Hi

I'm thinking of getting Maisy looked at by a lit consultancy or editor. I think this could be helpful if I do decide to self publish.

Can anyone recommend anyone that won't break the bank?

Eve

BubbleCow are very reasonable.

http://bubblecow.co.uk/


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I think they've changed the website, but they used to do a good deal on first 3 chaps, synopsis and cover letter.

Otherwise, their fees are much like everyone else's.

Cornerstones are good but a similar price.

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I can personally recommend Terry on here - very comprehensive, quick service, charges per hour not per word (or you used to, Terry)

I've only personally had experience of Writers' Workshop - they're good, but they're definitely not cheap.

Nicola Morgan is another one I've heard good things of from some quarters, but she's very, very busy, I think. And she's quite...direct. She's nice in person, but her blog persona is 'the crabbit old bat', which might give you a hint of just how direct she can be if she feels it's necessary!

I do still charge by the hour, unlike most agencies who charge per thousand words - which means you're sometimes paying for time you don't need. They also take/add on two thirds of the fee for their overheads/costs. In essence, my reports are usually half the price or less of the agencies', and more tailored to your needs. Further info at: www.thewritersark.co.uk (click on 'Tutors' and/or drop me a line. I work with a few writers on WW who will I'm sure put in a word if you'd like some references (I'll point you to them if you ask).

Terry

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Thanks for the recommendation, Petal!

Any time, Terry - your comments were a real eye-opener, and all the more impressive since chick lit, um, isn't exactly your genre

Eve, I blogged about choosing an editorial agency, which might help:

http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-an-editorial-service.html

Emma

Mate, Terry, that's why you don't read anybody's work here and critique. It's all matter of 'Hours', please do favor to your WW mates.

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sometimes, mate

Mox, actually I've done tons of critiques here over the years. I just don't have so much time now. Apart from the editorial work and my own writing, I'm also in a local group of writers in SE London, which means doing a couple of critiques a week; then there's the London Spec. Fic. group I'm in which also means a few critiques every month - all unpaid of course.

If I do one here these days it tends to be at random - if an opening sentence catches my eye, say. But then two out of the last three critiques I did here were totally ignored by the authors, which was a little frustrating.

Petal - I may not read a lot of chick lit but I am a closet Rom Com fan. I like to act frustrated when it's my partner's turn to pick the movie and that usually means a Rom Com, me muttering about how predictable they are; then having to 'go feed the cat' at key moments and trying to disguise the sound of me honking in the kitchen . . .

LOL, Terry! Your secret is out

Terry, just wanted to lend a word of support. You've given some wonderful, thoughtful, very helpful crits on WW, not least on my own stories, and I thank you again for them now. I am appalled that your time and effort should go without comment or thanks, that is the height of rudeness. But then I have had the same sort of thing happen to me, so I'm not entirely surprised. I'm appalled that Mox should be so rude to you, but as you have dealt with it in your own way, I will leave it there.

All the best.

Jan

Thanks for the support, Jan; it's appreciated.

To be fair to the authors concerned, I suppose they didn't ask me to crit their pieces and I guess I could have spent some time figuring out what they might have actually wanted as opposed to what they implied they wanted by pushing the 'Go on! I can take it!' button.

One of the challenges of offering editing services is getting the balance right between what you believe are the objective strengths and weaknesses of the work (and, yes, I know it's all subjective really) and what the author wants from their writing.

Terry

Any crit deserves a thank you, Terry, even if the author considers that it missed mark. Besides, putting up a piece and making it visible to those outside of their group is an invitation for anyone to crit - stop making excuses for these people!

The 'go on I can take it' thing is open to misinterpretation, though. I take it to mean, tell me where I've got it wrong, don't say nice things just to please me. But some people see it as a licence to be rude. You are not one of those people, Terry. You are generous with your time and thought and honesty and deserve to be thanked.

So there.

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missed the mark