opening evaluation

the mage class

Opening Chapter Evaluation and Critique for Fantasy Fiction Stories

​You can feel the story in your head. You know the voices of your characters, the scope of your world, and the grit of your technology, but you can't seem to fit it onto the page. When you're too close to the world, often it's difficult to see where the problem is, or the steps needed to bring your story together. 
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Cast a revival spell on a stalled story with a mini developmental edit. Perhaps you don't have a finished manuscript, but you find yourself in need of some help to reach the final chapter. If you're not sure what's wrong and want a second pair of eyes to give you expert analysis and a little direction, this form of editing is for you. ​I will read the first 10% of your story, and give you feedback on what you are doing well, what needs work, and ​steps you can take to get yourself past your hurdles. 

attributes of the mage class

an opening evaluation covers...

  • The impact of your opening chapter and story's hook (whether it caught my interest)
  • My impression of your main character(s) and whether I find them likable and believable​
  • Voice, point-of-view effectiveness, and choice of narration
  • ​World building and setting effectiveness (whether you have too many info dumps or not enough detail that I am confused)
  • Critique on your plot, structure, and pacing
  • Whether your sci-fi and fantasy elements are integrated and believable (magic, planets, technology, history, creatures, etc)
  • Some of my assumptions and ideas of where the story will go and how it will end (so you can get a sense if your plot and characters are predictable)
  • Suggestions for next steps, what to work on, and what you are doing well. 

steps for opening evaluation

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Choose your desired level of editing. 

I'd like to hear about your story, genre, and specifics of what you'd like help with in the opening evaluation process.  I will cover the same subjects as I do in the developmental editing process, but it will be limited to the first 10% of your story.

After we've settled on the details and agreed to the contract terms, I'll send you an invoice for a 50% deposit.  All payments will be done through Paypal. 

I will then direct you to fill out a style sheet to help me in my evaluation of your piece. Th more information I have, the more effective my opening evaluation and edit will be. After you've filled it out, you can send me your story in a word document or pages file and we can get started. ​

I edit your story. 

After we've discussed your project I go away for a bit and edit. ​I read through your piece multiple times, reviewing the elements of your story and giving you extensive feedback on the opening chapters of your book. I use Microsoft Word track changes for most projects, though if you have a Mac I am more than willing to use Pages. 

I'll keep in touch and contact you if I have any questions throughout the process. The time it takes me will depend on the word count of your story. 
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I'll email you feedback.

I will return your edited story in a .doc or .docx file with comments concerning your opening's effectiveness, plot, structure, voice, characters, setting, theme, and pacing. 
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​You will also receive an editorial assessment: a written report in the form of a PDF detailing my notes and observations made throughout the opening evaluation process, including what I believed is working, what needs your attention, and steps you can take to push your story to its finish. This will generally be between 4-6 pages long. 

​Once you've received your edited story, I'll email you an invoice for the remaining fee.

From better writing to a better writer. 

Similar to a developmental edit, the goal of the opening evaluation is to improve the overall structure, effectiveness, and impact of the opening chapters of your novel. ​Consequently, at the end of the process you will be able to email me to ask any last minute questions about my report. I'll spend up to an hour on my response, after which you will hopefully feel ready to begin continuing your story. 

​My goal isn't only to improve your writing in this single piece. Though you'll walk away with a polished, improved opening, I hope you also take with you some insight and tools that will help push your writing skills to the next level. 

opening evaluation prices

Short Story (10,000 words)
1,000 words (10% of story)
$35
Novella (30,000 words)
3,000 words (10% of story)
$50
Novel (70,000 words)
​7,000 words (10% of story)
$135
Epic Novel (150,000 words)
​15,000 words (10% of story)
$200

​​​These are estimates based on word-count alone.
Contact me to discuss the specifics of your individual story, or to get a free sample edit to see if we'd be a good fit!