I have exciting news of a different kind to share with you today: I’m now offering outline critiques at Heart of the Story!

This service is perfect for writers who have an in-depth outline (20 to 40 pages) for a writing project but haven’t started the first draft yet. It’s a great way of ensuring that the structure of your story is solid, each scene has a purpose, and the main characters show a potential for growth or change.

(Read more after the jump.)

Here’s what you would receive as part of an outline critique:

• An editorial letter that contains my critique on the story’s overall structure, individual scenes, and character development based on the outline’s contents
• Additional feedback on specific concerns you have about the story / outline
• If desired, a 30- to 45-minute call (Skype, Zoom, or phone) within 1 week of me submitting my feedback so we can go over any questions you have

I also do a free 30- to 45-minute consultation beforehand to chat about your story, get to know you a little better, and discuss pricing and timeline.

Genre-wise, I’m accepting outline critiques for speculative fiction, YA, literary fiction, historical fiction, and certain areas of nonfiction (mostly memoir, self-help / spiritual nonfiction, and reference books on the craft of writing).

Does this sound like the kind of guidance you need right now? Then schedule your free consultation here, or send me an email! Make sure your request includes the following details:

• Working title for your story, if you have one
• Genre
• Target audience (YA, adult, etc.)
• One or two sentences that describe the story’s premise
• Current page count for the outline
• Project timeline, if you have one
• A three- to four-page excerpt of your outline that I can review before our call

I can’t tell you how PSYCHED I am to offer this new service to writers! It’s not one I had thought of before, but it’s one that can be hugely beneficial in the early stages of the writing process. I hope you agree – and I look forward to getting an early sneak peek into your story and helping you ensure it’s both compelling and soundly constructed before you write the words “Chapter One”!

Want to see if an outline critique is right for you? Again, just send me an email with the information listed above, or click here to schedule your free call.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer! (Or your winter, for anyone who’s based in the Southern Hemisphere.) Life has been super-busy the past few months, so it’s been impossible to keep blogging as I had before. But I haven’t forgotten about you – and I hope you’ll continue to stick around. More news and goodies are on the way!