How to Get Started with a Memoir or Biography

If you are writing a novel, see "How to Get Started with a Novel."

Introduce yourself in an email

Start with sending me an email so we can get acquainted.

• Have you completed it or is it a work in progress?
• How many words on it have you written so far?
• Is this your first memoir or biography?
  A memoir is the story of part of a life. A biography is the story of a whole life.
• Is this a story about you or someone else?
• Where did you learn of my services?

Send the first five thousand words (approximately) of your story via email. See Submission Guidelines. If your first chapter (plus any prologue) is under 5,000 words, then send the whole chapter. If your sample is over 5,000 words, let me know how many words and we can prorate my introductory fee.

Separately, send US$85. See Payment Options.

This is a small investment in your writing future and you get detailed feedback in return on your submission.

Do not send your whole novel at this time. What usually happens is that my clients learn so much from my feedback on their early chapters that they want to revise the remaining chapters before they send more to me. That way, they get the maximum benefit from my feedback.

Summary of your book

In addition, I'd also like to have a short summary of your book, perhaps one page or less. Tell me who the protagonist and antagonists are, the main conflict, and how it ends. If you can mention any emotional struggles the protagonist has, that would be great. I will give you detailed feedback on your main submission and may make brief comments on your summary.

Peeling an Onion

Working with a professional like me is like peeling an onion. First you'll see the simplest weaknesses in your writing. Then as we go along and you improve on them, you'll see more of the deeper layers beneath.

"Whatever your situation, hiring an independent editor shouldn't be like taking your car to a mechanic (that is, you go away for two hours and when you come back your car is fixed). You'll get the most out of your experience if you treat it as a learning opportunity--a chance to hone and improve your own editing skills. Self-editing is an essential part of the writer's craft. If you're really serious about a writing career, it's something you need to master." - SFWA web site

Detailed critique

I will provide a detailed critique of your sample words in return, along with my projected rate in dollars per thousand words for more chapters from you.

Most of my clients find it more helpful to get feedback on a group of chapters at a time, so they can revise their writing as they learn where their major writing weaknesses are. This detailed critique is the most comprehensive critique I do for my clients and includes Copy Editing and Developmental Editing, as well as high level comments on the section being critiqued.

Copy Editing includes identifying punctuation errors, grammar errors, weak word choice, formatting problems, etc.

Developmental Editing includes identifying the strength of your opening, characterization, conflict [internal and between characters], emotion, show versus tell, setting, dialogue, point of view, plot development, style, etc. It may include examples in the body of the manuscript of alternative wording.

You decide

You can evaluate what I did for you and decide if you want to continue to use my services at that rate. If you do want to continue, then you can determine how many words you want to send next and calculate the fee to send with it.

Low cost sample of my work

This is a very inexpensive way to find out what I can do for you. Most writers can afford my rates and eagerly send more chapters right away.

It is always an exciting time for me to see the work of a new writer. I look forward to reading your sample. How about you send it right away so we can get started?