While mostly executed in solitude, writing develops in relation—over time, through attention, and often in the presence of an experienced reader who can stay with the work as it unfolds.
I work with writers at different stages of a project, offering close reading and sustained dialogue. At times, this takes the form of an ongoing conversation; at others, a more concentrated engagement with a full manuscript.
My work is grounded in close reading and in the belief that form and story are not imposed but discovered. What matters is not only improving a manuscript, but learning to recognize how it is taking shape—so that you can continue the work with greater clarity and precision. Here are the different ways we can work together:
Manuscript Assessment
A careful, immersive reading of your work, followed by a written response that considers structure, voice, pacing, and the deeper emotional core of the piece.
This is often a way of seeing the work more clearly before deciding how to proceed.
Includes
- full read (up to an agreed length)
- editorial letter
- optional conversation (phone, or Google Meet).
Typical Fee
$0.025 per word
First Draft Coaching
For writers generating new work–I can be your story doula.
At this stage, the writing benefits less from correction than from attention. The task is to stay with the material long enough for its internal logic to emerge. I read closely and respond as the work takes shape, helping you recognize what is beginning to form without closing it down too early.
Each session includes
- reading (up to 5,000 new words)
- written feedback and margin notes
- one-hour conversation (phone, or Google Meet).
Typical Fee
$150 per session
or $1,100 for a set of eight
Developmental Coaching
For writers working within an existing draft, where writing and revision begin to overlap.
This is a more sustained, collaborative process. We move between new material and revision, attending to structure, pattern, and coherence across the manuscript as a whole.
Each session includes
- reading (up to 10,000–12,000 words, new and revised)
- detailed feedback and margin notes
- ninety-minute conversation (phone, or Google Meet).
Typical Fee
$275 per session
or $2,000 for a set of eight
Developmental Editing
For writers with a complete draft seeking a deeper, full-manuscript engagement.
This is a concentrated intervention: a close reading of the manuscript as a whole, with detailed feedback focused on structure, narrative movement, and coherence. The aim is to help you understand what the work is doing—and what it requires next.
Unlike coaching, this does not unfold over time, but arrives as a single, comprehensive response.
Includes
- full manuscript read
- detailed editorial letter
- margin notes
- optional follow-up conversation
Typical Fee
$0.04–$0.06 per word
Written Feedback
For some projects—particularly shorter works—it can be useful to work entirely on the page.
In these cases, I respond directly in the manuscript, with marginal notes and, when helpful, a brief concluding assessment. This can take place on its own or alongside the work above.
Typical Fee
Up to 3,000 words: $200
3,000–6,000 words: $275
Longer pieces: custom rate
Where are you at in your process?
- Orientation → Manuscript Assessment
- Writing new work → Draft Coaching
- Revising as you go → Developmental Coaching
- Complete draft → Developmental Editing
If you’re unsure, you’re welcome to email me a brief description of your project, or to set up a free consultation call to discuss what might work best for you.
The artist, in this model, is like the optometrist, always asking: Is it better like this? Or like this?
George Saunders
SV Bertrand 