Writing or editing an entire book is a long process and requires finding the right partner. Below are two services I offer to see if we are a good match before diving into an entire book project.
The First Chapter
We all have a story. See if yours has legs for a book.
What is it?
Many people think about writing a book. Others are told by colleagues, friends and relatives that they should write a book. While it’s flattering to hear and exciting to think about, it can be overwhelming. People wonder, do I have enough time to write a book? Enough material? Would it resonate with people? Should I write it myself and hire an editor, or hire a ghostwriter? How would I get it published? And publicized? What if I start and realize it isn’t working?
Once people work start thinking about all these questions, they often put the idea aside as too much to handle. I hear it all the time, and it got me thinking. That is where The First Chapter comes in. Instead of committing the time and energy to an entire book, just commit to a few chapters. Then you can see if you have the material, if we are good partners and what people have to say about it. Distribute it as an e-book to close friends and colleagues, and if they like it, to customers and vendors. If you get the reaction you want—namely “what happens next?” then you can commit to a book.
Why me?
I have worked as a writer, ghostwriter and book editor for over seven years. Before that I worked for a decade as a writer and editor at Business NH Magazine, a monthly trade publication, and as a local news reporter and a Statehouse reporter.
My specialties are financial books and business memoirs. Two recent projects included co-writing a book about running, my personal passion, and editing a business memoir about a solar industry IPO. I am currently editing a book about a family history and the start of a four-generation automotive business. I previously edited a book about Berkshire Hathaway’s financial history, and another on options trading.
My clients are business executives who are busy and passionate and need a writer and/or editor who is insightful, creative, timely, confidential, knowledgeable and communicative. My clients will tell you I am all these things. My clients include Tom Raffio, Howard Brodsky, Kedar Gupta, Amanda Grappone, and Tom Sosnoff. My book projects have been published by major publishing houses.
So what’s the process?
Step 1: Meet to discuss why you are considering writing a book and to answer any questions about publishing, books in general, costs and the process.
Step 2: Agree on a short-term contract, usually for three months.
This contract includes:
Step 3: Test the product with colleagues, friends, families, customers and/or vendors via an e-book or another publication methods.
Step 4: Discuss a full book project, if you deem that viable.
Cost: The base cost is $15,000. This price would go up for projects involving more interview and/or more research than listed above. If you later choose a full book, this is subtracted from the overall price.
The First Edit
You have a book draft and need an editor you can trust. Give me a trial run.
What is it?
Many people write a first draft of a book and get feedback from friends, colleagues, and family. Then they realize they need help with final edits and publishing to polish it off. This is where working with a professional book editor who understands the publishing landscape becomes critical. The questions are numerous? Should I self-publish, and if so, with whom? If I wanted to seek out a national publisher, how would I do that? What does book editing look like? How do I find a book editor I can trust?
Why me?
I have worked as a writer, ghostwriter and book editor for over seven years. Before that I worked for a decade as a writer and editor at Business NH Magazine, a monthly trade publication, and previously worked as a local news reporter and a Statehouse reporter.
My specialties are financial books and business memoirs. Two recent projects included co-writing a book about running, my personal passion, and editing a business memoir about a solar industry IPO. I am currently editing a book about a family history and the start of a four-generation automotive business. I previously edited a book about Berkshire Hathaway’s financial history, and another on options trading.
My clients are business executives who are busy and passionate and need a writer and/or editor who is insightful, creative, timely, confidential, knowledgeable and communicative. My clients will tell you I am all these things. My clients include Tom Raffio, Howard Brodsky, Kedar Gupta, Amanda Grappone, and Tom Sosnoff. My book projects have been published by major publishing houses.
So what’s the process?
Step 1: Meet to discuss the status of your book including who has read it so far, fact checking and citations status, and to answer any questions about publishing, books in general, costs and the process. This includes information about the three key types of editing (developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading), how they differ, and what you need.
Step 2: Agree on a short-term contract.
This contract includes:
Step 3: Decide whether you want to proceed with a full edit.
Cost: The base cost is $1,500. This price would go up for clients requesting a first edit of a chapter longer than 15 pages. The price of a full book edit varies based on the subject matter and level of editing needed. The First Edit Work is considered when providing a full book estimate.
Please provide me some information about your project and your timeline. I look forward to hearing from you.
