Do you need help with the querying process, a developmental editor for your novel manuscript, or a book coach? Look no further. With fifteen years of experience as a novelist and creative writing professor, I can provide feedback that will help you find an agent or take your work to the next level!
My excellent track record of helping aspiring novelists get full manuscript requests through developing agent submission materials comes from own experience seeking a literary agent. My query for The Book of Gothel earned me five offers of representation. My experience releasing upmarket fiction with Big Five and major international publishers has given me valuable insights into the publishing industry, which will help me guide you through the process of refining your manuscript for submission, identifying the audience for your project, and selecting literary agents to query. For this and all other services, I begin by discussing your manuscript with you in depth via email and looking at sample pages so I understand your vision for the project before we begin work.
As a developmental editor and book coach, my experience in teaching and writing multiple genres gives me a unique ability to help you clarify your vision and meet your goals for your project. From outlining to writing, from revising to editing, I can help you wherever you are in the writing process. My credentials include an MFA in fiction from New York University, several national awards, two traditionally published novels, and an award-winning poetry chapbook. Both of my novels, The Book of Gothel and A Rose by Any Other Name, earned starred reviews from Publisher’s Wekly and Booklist.
I’m especially interested in working with writers of upmarket speculative fiction, literary and fairytale retellings, historical fantasy, historical fiction, gothic fiction, detective fiction, subtle horror, satire, literary fiction with a strong plot, hybrid genres—or any combination thereof.
QUERYING FEEDBACK & GUIDANCE
Do you have a polished manuscript, but your query isn’t getting attention from literary agents? For a $250 flat fee, I will interview you about your project through email to identify your goals, then edit the document and suggest revisions as needed for your one-page query. For an additional, agreed-upon fee, I will also provide you with feedback on other parts of your query materials like one-page synopses and opening pages, or provide you with coaching through the querying process.
Queries: $250 (flat fee)
Rates for other querying-related services: $100/hour (flat fee pre-determined based on estimate of hours needed)
“Jump on this opportunity. Mary helped me so much with the query that got me my agent!”
—A. R. Frederiksen, now represented by Creative Artists Agency
“Mary’s revision of my query was masterful in how it captures the essence of my novel. Her analysis of my opening pages was intuitive and spot on. As of today I have five full manuscript read requests from agents. I have no doubt it’s because of the great query letter Mary helped me with and her suggestion about the revision of my first pages.”
—McHenry Lee II, MFA, LSU, 2007
DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING
This package is for novelists looking for help getting a completed manuscript ready to query agents. For $0.025 a word, I will interview you about your project through email to identify your goals, then carefully read your manuscript. I will write a detailed 5-7 page edit letter with overarching developmental feedback about the manuscript’s strengths and opportunities for improvement and provide you with a line edit of the first 30 pages with track changes on. For those first 30 line-edited pages, you will receive comments explaining the sentence-level edits so you can line edit the rest of the manuscript yourself. Throughout the rest of the manuscript, you will receive specific feedback as comments, illustrating the opportunities for improvement in your edit letter. At the end of the process, once you’ve read the edit letter and reviewed the comments, you can elect to schedule a video call with me for an hour to discuss any questions you may have for an additional $100.
Example: $2000 fee for a 80,000-word novel, $100 video call = $2100
BOOK COACHING
This package is for aspiring novelists who need support and encouragement, wherever you are in the writing process. From refining an idea for a book, to outlining and drafting it, to revising and editing it, I can help you achieve your goals. For this service, I will begin by interviewing you about your project, writing experience, writing process, and coaching needs via email and/or video call. Then we will work together to identify a project schedule that suits your needs and goals.
Rates for coaching services: $100/hour (flat fee pre-determined based on estimate of hours needed) + developmental editing calculated at above $0.025/word rate
Example coaching package with goal of writing a first draft and receiving revision notes: $100 initial video call, $600 for six months of monthly hourlong video call check-ins, $300 for written feedback on outline to be discussed in an above check-in, $2,000 developmental edit of 80,000 word first draft at above rates, $100 final video call check-in to discuss developmental edit = $3100
“Mary possesses an expert knowledge of craft and the rare gift to read both literally and intuitively. I appreciated her comments on what was working well and valued the direct, honest feedback on what needed more attention. Anyone looking for an insightful, encouraging, highly skilled editor—Mary is it.”
—Ronlyn Domingue, author of The Mercy of Thin Air and the Keeper of Tales trilogy
“Mary is a dream editor to work with, especially for early-career novelists like myself; she is extremely supportive, communicative, and thorough. The feedback Mary provided on my manuscript is the most helpful input I have ever received on my work. She is a masterful storyteller who can astutely analyze what works and doesn’t work about a story, and provide actionable feedback to make revisions seem less daunting. I hope to work with Mary again on my next project and highly recommend her services!
—Ashley Warren, M.A., University of Nevada-Reno.
“Mary provided feedback on all four of my novels, and they are far better works because of her guidance. She possesses an expert knowledge of craft and the rare gift to read both literally and intuitively. I appreciated her comments on what was working well and valued the direct, honest feedback on what needed more attention. Anyone looking for an insightful, encouraging, highly skilled editor—Mary is it.” Ronlyn Domingue, author of the international sensation, The Mercy of Thin Air, and the Keeper of Tales trilogy
Contact Mary
MARY MCMYNE 