-fi, horror, Western, romance), young adult fiction, graphic novels, memoir, and even academic monographs.

Working Style

Read Complete Manuscript: This is a one-time service that usually takes about 5-7 hours. I will read the manuscript twice, offering two layers of feedback. During the first reading I will aim to narrate my reading experience as it unfolds, recording what draws me in, what confuses me, what bigger thematic questions arise and (how) are those resolved as well as how does the current order and sectioning (if used) of poems in the manuscript support or obstruct my passage as a reader. On my second read I typically make line-edit notes on about a third of the poems, focusing my attention on the manuscript’s overall structure, offering a proposal for what is often a significant re-ordering/structuring of the manuscript, as well as noting any poems that might be missing from the manuscript and/or any poems currently in the manuscript that may no longer need to be there. This second reading is also where I will engage with all titles (of poems/sections/mss as a whole). I record my feedback old school: I write in two pen colors on a printout of the manuscript, one color ink per reading. I make a LOT of notes, both detailed positive feedback and ideas/questions for next steps. To tie it all together, I type up a 1-2 page overall response that engages the manuscript’s formal, thematic and structural arcs.

One-on-One coaching sessions: This can be ongoing or one-time support and can be scaled up or down. My one-on-one coaching is best anchored by in-person meetings. I offer accountability, support and focus, often in the shape of reading suggestions, prompts, and/or new approaches to revision. Like a personal trainer, but for poetry! Examples of what this might look like:

• Do you have a few raw poem-drafts you want to revise, but are unsure where to start? I love talking about revision possibilities, and can help you re-enter your poems from a range of directions.

• Have you resolved to submit more poems to journals? I can offer cover letter advice, any small line-edit tweaks, and help you select and order the poems for your submission.

• Are you starting to amass a stack of poems, wondering if you might have the seeds of a book and beginning to think about how to organize the pile into a manuscript, what to leave in and what to leave out? I am happy to help you find the cornerstones for a manuscript, brainstorming a larger structure for the book and talking through what poems might stay in/come out/not be written yet. This is a personal favorite of mine, kind of like barn-raising: laying everything out on the floor and trying new arrangements, helping to discern the shape a book might take.

Availability

Flexible availability, in person or via email.
Though not required, I prefer to first meet potential clients in person. I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation, during which I will get a clearer sense of where you are in your work and what you’re looking for, and what support I can offer.

Interests

Poetry

Working Style

As an editor, I focus on whether the writer is effectively communicating their story to their audience. Sometimes there are narrative gaps that need to be filled so that a reader can link one section of text to another; sometimes the text is unbalanced, with too much time spent on a certain story element (most commonly exposition).

I read very quickly and can complete a 90,000-word manuscript in 2–3 hours, though you’ll want to add in another hour for me to write up my feedback. I’ll send the first round of feedback via email, and we can have a follow-up conversation over the phone or online (via text or video chat)—whichever is most comfortable for the writer. If you just want my initial feedback on a draft, that’s great; we can also continue the conversation and I can provide additional written feedback on subsequent drafts.

If you’d like copyediting/line-editing/proofreading services, estimate 30 minutes for every 600 words.

If you’re a freelancer who is looking to build your career, we can set up an hour-long consultation. We could look at your pitching strategy, discuss how to expand your client base, or address any questions/concerns you have about freelancing.

Availability

I am a freelancer with a flexible schedule, and I’m happy to do a 10-minute consultation over the phone or online to determine whether we’re a good fit.

Interests

I love stories, no matter how they’re told. I work with Billfold writers on personal essays, and have written a literary fiction novel—but I also read genre fiction and YA regularly, so I’m familiar with how those stories work (i.e. what readers expect from a portal fantasy or a cozy mystery).

Working Style

Availability

My schedule is flexible; I can meet days, evenings, and/or weekends. I offer a free 10-minute consultation before beginning coaching sessions with someone new.

Interests

Essay, Memoir, Narrative nonfiction, Book Proposals, Poetry

Working Style

The best approach is for me to first get a sense of where you are with your work, and what you’re looking for. Based on that initial assessment, we can have a conversation about the best approach. There are three basic models that usually apply:

1. If you want feedback on a completed book, it’s often enough for me to read the first 50 pages and a synopsis of the rest. This usually takes me about 5-6 hours. At the end you will get 4-5 (or more) single spaced pages. This is often enough for a book that has significant problems, or if it is very close to being ready for submission. In the event that your writing is just perfect, you won’t get charged, and you won’t get notes . . . I’ll just wish you well, and we can talk about agents.

2. If the book has multiple POVs, or if it is structurally complex, I’ll probably need to read the whole book, which can take as much as 20 hours. The amount of notes you get with this varies. The most I’ve given was about 15 pages single spaced. The least is probably 8 pages single spaced. There will be a lot of notes.

3. If you have a rough draft (or not) and are eager to dig in more deeply, work on process, rather than just the book—basically if you want to become a better writer—my favorite method of working is through weekly coaching (or every other week). We’ll meet for an hour a week, and at each meeting you bring 10-15 pages of your book (the first time we meet, you bring the first 10-15 pages, second time the next 10-15 pages, etc.). I read the manuscript aloud and pause to talk about what I’m seeing as I read. This is a very unfiltered and direct form of feedback, so it can be a little intense, but it’s extremely effective. At the end of each session I’ll give you a plan/assignment for the coming week.

4. One of my specialties is giving advice to people who are seeking a literary agent, or need advice on the professional aspect of the writing life. I have advised many authors through this experience, and people often seem woefully unaware of how best to proceed.

Availability

Prefer email or in-person meetings. Flexible schedule. Clients who met with Peter in 2017 or earlier will be charged the earlier rate.

Interests

I’ve found that my ability to be a good mentor has almost nothing to do with what I find interesting as a writer. I want to help you do what <i>you’re</i> trying to do (I’m not trying to get you to do what I do). That said, I tend to encourage my students toward work that has urgency and is very engaging to the reader. There needs to be an internal propulsion mechanism of some sort. Usually story is really important, but I’ve read books that get away with having almost no story (Nicholson Baker’s books, for example). For nonfiction, the internal propulsion mechanism often relates to voice, and tone, but also to old fashioned suspense and plot (in some way).

Truthfully, I get bored pretty easily, and you’ll know when I get bored. I’m not rude or mean; I am definitely on your side, and I want to encourage you, but I know what is required for a piece to be publishable, and I want you to write it at that level.

As a mentor or writing coach, I am at my best when I understand what an author is attempting to achieve. So if your favorite writer is W.G. Sebald, and you’d like to emulate him, I’m probably not going to be much use to you (no worries if you don’t know Sebald’s work: it’s intensely dry). Basically, whatever you bring me, I will try to make it more interesting, more energetic, more emotionally resonant, and more authentic. But I’ll also try to help you make it more you, or the best of you.

Working Style

In all services, my approach as an editor or reader is to highlight what is working well alongside areas I feel could be strengthened. I like to ask questions and offer options, rather than prescribe what I think a writer should do. I work with you, not as an authority, but as a collaborator in service of your voice and what you want for the story, sharing my knowledge and experience to support what you already know and can do. I also believe craft is cultural, as well as learned, so I try to remain aware of my own bias and sensitive to different methods of storytelling. I am passionate about making space for historically marginalized voices in publishing, and strive to hold a safer space for those of us who encounter institutional barriers to entering the writing world and seeing our art as worthy.

For all projects, please send the following information:
-A little about you as a writer, and what you’re trying to do with your project
-Age category and genre
-One paragraph description of the work
-The general service you are requesting, your hopes and goals for working with me, and particular areas you’d like attention to
-For full manuscripts and sensitivity reads, please include page count & word count
-For sensitivity reads, please include the names and identities of all characters for which you would like a read.

We’ll email back and forth a little so I can get a better sense of you and what you’re looking for, work out the specifics of hours (and rate, if you’re utilizing my sliding scale), and then I’ll jump in!

For full manuscript reads and sensitivity reads, individually, I provide feedback letters as long as I feel necessary but no less than 2 pages, as well as in-line comments, and take followup questions related to my feedback for up to a week after completion of services (billed as an extra hour).

For combination full manuscript reads and sensitivity reads, I provide feedback letters as long as I feel necessary but no less than 5 pages, as well as in-line comments, and take followup questions related to my feedback for up to a week after completion of services (billed as an extra hour).

For all other services, I provide a combination of feedback letter and inline comments appropriate to the type of project.

More about sensitivity reads:
As a sensitivity reader, I can help you with:
-Description and authenticity of character behaviors, emotions, and experiences
-Language
-Stereotypes and generalizations
-Normative assumptions (ie, the assumption that trans people must “look cis” to be valid, or that queer people want to assimilate into straight cultural norms such as marriage/kids/homeowning)
-Worldbuilding in fantasy and contemporary related to gender and sexuality (such as: how are different genders treated? Is your magic system trans-exclusionary?)
-Nuts and bolts of social and medical gender transition for trans men, trans masculine and AFAB nonbinary folks: social and legal name changes, changing pronouns, coming out, changing appearance through clothing and hair, binding, taking hormones, getting top surgery

Sensitivity reads are like any other editorial service; they look at an aspect of your work with the goal of improving it, but they can be fraught for some people because they examine issues of bias and stereotypes in representation. If you request a sensitivity read, I assume you are ready to receive and sit with feedback that, while delivered with the same thoughtfulness and empathy I strive for in my other services, may challenge your ideas and beliefs about certain identities and how you relate to and represent people different from you. In addition, for legal purposes, my service as a sensitivity reader for your manuscript is not an endorsement of your work, a defense against criticism from other parties, or a guarantee that your work is free of any and all problematic content, and you cannot use my name in these contexts. If I agree to be a sensitivity reader for your manuscript, I will not disclose any information regarding your manuscript to anyone other than pre-approved parties prior to publication. I reserve the right as a reader to critique the text of the published novel.

Availability

I am available to take on new clients as my schedule allows, on a first-come, first-served basis. I work via email.

I am not available to read projects that include the following subjects as major or minor plot points, whether off-screen or described. If they are mentioned but are not described in detail and have no long-term role in or bearing on the story, I will consider on a case-by-case basis, but require a content warning and an example scene that includes the subject to read so I can assess whether I can move forward:
-Child abuse of any kind
-Rape and sexual assault
-Abusive relationships of any kind (romantic, familial, platonic, etc.)

For writers who belong to groups historically marginalized and shut out of publishing, I offer a sliding scale price of your choice between $65-$130/hr, and the opportunity to customize your service, based on what I offer, to fit what you can afford. For example: I could read the first 10 pages of your manuscript and a synopsis, and provide feedback on that instead of the entire novel. Let’s discuss!

The groups I reference above include: Black, Indigenous and other people of color; LGBTQIA+; disabled (including mentally ill and neurodivergent) people; and low income or working class people. This is based on the honor system; you do not need to identify yourself to me, but please do respect who this is for and why it exists if you are not part of one of these groups.

Interests

I read widely, but for consulting purposes, I enjoy fiction of all age categories and genres, with a particular love for historical and contemporary realist works about queer and trans characters.

Sensitivity Reading Specifics: for trans men and trans masculine characters, and nonbinary characters who are assigned female at birth; as well as queer and/or bisexual cis women, trans men/trans masc and AFAB nonbinary characters. I read for these identities because I have held all of them at one time or another. I may also choose to give feedback on the representation of other identities based on my knowledge, but do not provide formal reads for identities outside those which I hold or have held. I am most familiar with reading for these characters in novels, but have also read for other mediums such as podcast scripts and am open to such works on a case by case basis.

*A note on genre works: I love them, but my assistance may be limited depending on what you are looking for. While I read genre work, I don’t currently write it, so I cannot provide the craft expertise of someone dedicated to writing romance, science fiction, fantasy, etc. However, this could be a strength if you want the perspective of someone who is a writer but can also approach tropes and worldbuilding with a layperson’s eyes and questions. For example, previous clients in sensitivity reading have appreciated my feedback on how gender fits into their worldbuilding. Contact me and let’s chat!

Working Style

I like to read work at home, provide feedback in person, and send notes after we meet. I’m available for follow-up questions via e-mail.

Availability

A free phone consultation to determine fit, then $100/hour. I’m available for in-person meetings on weekdays (late afternoon or evening) occasionally on weekends (afternoons).

Interests

All forms of journalism and storytelling; women novelists and non-fiction authors, especially 19th and 20th century. No matter how busy I am writing and teaching, I read an average of one book every day or two.

Working Style

Provide typed feedback and conversation. I can also give customized and specific assignments related to reading, writing, and how to approach steps to publishing.

As a woman of color with 20 years of experience reading and critiquing the work of others, I bring deep professional expertise as well as a perspective that is deeply informed by the belief that cultural difference provides the most powerful foundation for creative expression. I am excited to work with artists from all backgrounds.

I am willing to do phone or video 10-minute consults for free, but not in person. I do not require specific info before accepting a job.

Availability

Availability to meet weekly or monthly with advance notice. I can do online, in person, and email.

Interests

Poetry and nonfiction; writing on the visual arts; ethnographic writing

Working Style

In most cases, I provide comments via track-changes in Word along with typed notes. However, schedule permitting, I am open to providing feedback via conversation and happy to meet with clients either in-person or via Skype depending on where they are based--my services are open to writers all over, not just in Seattle.Coaching sessions are available online or in person as well.

Availability

Meetings are dependent upon current availability. Stephanie is not accepting consultation appointments at this time. Most meetings or Skype conversations would be weekday evenings or Saturdays.

Before accepting a client, I will need a short synopsis of work and we will speak via email to get an understanding of what you are looking for and what I can provide.

Interests

Young Adult—all genres; memoir—both YA and adult.

Working Style

My background makes me well suited to coaching writers through both creative and strategic projects, and I am available for a free 15-minute phone consult if you’d like to learn more.

For Manuscripts: I prefer to meet you in person (or Skype) at the beginning of a project to get a sense of your goals and questions—and for us to develop a rapport together. Thereafter, I will provide you with comprehensive editorial support throughout the various stages of your writing process, including thorough feedback (both margin comments and end notes) for developmental editing and detailed “track changes” responses for line editing and proofreading. (Generally, my pace is 20 pages/hour.)

For Publishing Proposals & Applications: I have helped dozens of people submit books proposals and get accepted into graduate schools—often with full funding packages. Because I have sat on a university MFA selection committee, I know how to best advise applicants. Similarly, as someone who has published both fiction and nonfiction, I can coach you through the process of writing query letters for novels/collections or book proposals for nonfiction projects. I am equally comfortable with the creative and research-driven publishing processes; and, in either case, I will blend in-person planning sessions with email-delivered line edits and ongoing feedback. (Time varies by project.)

For One-on-One Coaching (ongoing): I blend monthly in-person sessions with feedback delivered via email as you submit samples/projects to me between our ongoing sessions. Having worked with thousands of writing students over 20 years, I am quite versatile in terms of subject area, and I love in-person planning/brainstorming sessions, as well as watching writers develop and grow into themselves over time. Depending on your needs, I can coach you through process planning (i.e. how to approach, plan, and follow through on a project); idea development and organization; revision strategies; and/or any gaps you need to fill related to grammar, mechanics, or citations and style. (Average 2-3 hours per month.)

Availability

Flexible scheduling includes daytime/evening/weekend options for in-person and Skype/phone sessions. Feedback between live sessions is delivered via email. I am generally available year-round.

Interests

I love working on creative manuscripts just as much as I enjoy helping you get your book proposal launched, your MFA applications mailed off, or your submissions sent out to magazines or residencies. I’m really more focused on you and your development than I am on a specific literary niche. I love working on longer projects, especially narratives that take interesting approaches to structure/form and nonfiction/memoir projects that have unique stories to tell. I find it particularly satisfying to work with authors over time, engaging in early brainstorming stages with them, providing editorial support, and helping them launch their work out into the world. I am well connected nationally and enjoy using my networks to help writers advance their careers.

Working Style

As well as writing poetry, I love to help shape books and book projects. Helping champion new work is part of my mission and career, from years spent interning at literary magazines including the Paris Review and The Atlantic to years helping shape manuscripts for a literary agent, to my current work as an arts critic. I care deeply about shepherding excellent new work into the world and helping writers clarify, sharpen and articulate their projects while honing subterranean connections and form. To work most productively with me, have a well-developed project that you can describe to in a short cover letter, and enclose three to four poems or pages of prose. I’m very eager to help my clients cross the finish line!

Availability

Feedback by Zoom, able to meet as needed.

Interests

Essay, essay fragment, non-fiction, and poetry.
Place, ecology, history lyric memoir.

Working Style

Varies.