Partial Edit & Outline Critique Services

Looking for feedback on a work-in-progress? The partial edit includes extensive feedback on a short excerpt or outline so you can complete a stronger first draft. 

Bee balm flower painting partial edit

Writing a book can take a long time and it can help to get a sense of what is going well and what needs work before you keep going. The partial edit is performed on a shorter piece of writing (up to 5000 words plus a synopsis) and can be done much earlier in the writing process than a manuscript critique or full developmental edit. 

You can also get feedback on an outline or chapter summaries. 

Bee balm painted on historic document partial edit good for

A partial edit is great for: 

  • Improving writing skills 

  • Checking a particular craft element such as POV, use of description and backstory, creating interiority, creating tension on a scene level, improving dialogue

  • Finding your strengths and identifying areas to improve

  • Regularly hearing the same feedback from a critique group or beta readers but needing help figuring out how to fix it 

  • Feeling confident you are on the right track after you have received feedback and applied your new skills

A partial edit is not good for: 

  • Solving big picture problems in a story 

  • Identifying plot problems 

  • Getting to the root of issues with character arc or motivation 

  • Fixing grammar or punctuation 

Bee balm painted historic document gray scale

Partial Edit & Outline Critique Service

    1. A 2-3 page letter identifying what is working well and where you need to improve. I will make sure to take into account what you any areas you want to focus on improving. 

    2. The manuscript with comments and suggestions added throughout using margin comments function in Word. 

    3. It will not include any tracked changes. If I have suggestions for new ways to word something I will include examples in the margins and the letter. 

  • Investment: $200 USD* (add a feedback call for an additional $75 USD)

    Want on-going feedback without the extra coaching support? You can send new excerpts or get a second round of feedback on the same piece to gain insight on how well you are implementing your new skills.

    Get 10 partial edits for $1800 USD*

    *Canadian clients contact for pricing details.

Book your partial edit
Bee balm painted on historic postcard FAQ partial edit

Partial Edit: Frequently Asked Questions

  • Partial edits take about two weeks to complete from the time I receive your excerpt and synopsis.

  • 1. Send me a message via the contact form or email with details about your project including word count, deadlines, and your publishing goals.

    2. I will get back to you with a proposed timeline and a questionnaire to help you learn more about the project.

    3. Send me your excerpt up to 5000 words and a brief synopsis of the book on the agreed upon date.

    6. Once the edit is complete, I will send an invoice for the remainder of the payment along with the edited manuscript and editorial letter

    7. If you want a feedback call you can book for $75/hour.

  • Yes! Your manuscript is kept secure and confidential. Not sharing work is an essential part of being an editor.

  • Payments can be made directly through the invoice using a credit card. I can also accept direct bank transfers through Wise.

    *Canadian clients can receive their invoice in CAD and pay through interac e-transfer.

  • I don’t because reading a manuscript for big pictures issues is quite different from reading it for the nitty gritty types of things that you look for in a copyedit or proofread. My strengths are in crafting great story elements. So that is what I focus on. Sometimes sentence-level issues impact the big picture elements and I do point those out. This also allows you to stay focused on fixing structural story elements before diving into the weeds.

  • I do not include fact checking as part of the editing process. Although I have a background in social science research, I am not an expert on any particular historical time period. I do read a lot of history and historical fiction but that doesn’t quite make me an expert. What I will focus on is how the history is used to enhance the story. And yes, if something strikes me as erroneous I will certainly pop in a question about it so that you can check its accuracy.

  • I do not use AI when editing. My edits are 100% human-powered. I prefer not to work on manuscripts that are substantially written with AI but I don’t have a problem with writers using AI as an assistant for brainstorming, editing, and refining ideas.

  • Yes! I am based in British Columbia, Canada but I work with clients all around the world.

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Manuscript Critique