GETTING STARTED
INITIAL CONSULTATION
Writing coach and teacher Jolie Stekly will review up 10 pages of your manuscript, studying it for various aspects of craft (character development, plot/structure, voice). She will identify positive aspects of your work and note areas that need attention. She will provide written comments, sent to you via email attachment. Or you can choose to add a 30-minute phone, Skype, or meeting to discuss the review.
$75 - $100
SUPPORT FOR YOUR FIRST DRAFT
Finishing the first draft of a novel is no small feat. It's common for writers to get stuck on the way. Writing coach and teacher Jolie Stekly will help you cross that finish line. Schedule weekly check-ins or get custom instruction on aspects of craft that you're struggling with.
Coaching can be designed to focus on a specific area of craft (scene, setting, point-of-view, etc.) and designed to fit your learning needs. Jolie is also happy to meet with small groups. Meetings can be held in person, via Skype, or over the phone. An Initial Consultation is recommended.
Jolie will create a customized action plan that will carry through the end of your first draft and beyond.
$50/hour, customizable.
Full manuscript review
A close and careful review of your middle grade or young adult novel or work of nonfiction by Martha Brockenbrough, the Kirkus Prize finalist author of The Game of Love and Death, Into the Bloodred Woods, To Catch a Thief and more.
Martha is the co-chair of faculty in the Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College of Fine Arts, the founder of National Grammar Day, and the host of Nothing to Novel writing retreats.
You will receive a line-level review your manuscript that ensures your characters, setting, plot, dialogue and narrative arc are as strong as possible. She will teach you how to craft a winning pitch for your story and even provide you with an additional AI-based analysis of your work that will help you see your work as a whole and develop a plan for revising it.
It's an opportunity for you to receive feedback that is scholarly, professional, and cutting edge, and you will learn a great deal in the process so that each novel you write in the future can be enriched by what you learn in this process.
Rates: $3,000 and up, depending on the length of your book.
Contact Martha Brockenbrough.
PARTIAL MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT
Author Lish McBride will read a partial chunk of your novel or work in progress and assess it on both an overall story arc and on a closer, line-by-line level. You will receive a copy (electronic or paper) of your manuscript with detailed line edits aimed to help you improve the mechanics of the actual writing as well as the minor details of the story. You will also get a written critique, which Lish can go over with you either via email, Skype or telephone. During this portion of the assessment we will be discussing bigger story issues like dialogue, characters, plot, etc. We will discuss ideas on how you can go forward for your next revision. If you choose this option, Lish recommends using the opening portion of your novel, but she will assess a different section if you'd prefer, though she will require a short (about a page) summary of your story up to that point.
$700 for the first 100 pages.
FULL MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT
Author Lish McBride will read your full manuscript (up to 350 pages—most YA and middle grade falls under this page count), and give it the same line-by-line and overall story critique as listed with the partial manuscript assessment. If your manuscript falls under 200 pages or over 350, we will come up with a fee that better represents the work we will be offering. While she will mark things on a line by line level, this is not a copy edit. In the event that she start to read your manuscript and decide based on a small opening portion (10-20 pages) that it is either ready for copy editing stage or not ready for the manuscript consultation stage, she will contact you immediately and refer you to people who would be better suited for such pursuits.
$1500 for up to 350 pages. For longer works, the fee is higher. If you've paid for a first 100-page consultation, that fee applies to the $750.
Contact Lish McBride
CAREER DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT
SYNOPSIS 101
How to craft your book's elevator pitch and write a powerful synopsis, which can be used to sell your manuscript or guide final revisions. In an hour long phone call, Skype discussion, or email equivalent, Martha will walk you through the basics of how and when to write a synopsis (and how it can help you write a better book as a whole). She'll also give personalized feedback when your synopsis is complete.
$250
QUERY LETTER COACHING
For most writers, the query letter is the primary tool for attracting the interest of an agent. Martha will review your letter or help you write one from scratch, as well as get advice on how you can best find good agent candidates and time your query strategy. This service concludes with an hour long session on the phone, Skype, or the email equivalent with Martha Brockenbrough.
$250
PUBLISHING BUSINESS COACHING
Ask Martha Brockenbrough anything you want about how the business works, what you need to succeed, and how to navigate the bewildering new world of publishing. Learn what common mistakes to avoid, and learn things you can do to give yourself and your work the best chances of success. This is an open-ended hour-long discussion where you can ask anything and build strategy based on your skills and needs. It includes everything from online presence to social media, school events, promotional strategies, and affordable giveaway sources.
$250