Sam Boyce Writers’ Consultancy

Mentoring

Hit a block? Run out of steam? Lost confidence?

Mentoring gives you the space and support to take a step back, work out what’s holding you up, and experiment with some alternatives to give you a fresh perspective. It enables you to set new goals for your work in progress, and to set about achieving them with rejuvenated energy and purpose.

This is a completely flexible process, using an empathetic combination of mentoring, coaching and editorial techniques with plenty of feedback and discussion. If you’re uncertain about the way forward, I may well be able to help. And it will probably turn out to be fun!

How it works

The first stage is to get in touch. No need to provide masses of detail: we’ll schedule a time for an initial chat, and then you can send me some of your manuscript to read.

After that, if we both feel I can help, I’ll email you a letter of agreement. This will summarise the aims of the mentoring process for you, and set out the schedule we envisage. The agreement represents a commitment on both sides to the work ahead, but the process itself can be altered at any time if your needs or circumstances change.

Skype is best for mentoring — although if you happen to live anywhere near Edinburgh, I’ll be delighted to meet up in person.

In our final session I’ll give you some tools to help you plan your next steps. If you achieve your goal of a full-length draft, then I’ll be excited to see it! You’ll have the option to come back any time for a manuscript assessment at 30% discount, and to arrange further editorial input if you wish.

Concept and Story Development

Are you dreading the blank page, or wondering why your attempts at a book keep fizzling out? Do you have a fantastic idea, but no clue how to shape it?

The mentoring process described above can also be used if you haven’t written a word of your manuscript yet! This version of mentoring uses all the idea-building, story-mapping, creative decision making and advance troubleshooting techniques I developed for the Edinburgh Napier MA. These techniques are purpose built for people who have never attempted a full length work, and enable you to take a structured approach to developing the book you want to write, whilst experimenting with potential stylistic approaches.

As with general mentoring, this is an entirely flexible process, adapted to your own pace and learning style.

Fee

£175 in advance of each mentoring session, including preparation and follow-up notes. The initial consultation is free.

Editing

Manuscript Assessment

Finished your manuscript? Congratulations! That’s a huge achievement. Now you have to decide what to do with it. For novels and narrative non-fiction, the assessment is your first port of call: it’s a thorough, objective and professional second opinion on the complete manuscript, with a focus on helping you tailor your work to your chosen market.

To start the process, just whizz me an email with ‘Manuscript Assessment’ in the subject line, and I’ll be in touch as soon as possible. If I can help, I’ll confirm in writing with an invitation to send your manuscript, followed by an invoice for the first payment. You’ll receive your report within 4 weeks. This is a detailed overview of the strengths, weaknesses and potential of your manuscript, with suggestions for further development. The report usually comes with either further resources, explaining particular techniques, or with an illustrative mark-up of a section of your manuscript. Sometimes both! The fee also includes a follow-up discussion of around an hour (by phone, Skype, or in person) to help you plan your rewrites.

If you’re thinking of booking a manuscript assessment, there’s some extra advice on making the most of professional feedback in my guest blog for Scottish Book Trust.

Fee

For an average-sized manuscript*, £460, half on receipt of the initial invoice and half within 30 days of receiving the report.

*The industry average for most genres is 70-85,000 words. If your work is significantly shorter or longer than this, let me know and I’ll give you an individual quote.

Development Editing

This is a process dedicated to helping your manuscript fulfil its potential, and helping you to solve the technical problems outlined in either your assessment report, or in feedback from beta readers, agents or publishers.

Development editing is driven by dialogue, so each stage will involve a detailed conversation as well as written feedback on redrafted sections.

We’ll begin by agreeing on the areas to tackle, and a logical order in which to address them. I’ll then send you a letter of agreement confirming the scope of work we envisage.

Fee

If I haven’t already read your work, I’ll charge you an initial reading fee of £75-£100, depending on the length of the manuscript.

After which, it’s the same as mentoring: £175 per feedback session, including preparation and follow-up notes. The initial consultation, after I’ve read your work, is free.

Line Edit

My line edit is a comprehensive structural and stylistic edit, usually presented in track changes in Word, with a combination of in-text suggestions and marginal comments. This is accompanied by separate explanatory notes, and the fee includes a follow-up discussion, by phone, email, Skype or in person.

Fee

Between £600 and £900, depending on the length of the manuscript and the extent of the work required.

If you’re interested in a line edit and I haven’t already read you work, get in touch and we can make arrangements for a free sample edit, in order to fix the fee.

Copyediting

In a copyedit I’ll pick up on issues of stylistic consistency, plot and character continuity, coherence in worldbuilding for SF/fantasy writers, and repetition and consistency in grammar and punctuation decisions. This is usually presented in track changes in Word, with an accompanying style sheet setting out the decisions I’ve made, and a table of queries in a separate document.

If you’re planning to submit your manuscript to agents or independent publishers and you know spotting glitches isn’t your strong point, a copyedit will give you a professional polish.

If you’re planning to self-publish, I recommend either a line edit or copyedit, followed by a proofread to prepare the text for publication, which should be undertaken by someone with a completely fresh eye. I can recommend genre-specialist SfEP colleagues for this, who may offer a discount if I’ve already worked with you.

Fee

£9 per 1,000 words

You can also book a copyedit for sample chapters, if you’re planning a submission to agents. I’ll make sure your first three chapters are squeaky-clean, and give you a template for self-editing the rest.

Code of Editorial Practice

I'm a member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders and uphold the Society’s code of practice.

Professional Development

Submissions to agents or independent publishers (fiction or narrative non-fiction).

Mentoring and feedback on your pitch letter, synopsis/proposal, opening chapters and agent/publisher list. I’ll provide notes and mark-ups which focus on industry expectations as well as self-expression, and will advise you of any further development work I think would be helpful before you approach the market.

Fee

£350 per draft submission package.

Short stories

If you’re an emerging novelist, the best way to test your market, build up your profile and provide evidence of your saleability is to publish short stories in reputable print/online journals, or achieve placements in story competitions. I recommend a strategic approach: researching the opportunities best suited to your style, subject and genre, then drafting short stories according to the editorial or judging criteria, the required word-count and the submission deadline.

If you’re organised and professional about it, I can provide the final polish that might just give you the edge. All you have to do is tell me the competition, publication or website you’re aiming at and the submission deadline if there is one, and send me the story. Assuming you’ve given me enough time (generally a minimum of 2 weeks) I’ll get back to you with notes, a comprehensive mark-up, and any advice I have on alternative platforms for the story.

See the Testimonials page for a description of the short story editing process from writer Kate Tough

If you’re drafting a short story for a deadline and want to book a slot in advance, just get in touch.

Fee

£150 for stories of 3,500 to 5,000 words.

** Only £100 if you book during August 2019**

If your story has come out way over the word limit for the opportunity you’ve identified and you simply need a fast cut, I may be able to do this at a lower cost, depending on my schedule.

If your story (and its required word count) is significantly shorter or longer than 3,500-5,000 words, just get in touch and I’ll give you a quote.

Quick guide to methods and fees

Method	Purpose	Fee	Payment
Mentoring	You’ve hit problems with a work in progress You have an idea, but you’re unsure how to start writing it	£175 per mentoring session	A week in advance of each meeting
Manuscript Assessment	You have a complete draft and would like a professional opinion	£460	Initial payment to commence work; balance on completion
Manuscript Assessment	Returning mentoring clients	£322	On completion
Development Editing	You want to tackle issues highlighted in your manuscript assessment	£175 per feedback session	In advance of each session
Development Editing	You want to tackle issues raised in feedback from others	£75-£100 initial reading fee, then £175 per feedback session	In advance
Line Editing	You want a comprehensive paragraph-by-paragraph markup, highlighting issues and suggesting improvements, to guide your rewrite	£600-£900: for a quote, please send a sample with your enquiry	Half in advance, half on completion (all on completion for existing clients)
Copyediting	You want a detailed polish, before submitting to agents/publishers, or (if you’re self-publishing) in preparation for final formatting and proofreading	£9 per 1,000 words	Half in advance, half on completion (all on completion for existing clients)
Professional Development: manuscript submission	You’re ready to send your work to agents or indie publishers, and want professional guidance on your letter, synopsis, sample chapters and submission list	£350	Half in advance, half on completion
Professional Development: manuscript submission	For line editing/copyediting clients	£250	On completion
Professional Development: short story submission	You want to maximise your chances in submitting to magazines, literary journal websites and short story competitions	£150 for stories of 3,500 to 5,000 words Only £100 if you book during August 2019 If your story is significantly shorter or longer than 3,500-5,000 words, just get in touch and I’ll give you a quote	In advance for new clients; on completion for existing clients

I'm happy to accept payment in any international currency, via PayPal. If you wish to pay in a currency other than GBP, I'll follow your invoice with a PayPal request in your preferred currency, calculated using the XE currency converter in the week your payment is due.

Terms & Conditions

My mission is to provide inspiring, insightful and professional support, in accordance with the descriptions of methods set out in this website. If at any point you feel your experience falls short of this aim, please tell me immediately. Your comments will always be welcomed and, where possible, any shortfalls made good.

I undertake to treat your work in the strictest confidence, and to treat you with respect and without discrimination on any grounds.
If you have a disability or condition which requires adjustments to be made in the way work is carried out, please let me know as soon as possible.
My engagement as a consultant begins when a letter of agreement is issued and payment is received. An initial conversation does not represent a commitment to work with you.
Unless an alternative is arranged, payments should be made in Sterling by electronic transfer.
If you embark on a One Shot Draft, Mentoring or Development Editing process and find yourself unable to continue, you may cancel the agreement at any time by email, and any payment received in advance of work commencing will be refunded. Agreements may also be suspended for a period of time, by arrangement.

If you are unable to submit work by the agreed date in advance of a scheduled feedback session, your session will be arranged for the next available opportunity, but please be aware this may result in delays.
All manuscripts, including work in progress for discussion, should be submitted by email as a Word attachment, double spaced, in 12-point type, with page numbers.
You retain copyright in your work at all times.
Copyright in all materials supplied by Sam Boyce Consultancy, including feedback and reports, remains with me, although you’re welcome to use quotations for your own purposes. If you’d like to use any of the written resources I provide as the basis for workshops or writers’ group sessions, please let me know.