The writer
Practice, confidence, attention, ambition, and a way of working that can be sustained.
Services for writers
Bring the work
into focus.
Thoughtful, practical guidance for the decisions that shape a writing life.
We begin with what you are trying to make, what you want from it, and what is getting in the way. The purpose is not to prescribe a single route. It is to help you become a stronger writer with a clear path through the work.
The approach
The advice begins with the writer, not a promise about publishing.
A manuscript can be unfinished, newly complete, already published, or still an insistent idea. The work is to understand its centre, identify the next decisions, and build a process you can actually maintain.
Four points of orientation
What we can work on.
The manuscript
The central idea, structure, voice, intended reader, obstacles, and the next useful decision.
The context
Publishing paths, professional editors, agents, independent options, readership, and realistic expectations.
The tools
Research systems, project organisation, newsletters, websites, and technology that serves the work.
One-to-one advisory
Choose the amount of support the work needs.
All prices are in Canadian dollars. A 20-minute introductory conversation is free.
01
Orientation Session
One 90-minute session
For a writer with a question, an unfinished project, or several possible directions who needs a useful place to begin.
- Review of up to 2,500 words or equivalent project material
- A focused conversation about the writer, manuscript, and context
- A concise written record of priorities and next steps
$275
02
Manuscript Direction
Four sessions over 8 to 10 weeks
For a writer planning a manuscript, finding its centre, or working through a structural problem without losing the original intention.
- Four 60-minute working sessions
- Response to up to 2,500 words or planning material before each session
- A living project plan with manageable milestones
- Email check-ins between sessions
$975
03
Sustained Advisory
Eight sessions over 4 to 6 months
For a writer who wants sustained attention, accountability, and informed conversation while making substantial progress on a book.
- Eight 60-minute working sessions
- Response to up to 2,500 words or planning material before each session
- Regular revision of the project plan as the work changes
- Publishing and readership orientation at the appropriate stage
$1,800
A useful boundary
This is advisory work, not manuscript editing.
Direct response to selected pages is part of the process because the ideas need to meet the actual writing. I do not line edit or copy edit a complete manuscript. Once its conceptual and structural foundations are sound, a professional editor can do that detailed work with far greater value.
I do not represent writers, sell manuscripts, or guarantee publication. I can help you understand the industry, assess possible routes, and prepare better questions for the professionals you may work with next.
Additional work
Build a small piece of the internet you control.
Website strategy and design, newsletter planning, owned archives, and practical publishing systems are available as separately scoped projects. The technology should make it easier for readers to find you and easier for you to keep working.
Pricing is provided after a short conversation about the project and its useful limits.
Explore web design for writers →Begin with the work