Consultancy

I work with all kinds of writers – from first-timers to seasoned pros, some of whom are transitioning from other written media such as radio drama and journalism. I do story consultancy for a variety of media, including genre publishers and games developers. I work with fiction, non-fiction and memoir – not just novels!

I’ve had even longer experience writing novels and non-fiction myself and working with editors in the major publishing houses. There are a lot of people who offer editing work, but writing and editing has been my sole job since 1987.

WHERE DID I LEARN THIS?

1 Editing and coaching debut authors for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

2 Ghostwriting novels and memoirs for Random House and Puffin. This has given me a sixth sense for the stories, themes and dimensions that lurk below the waterline.

3 Teaching creative self-editing masterclasses for The Guardian newspaper in London. I know how to give you the tools to evaluate and improve your own work and take your writing to a new, mature level. That’s the magic I want to pass on.

4 Writing my own novels, memoirs and writing craft books. I’m still practising what I preach, every day.

I’ve also taught masterclasses for Writers & Artists and I’ve spoken at the Chartered Institute for Editing & Proofreading. I’m editor-in-chief for the Alliance of Independent Authors. I’ve judged major writing competitions in fiction and creative non-fiction (including the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award and the Vine Leaves Press International Voices Award). And a manuscript I doctored in its early stages went on to win the Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

And in case you’re thinking this is too serious for you, I love new writers! I have worked with many, guiding them to the stage where their manuscript is taken seriously by agents,  publishers, readers and book bloggers.

Teaching style

We all start somewhere. I know that your manuscript is the product of an immense journey of creativity, love, worry, and self-directed learning.

But is it ready for readers? What more do you need to know – and do?

My style is to take your materials – manuscript or synopsis – and to give you an in-depth tutorial (or tutorials) on your writing, your strengths and weaknesses, and tools to improve. I won’t tell you spurious writing rules or pat, template answers; I will digest your work carefully, consider your aims, tastes and individual talents, and give you advice that is personally tailored to help you produce your best work.

See my critiquing style for yourself!

I’m a regular panellist on the Litopia show Pop-Up Submissions, hosted by literary agent Peter Cox, where we critique manuscripts from authors who hope to be published. Have a look at my recent shows here.

What would suit your needs? Here are some options:

• In-depth report
• Smaller excerpt with Zoom consultation
• One-to-one consultations and mentoring

In-depth developmental report/ manuscript critique

I work with completed manuscripts, or a manuscript as complete as you can get it. I write you a detailed report on your characters, character arcs, plot and story structure, pacing, dialogue, description, writing style and anything else I feel should be discussed.

I’ll use plenty of examples from your work – all with the aim of helping you bring the book up to publishable quality.

I usually try to turn them around within 6 weeks, other work permitting, but if you decide you do want to proceed I will make a firm delivery date and do my utmost to stick to it so you’re not gnawing your fingernails for too long. Here’s more about how I work with writers.

How much?

My charges for a full manuscript critique are GBP£70 per 1,000 words, payable in advance (I can send you a Paypal invoice and I let Paypal do the currency conversion).

That may seem like quite a chunk of money, but what I tell you in this initial report will help you not only with this novel, but with all the others you’ll write afterwards. And I notice a LOT – the price reflects the time I spend, my experience and the thoroughness of the work. It’s in line with the Writer’s Market survey.

Is that all?

Is that all you get? No, I don’t abandon you after the initial report. Once you’ve had a chance to read the report, digest it, try out the ideas I’ve given you, we can schedule a follow-up conversation by Zoom (which you are welcome to record, with video off if you prefer). Which is quite fun.

What kind of books do I work with?

I work with non-fiction, memoir, fictionalised memoir and a lot of types of fiction. But if your book is in a genre I don’t read I might not be the best person to advise you. Drop me an email  – rozmorriswriter at gmaildotcom – and tell me a little more about your book.

Is there a cheaper option?

There certainly is!

Smaller excerpt and Zoom consultation A lot of writers find it helpful to ask me to critique a portion of the book – the synopsis and the beginning, or other excerpts with particular issues. Usually I can identify in that the main issues for the rest of the book and you can use it to guide your revisions of the whole thing. Email me to discuss your needs, as the price varies depending on how much preparation I need to do.

One-to-one consultations

Stuck on your outline? Want to pep up your plot but you’re out of ideas? Stuck and in need of a chat with a professional? Want to pick my brains for any other reason?  We can chat on Skype. One-hour personal consultation plus another hour of my time preparing with your synopsis or other materials. GBP£200. If your situation will need more hours of preparation or research, we can do that too – email me for details. Rozmorriswriter at gmail dotcom

Mentoring

Prefer regular face-to-face discussions? I can mentor you via a series of Zoom tutorials. We’ll tackle your book in stages and I’ll help you find the way to write to your fullest potential. Price on application.

About my speaking and tutoring experience, from Geek Lates to BIC to The Guardian masterclasses…

And Nail Your Novel books! Find out more here, including which book to read first!

Copy-editing and proof-reading

I’ve worked in book production since 1987. I can copy-edit and proof-read a manuscript, in UK English – email me for details. My rates for copy editing and proof reading are in line with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, formerly the Society for Editors and Proof-readers. But copy-editing and proof-reading are only necessary if you’re publishing the manuscript yourself. If you’re submitting to agents and publishers you don’t need this.

Ghostwriting

Yes I can, depending on the nature of the book. Price on application.

More questions?

Don’t know what to ask next? Here’s how I work with writers.

Ready to discuss? Don’t hesitate to drop me a line and we can chat about what options might suit you. Want to know the really fiddly fine print (there isn’t a lot of it, don’t worry) – find terms & conditions here.

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