LET’S SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.

Your concerns might include

• Does my story have enough momentum?

• Are my characters’ motivations convincing?

• Are the conflict and stakes strong enough?

• Does the structure work?

• Is the point of view serving the story?

• I know something isn’t working — but what?

You don’t need to have all the answers, or even know exactly what the problem is.

That’s what we’ll explore together.

FICTION FOCUS
ZOOM OUT — £350

You send me:

Up to 10,000 words, in whatever combination will best help me understand your story.

This might include:

• A synopsis or story outline

• A chapter plan

• Character notes

• Sample scenes or chapters

• Research or world-building notes

• Your questions, concerns or anything you’re stuck on

I’ll explore:

• Character and character arcs

• Motivation, conflict and stakes

• Plot and causality

• Structure and pacing

• Point of view

• Relationships

• Theme and underlying threads

• Gaps, contradictions or connections you may not have spotted

• What’s already working, and what might be getting in the way

• Possibilities waiting to be developed

You’ll receive:

• Detailed written feedback

• Selective annotations where useful

• Personal recorded video feedback

• A 60-minute Zoom session to explore feedback and the next steps for your story

Let’s take a closer look.

Your concerns might include:

• Why isn’t this scene landing?

• Is my opening doing enough?

• Why doesn’t this character feel convincing?

• Is this the right point of view?

• Why isn’t my ending working?

• Is the pacing off?

• Which of these two approaches works better?

• I can see the problem — but how do I fix it?

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

FICTION FOCUS
ZOOM IN — £195

You give me:

Up to 3,000 words of your fiction, together with:

• A short note explaining what you’d particularly like me to focus on

• Any context I need to understand the problem

• Your specific questions or concerns

I’ll explore:

With your particular question in mind, I’ll look closely at:

• What’s happening on the page

• Why it’s having the effect it is

• What’s working — and what’s getting in the way

• What you could change to make it stronger

You’ll receive:

• Detailed written feedback

• Selective annotations where useful

• Personal recorded video feedback

• A 60-minute Zoom session to explore the problem and possible ways forward
  
  
  
  

The whole story, with fresh eyes.

You’ve finished your project and need to know how well it’s really working.

I read your manuscript and look beyond the prose to the bigger picture: character, structure, plot, pace, voice, point of view, tension, theme and emotional impact.

I’ll be asking myself …

• Does the story hold together?

• Are the characters convincing — and are their motivations driving what happens?

• Does the structure serve the story?

• Where does the pace pull me in or begin to drift?

• Are the conflict and stakes strong enough?

• Does the narrative voice feel consistent and compelling?

• Are there threads, opportunities or connections that could be developed further?

• Does the ending deliver on what the story has promised?

And, perhaps most importantly: what’s already working that you really shouldn’t lose?

You’ll receive …

• A detailed written assessment

• Selective annotations on your manuscript where useful

• Tailored video feedback on pivotal sections

• A 60-minute Zoom session to talk through feedback and your next steps

SHORT FICTION & EXTRACTS

For short stories, opening chapters, or standalone extracts:

Up to 5,000 words — £225
5,001–10,000 words — £295

NOVEL-LENGTH MANUSCRIPTS

Up to 60,000 words — £595
60,001–80,000 words — £695
80,001–100,000 wowrds — £795
100,001–120,000 words — £895

Over 120,000 words — please contact me for a quote.

Ready to put your novel in front of an agent?

You’ve revised, polished and probably read those opening pages more times than you can count. Now comes the exciting — and slightly terrifying — part: sending your novel out there.

Your concerns might include:

• Does my submission make a striking first impression?

• How do I pitch my novel in a few compelling lines?

• Does my query letter make an agent want to know more?

• What should I include in my synopsis, and what can I leave out?

• Are my opening chapters strong enough to make an agent keep reading?

• Am I approaching the right agents, in the right way?

• What if I send it out too soon and waste my chance?

That’s exactly what we’ll work through together.

We’ll look at:

• Your query letter, pitch and blurb

• How clearly you communicate the hook and premise

• How you position your novel

• Your synopsis — what to include, what to leave out, and how much detail you need

• Your opening pages — and whether they make me want to keep reading

• How well the different elements work together as a submission package

• Anything that could create doubt, confusion or get in the way

• Your approach to querying agents

SUBMISSION-READY — £325

YOU GIVE ME:

• Your covering/query letter, including your pitch or blurb

• Your synopsis — up to 1,500 words

• Your opening chapters — up to 10,000 words

• Details of the agents you’re considering approaching, if you have them
  
  

I GIVE YOU:

• Detailed feedback and annotations on your query letter, synopsis and opening pages

• Suggestions for strengthening your pitch and positioning

• Personal recorded video feedback

• A 60-minute Zoom session to work through the package and your submission strategy

MY EXPERIENCE OF PITCHING TO AGENTS

As part of the Escalator Talent Development Scheme, I attended specialist sessions on pitching and submitting to literary agents, including a one-to-one meeting with literary agent Juliet Pickering to discuss my submission package.

I put that expert guidance into practice, approaching agents in small, carefully chosen rounds — starting with my six dream agents. Five requested the full manuscript; the sixth recommended a colleague she felt would be a better fit.

Ella Kahn was the first to read the novel and come back to me. She then became my agent.

So I know what it feels like to reduce a novel you care about to a letter, synopsis and sample pages — and then press ‘send’ and wait.