Editing Services & More
My vanity license plate reads:
“Ace editor. Editorial rescue from a nurturing but whip-cracking, well-connected, celebrated author (Bang the Keys, Jazzed) who will help you unleash the true fabulosity in your projects and bring them to fruition in the real world before depression or drink destroy your nerve!”
Hooked? Great. But keep your eyes on the road! I will help you navigate.
Are you seeking an editor with decades of experience, referrals upon request, a head for business and a bod for sin? Well, look no further! (And don’t look too closely!) I am the author of seven books, a long-time writing Professor at New York University, and an experienced writing coach and workshop leader. Editing is a great love of mine. Here are some of my offerings below. Reach out to tell me about your project and what you need; I will be happy to give you a price quote and timeline.
Contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com.
Advise & Critique: Does your mind sway between a feeling of overwhelming grandiosity and complete insecurity about your work? I will read your manuscript and write up an editorial letter of three to five pages, covering macro issues such as character, structure, plot, narrative momentum, setting, dialogue, and prose, as well as micro issues like flat prose, occasional repetition, language tics that distract the reader, etc. The fee is less than the editorial package and will help you to revise your manuscript into strong shape.
Editorial Package: Are you further along in your writing process? Perhaps you have written and revised a draft (or many) already? You’ve had beta-readers including friends, break-dancers, and mimes give you notes? If so, you will likely benefit from having a professional editor, author, and writing professor give your manuscript the attention and scrutiny it deserves. I will read your manuscript, and insert comments and small edits in track changes as I read. I will then write up an editorial letter of three to five pages, covering macro issues such as character, structure, plot, narrative momentum, setting, dialogue, and prose, as well as micro issues like occasional repetition, language tics that distract the reader, etc. After you receive my feedback, we schedule a call. You will have the opportunity to ask me questions, and I will guide you forward.
Personal Writing Trainer: Do you feel like an imposter? Let’s change that by teaching you accountability and craft. Perhaps you are unsure how to go about drafting and revising your work? Would it be a dream for you to have one person dedicated to helping you become the best writer you can be? Well, I am your genie in a bottle. Or Jill with a wee nightcap. (I just can’t handle those debaucherous evenings anymore!) For a monthly stipend, I will give you two assignments a week via email and check in on you to make sure you do them, then give you feedback. This level of master-class attention and serious real-world accountability will help you to swiftly internalize the tools of the professional writer. And then maybe I’ll hire you! #FreakyFriday
Copy Editing: Is your manuscript almost good to go, but needs cleaning up? I can apply an experienced eye and a fresh feather duster to your manuscript, and help get you ready for submission. (Mea culpa for the mixed message; I thought I was writing a personal ad!)
Query Letters: Does the idea of pitching agents and editors make you feel queasy? Fear not, friend. The query letter is an art, and one of my specialties. I offer a super-quick turnaround and will teach you the skills you need to write future queries.
Book Proposals: Another art form which I am happy to guide you through.
I also offer coaching, speaking, and workshops upon request.
Watch the Bang the Keys book trailer below for a sense of what my book for writers offers, how I work as a coach, and how my writing workshops flow.
I edit fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and scripts, etc. Here’s a selection of books I’ve worked on as an editor and/or writing coach.
- Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson (HarperCollins)
- Tomorrowland: The 1964-65 World’s Fair and the Transformation of America by Joseph Tirella (Lyons Press)
- Uptown Thief (Justice Hustlers Book 1) by Aya de Leon (Kensington)
- How Creativity Rules the World by Maria Brito (HarperCollins)
- The Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage by Kyle Thomas Smith (Gatekeeper Press)
- In Search of Pure Lust: A Memoir by Lise Weil (Inanna Press-Canada) (SWP-USA)
- The Book of Ash by John McCaffrey (Boxfire Press)
- Precious Blood by Jonathan Hayes (Harper)
- Cleans Up Nicely by Linda Dahl Vogl (She Writes Press)
- Prophecy’s Eyes: Explicit Historical Fantasy by Ariel Dalziel (Bongo)
- Lifting the Wheel of Karma by Paul Magid (Point Dume Press)
- Do You Know Who I Once Was? (A Trans Memoir) by Cami Richardson (Thomas)
- Half Life by Aaron Krach (Alyson Books)
- Enchanted by Starlight by Tina L. Hook (CreateSpace)
- The Scales of Six by Rosean Mile (CreateSpace)