Revision Coaching
1:1 coaching for writers with a revised and vetted outline for their next draft
You don’t have to wait for a traditional publishing deal to get:
→ An editor as invested in your story as you are
→ An invigorating, inspiring creative partnership
→ The feedback you crave to craft your best stories
What Is Revision Coaching?
Once you have a map for your next draft, you’ll need to edit it page by page. And that’s exactly what we’ll do in one-on-one revision coaching.
First, we’ll finish the big-picture story work that we began in the Story Refinery. We’ll turn your story clarity into a scene list that maps out every scene of your novel.
Then, you’ll revise your manuscript and send me pages as you go. Each week, we’ll meet for a call where I’ll give you extensive feedback on your scene structure and technique.
Together, you and I will bring out the very best in your writing. And when we’re finished, you’ll have a polished manuscript you’re proud to share with your readers.
Our Revision Goals
one
To pick up right where we left off in the Story Refinery, continue mapping your next draft, and then make your manuscript match that outline.
two
To refine your scenes—and your editing skills so you can make every scene unputdownable.
three
To create a short feedback loop where you can write, get feedback, revise, learn, and produce your best work.
What We’ll Revise Together
First: The Scene List
This revised scene list will become our guide for the rest of the editing process.
Next: The Scenes
With your scene list in hand, we’ll edit your manuscript scene by scene. We’ll workshop each scene together to make every page of your novel unputdownable.
You’ll also learn a scene editing process you can use with my feedback or on your own to make strategic scene-level edits in every draft.
Our Revision Process
Step 1: Schedule Our Coaching
First, we’ll determine the coaching schedule that will work best for you.
Our calls will be 1 hour, and we’ll meet on Zoom. My current openings are:
- Weekly calls: Tuesdays at 1 pm or 2 pm Eastern time
- Biweekly calls: Thursdays at 1 pm or 2 pm Eastern time
Then, we’ll start editing!
Step 2: Refine the Scene List
While we’re nailing down your scene list, our work together will look very similar to the Story Refinery.
Between each call, I’ll send you homework to continue developing your story.
And on our calls, we’ll continue building out your scene list until we create a complete plan for your entire story from start to finish.
Step 3: Refine the Scenes
Once we begin scene revisions, you’ll have new homework: each week, you’ll revise a scene of your manuscript.
At least 24 hours before each call, you’ll send me your revised scene (up to 3,000 words). On our call, we’ll workshop the scene together and find the most impactful edits you can make.
Then, you’ll revise it again and send me your revision and your next scene.
Our Revision Timeline
We can work together in Revision Coaching for as short or as long as you like!
Calls are purchased in sets of 4. You can continue in our coaching container for as many calls as you like, and you can stop at any time.
Some writers continue in Revision Coaching for nine months or longer, and we work our way through an entire draft of their novel with my feedback on every page.
Other writers spend just a few months in Revision Coaching so they can get my feedback on specific scenes and learn a scene editing process they can use on their own. We identify the scenes where they’d most like my feedback, and we workshop those while preparing them to revise their full manuscript on their own.
If you would like my feedback on every page of your manuscript, anticipate spending nine months or more in Revision Coaching.
If you’d like targeted feedback on a few scenes and a process you can use on your own, I recommend that we spend three months in Revision Coaching.
That said, I’ll never lock you into a subscription or ongoing commitment. So if you decide after just one month that you have everything you need to rock your revision on your own, we’ll wrap up our Revision Coaching and I’ll cheer you on as you head off to edit!
What We’ll Create Together
A manuscript you love and are incredibly proud to share with agents, editors, publishers, and readers.
Confidence that your story works and will keep your readers hooked on every page—and you know how and why it works, so that confidence is unshakeable.
And a scene revision process you can use on your own to make your next novels even better before you bring in an editor.
Why Writers Love Revision Coaching
With each draft, I cringed less, and with this one I don’t cringe at all.
I’m most proud of . . .
Creating the story that I really wanted to tell and that I’m really proud of, confident to present to agents, editors, whatever.
Just knowing that it’s done now, it’s right. As something ready to go out into the world, it’s ready.
And being able to read over my writing and only have imposter syndrome rear its head a couple of times.
With each draft, I cringed less, and with this one I don’t cringe at all.
It feels good to read it through. It felt really good, it felt really satisfying, it felt really well paced, like there didn’t feel like there were any slow parts anymore. Doing that final proofread I was surprised by how fast I got through it, and how well the pace kept on going.
—Cathryn
This [was] a great creative cooperation between us: of me explaining my world, my vision for this story, and you coming in with your questions.
To the writer who’s on the fence, I’d say . . .
You don’t often have someone thinking through your story with you. Because even when you have another writer who you swap critiques with, they don’t see your story as a whole. They just read chapter by chapter.
They don’t join you in the creative process, right? That’s usually not what I do with critique partners.
You ask them for feedback, maybe some pointers. But you never walk through this whole creative process with them. They are never as invested as you are.
And I felt like this [was] a great creative cooperation between us: of me explaining my world, my vision for this story, and you coming in with your questions.
I felt like, if you do get an agent, editor at a publishing company, this is what they would do, you know? They would join your story, more or less.
And that felt like really a helpful thing as well, to be able to say, “Okay, this is what I’m trying to do,” and then [have] someone pushing back.
It’s not just having someone tell you about your story.
It’s learning about your story, about writing techniques, about seeing stuff in your work, being able to take a step back.
And it’s just incredibly helpful. It’s like an investment in your book and in yourself as a writer. So I would definitely recommend [it].
—Esther
What’s the Price?
Revision Coaching
- 4 x 1 hour Zoom calls where we’ll workshop your story together
- Feedback on up to 3,000 words of your manuscript on each call
- Call recordings + transcripts to keep forever
Interested in Revision Coaching?
In order to make the most of Revision Coaching, we’ll first need to refine your story structure in the Story Refinery.
The first step is to tell me about your story. Get started by filling out the form below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will we work together in Revision Coaching?
It depends on your goals. We can work together as long as you like, or for just four calls.
If you’d like my feedback on every page of your novel, expect to spend nine months or more in Revision Coaching.
If you’d like me to help you get started on your next draft, and then you’d like to continue editing on your own, I recommend we spend three months (or twelve calls) in Revision Coaching.
That will give us enough time for you to get substantial and meaningful feedback on your scenes.
You’ll also get a lot of practice using the scene revision process I recommend, which will prepare you to tackle your entire manuscript on your own.
That said, I’ll never lock you into an ongoing subscription. You can stop at any time, and I’ll cheer you on from afar as you continue editing on your own!
What if your available coaching times don't work for me?
Reach out and let’s chat! I open coaching times outside those windows on a case-by-case basis.
What if I have to miss one of our calls?
No worries! We can easily skip that week and meet the next week.
I understand that life happens, and I don’t charge a cancellation fee. So far, that’s never caused a problem. Let’s all be kind to each other, and I won’t have to change this policy.
What kinds of books do you edit?
The short answer: In the Story Refinery and Revision Coaching, I edit character-driven novels for teens and adults.
To read the longer answer and see whether I’m a good fit for your book, click here for my complete manuscript wishlist.
That said, if you’re writing something that’s not on my manuscript wishlist, you’re welcome to join Scene Mastery. This workshop is open to writers of all fiction genres, as well as memoirists.
What kinds of writers do you work with?
I work with experienced writers who have developed their story idea and completed their manuscript. I’m here to help you take the good story you’ve written and make it amazing.
What kinds of experience make you an experienced writer? This might look like:
- You’ve published novels before.
- You’ve written several manuscripts, even if you haven’t published them.
- This is your first novel, but you’ve revised this manuscript so many times, you’ve lost count of what draft you’re on.
- You’ve studied fiction writing through books, courses, podcasts, an MFA, etc.
The best way to find out whether I’m a good fit to support you at your current stage is to chat! So if you’re not sure, fill out the form and tell me about your story.
I'm still working on my draft. When should I reach out?
I book editing services 3 to 5 months out. If you’re thinking of working with me, I encourage you to reach out early, even before you’ve finished your draft.
That will give you plenty of time to see whether I’m a good fit for your story and get a spot on my calendar that matches your timeline.
What does a "revised and vetted outline" mean?
A revised and vetted outline is your map to edit your next draft. It’s what we’ll create together in the Story Refinery.
“Revised” means you’ve edited the outline so that it reflects what you want your story to become. “Vetted” means that an editor has assessed it to make sure that the story structure is solid and it will guide your next draft well.
You can work with me to prepare this outline in the Story Refinery. Or, you can work with my colleague, Kimberly Kessler, to create this outline, and then move into Revision Coaching with me when it’s ready.
Hear what it’s like to work with me
Want to get a feel for my editing style?
Enter your email and I’ll send you a recording of a real Revision Coaching session.
I’ll also send you editing tips and strategies every week to support you as you revise your manuscript.