Manuscript Editing I love a good story, published or not. I love making stories even better. I work with novel writers to prepare their manuscripts for the big pitch. Agents don’t like to have their time wasted. If your manuscript is not so solid that dynamite couldn’t bust a hole in it, they won’t look at it. But George W sold his book, you say. And Paris Hilton. And they don’t even know how to spell. Well, that is an alternative route to take--instead of getting your words perfect you could just run for president or video tape your sex life.

I love a good story, published or not. I love making stories even better. I work with novel writers to prepare their manuscripts for the big pitch. Agents don’t like to have their time wasted. If your manuscript is not so solid that dynamite couldn’t bust a hole in it, they won’t look at it. But George W sold his book, you say. And Paris Hilton. And they don’t even know how to spell. Well, that is an alternative route to take--instead of getting your words perfect you could just run for president or video tape your sex life.

If you are interested in having your manuscript edited, and would like to submit a few chapters for consideration and a cost estimate, please email me at amyliz@amywallen.com for more details. Please be forewarned that deadlines for my own work often get in the way of what my availability will be.

As a frequent contributing book critic for the Los Angeles Times and other national publications, I focus my editing services on what your novel needs in order to receive the best possible review. My literary tutoring services include on-the-page edits that recognize your strengths and weaknesses in characterization, plot, conflict and context – from opening paragraph through ultimate resolution.

My favorite books to read are popular literary fiction, but I also realize that genre fiction such as fantasy, romance, thrillers or science fiction often crosses the boundary between literary fiction and commercial fiction. My goal always is to work with a writer who wants his or her writing to be the best it can be, regardless of genre.

I am not a copyeditor, that is a line editor looking for grammar and vocabulary errors, but instead, I am an editor who will be looking for a strong story which draws the reader in and keeps her attention. A reader wants to empathize with the characters, to be taken away to another place and time, and hopefully along the way learn something new. I work to help you achieve this goal for your readers.

Submit one to three chapters for consideration. Fees are based on the amount of editing needed the length of the manuscript. Fees will be quoted upon acceptance. I only accept work that I feel I can improve.

Many of my past clients have not only contracted with top agents, but have received substantial advances from major publishers – including a half-million dollars for a debut novel.