What creative solutions do you need?
Until I was in my thirties, I did not realize that creative problem solving was a skill that not everyone had
developed. As I have experienced different things in life, I have come to think of creative problem solving as
more than just a skill: effective creative problem solving is a talent. It is the ability to think outside of the box,
adapt on your feet, expand your horizons, try new things and keep trying new things until something works.
The ability to marry both left and right brain thinking is a valuable asset.
Its innovation.
Pairing logic with curiosity.
Effective creative problem solving makes me adaptable, diverse and productive.
While some skills are certainly highly specialized to specific roles, my unique perspectives posses the ability to be utilized almost universally. Where there is a strong will, there is most definitely a way!
Because I gain a sense of purpose from helping people in any creative field, I have developed a list of areas I have experience and passion for developing further. The end goal for any creative project is sustainability, something which creative endeavors often struggle to achieve.
It is my hope to find people who would not only have use for but also enjoy working with my unique skill sets to create something wonderful. Together, I hope we can propagate windows of sustainable creativity within the world.
My current services are:
- Developmental Editing and Manuscript assessment.
- Marketing/promotions
- Covers and Blurbs
- Events (including curation and staging)
You can find more information about these below.
Pricing:
Some editors charge you by word count or page number. In my experience, for the level of editing that I do, this is unsustainable as the amount of work required for a 80,000 word manuscript can vary greatly. Some MS of this length have taken me more than double the time of others because all art is different.
By requesting a sample of your work along with all relevant information about your MS I am able to assess what level of editing you will require and come up with the most cost effective formulae that I will provide full transparency for.
For an MS assessment, prices start at $500 NZD
For a Developmental Edit, prices start at $800.NZD
All services require a deposit.
Developmental Editing, Manuscript Assessment
You’ve finished writing your book!
Well congratulations!
Getting to the last page is a marathon effort and you should be incredibly proud of yourself. But, as any seasoned writer will tell you, you have only reached the first milestone.
If you would like to understand more about my personal perspective on editing, you can check out my blog that goes into a bit more detail.
The editing services I offer are Manuscript Assessment (MS assessment) and Developmental Editing.
My passion primarily lies in speculative fiction - fantasy, gothic literature, retellings and magic realism. I enjoy YA/New Adult, Middle Grade and Adult novels.
I love poetry and short fiction in any genre too!
At the moment, I’m really getting into Hybrid and Experimental.
But, I love any story that offers interesting depth into the human condition or sheds light on cultural/social issues. And I’m a sucker for a bit of classic romance or Smut now and again (especially if its fae-fantasy!)
When you contract me for a MS assessment you will receive a comprehensive document of approximately 20 pages.
The first section will include questions I think you may like to consider moving forward and suggestions for how to reach the target audience I believe your book will resonate best with.
I will then provide an overview of any areas you may need to give some more thought to and what stands out as the most successful elements of your story.
Each of the key craft components will be addressed with a detailed reflection and suggestions of where you may like to improve.
I usually include some references you may find useful to help you during your next edit and at least two suggestions for marketing.
In addition to the assessment report, I offer a free 45 minutes zoom meet (within three months of return) where you can ask any questions or discuss anything you would find useful.
A Developmental Edit will include a full annotated version of your MS and a more a more detailed description of each craft aspect of your book. I will often include some line edits and mild copy edits, but these will not be to the depth that an editor who specializes in these fields would provide.
I usually provide a wide number of links to sources that you may find beneficial and a full range of suggestions as well as some fact checking where applicable.
I am specially concerned with character and world building.
In my annotations, I will often pose questions to help prompt your own responses as I believe it is important to allow your own creativity to drive solutions, though often times I will make suggestions that you are free to accept if they resonate with you and ignore if they do not align.
I believe it is of the utmost importance to provide editorial insights that help strengthen your voice and allow your story to flourish rather than to insert my influence in a commanding way. An author should never feel an editor is attempting to take over! I believe it is our job to provide you an informed perspective while preserving your authenticity as an author.
You will also have the option to have a 45minute Zoom meet with me to discuss anything further free of charge. Please bare in mind that although I dont give you a cut off date to use this by, the sooner you book this session, the more you will get out of it as the details in my memory will decrease.
To request either service, please send me a full synopsis that includes your genre and target audience, total word count, author bio, publishing goals and the first 10 pages of your MS.
I will use this information to determine if I feel I can invest the way your story deserves, how best to assess your work and provide a min-max quote.
You will also receive an editors sample so that you can see how I work and decide if you feel we are a good match.
Pricing:
You will need to email me outlining how I can help you to discuss a fee or budget for services.
Marketing Support
I know many authors find marketing an overwhelming aspect of publishing! Creatives are, by nature, comfortable in producing work but often feel uncomfortable in marketing or promotion.
With the vast changes in technology affecting the industry, and the ease of access to a vast selection of stories, it can feel like an extremely competitive world! As a self published or Independent author, we are often faced with the daunting task of turning our author life into a small business. Not only do we have to write, have a day job, maintain families, a social life and do all the usual daily living tasks but now we have to scramble to make time to promote our books and market ourselves. All to often we dont even know where to start.
Having worked with a vast array of creatives, and being one myself, I personally understand how difficult it can be to navigate marketing and promotions when its just not something we feel confident in doing. Let alone the extra time it takes researching ‘how to’ and feeling like its hard work because none of it resonates with our personalities and we are all on our own!
I really enjoy working with creatives to come up with ideas that are tailored specifically to their lifestyle and feel less daunting, more authentic and encouraging! I like finding solutions that motivate you rather than drain you.
Maybe you just need someone who can brainstorm some ideas with you, maybe you need help sketching out a marketing plan. Maybe you need help understanding how social media works. Maybe you have an idea but you have no idea how to activate it. Maybe you feel lost creating content and need someone to create a social media campaign for you. Maybe you need a video edited. Perhaps you need some help researching what podcast you should approach or sending off emails to request a book listing….
If their is anything about marketing or promotion that you really just want some help and support with, I have a wide array of skills and the understanding of how to use a number of different online toolsets that can help you feel less overwhelmed.
The best part is, I can work within any budget!
I am constantly upset by websites I see that are charging 100’s and 1000’s of dollars for things that don’t require a huge amount of specialized skills or time and take advantage of creatives who are already struggling to keep their passion sustainable.
Please note I am also open to assisting any other creatives with their self-promotion and marketing. If you resonate with my approach, please do reach out for more detailed ideas of how I may be able to assist you in your relevant field.
I have previous experience working in radio and multi-media promotions and love navigating in these realms!
Pricing:
Prices start for as little as $30NZD for help with cover.
Pricing a blurb is a little different, in most cases I work with a blurb draft and full synopsis which starts at $50.
If I will need to read your novel to construct a fresh blurb, I will charge a fee for reading time. For an example of my reading abilities 100,00 word YA novel will take me around 5 hours to read.
Covers and Blurbs
Dont judge a book by its cover…
Well, actually - WE DO!
Let me start by saying, am not a professional cover designer.
I cannot create a high-resolution original digitally drawn work of art that will flawlessly declare how delicious the context of your book is.
BUT - I did major in design/Illustration at Art School so despite technology having developed astronomically further than anything that was around when I was a student, I am still an artist and may be able to help create a cover for you.
However, what I can do very well is understand what an arts design brief is.
Couple that with my experience in the publishing industry and an understanding of how we subconsciously process visual information (thankyou to my Philosophy of Art lecturer!) and I can help you work out what kind of cover would best complement your book. I am so tired of hearing about stories where authors pay large amounts of money for covers that don’t match their vision or don’t accurately represent their market, and mostly I believe this happens because a lack of understanding of what each creative field requires. Its not the artist or the authors fault, it’s all too often a miscommunication or a misunderstanding.
A really good designer will know how to communicate with their clients so that they can be assured they are both on the same page - pun intended! But a really good designer with specialist understanding of book marketing often costs more money than some authors may have in their budget.
If your working on a tight budget, you may find it useful to work with someone who can act as a conduit between yourself and wherever you are commissioning a piece from. And I would love to be that bridge for you.
Part of a great cover is a compelling blurb!
How often have you picked up a book and read the back only to feel disappointed that it revealed something you’d have rather discovered in the story yourself, or mislead you into what you were actually reading? On the other side, how often have you read a blurb that just feel entirely short of how good the book actually was?
All readers have at least one book that had a ‘poor blurb’.
Many self published authors write their own blurbs and often times, just like self editing, authors are too close to their own story to write a blurb that will effectively entice a fresh reader. Blurbs are tricky because they are part marketing, part promotion and part storytelling. And lets face it, your book is so rich and full that condensing all of your fantastic storytelling into a few lines feels almost cruel.
Like a cover art, blurbs should be designed specifically for your ideal target audience and sometimes it can be hard to work out what that market actually wants, and how to authentically deliver that to your potential readers.
I love writing blurbs!
I get such satisfaction from producing a paragraph or two that entices yet authentically honors a books insides. My favourite part is how excited authors get reading something they’ve dreaded having to do and watching how excited readers get about books because of just those few sentences printed on the back.
Events
I have been involved with a wide array of small events and I am always keen to learn new things!
I have worked with/on/for: musicians, visual artist, community theatres, small film sets, training workshops, markets, relaxed weddings, memorials/celebrations, parties/festivals and many others (including NFP with fundraising).
There are a wide array of roles in the events category I can assist with or manage.
My favorite element of events has always been creating immersive themes.
I have hosted numerous creative themed events, fully equipped with crafted décor and costuming, for many family and friends.
From planning to preparation to presentation, I can manage any small scale project or offer assistance.
I can custom make all sorts of things for your themed event and love the challenge of working to a tight budget! I believe there is always a way to bring a vision to life!
I even have a knack for pairing flavours to themes (though I’m certainly not a caterer) and mixology (cocktail creation).
Whether you are planning a book launch, a small gig, a social occasion or an art show (curatuation), I have contacts and skills that you may find useful.
Please note: I am currently working on obtaining a duty managers qualification.
pricing:
Please do send me an email to discuss how I can help.
All events are, at this stage, on small scales that pack big impressions!
I work to your budget and charge fees respective to your requirements of my services.
I am always open to volunteering time where ever possible to worthy NFP causes.
If there is something else I haven’t listed that you feel you need creative solutions for, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
I am extremely honest in what I am confident doing and what I lack skills in doing effectively. If you have questions about the experience I have in any of these area’s, I am more than happy to talk you through more details.
I am also always keen to learn new skills!