Editing & Critique
Writers who work in a vacuum have a harder time seeing their work with unbiased clarity. Editing and critique are vital to the writing process, and I offer several options to help you polish that story so it's ready for your editor.
Developmental Editing
There are three major types of editing, but as a lover of all things story-related, my area of expertise is developmental editing.
Along with in-line comments identifying big picture problems such as: plot holes, scene tension, characterization, voice, character arc, story arc, perspective shifts and other story-level problems, this service includes a written explanation of my findings to help the author strengthen their writing craft know-how.
Sharon has an eagle eye for character development and romance. I appreciate how she can see through the explosions and action in a story, and dig deep into characters’ reactions, dissecting them for stability, character arc advancement, and relatability.
Jennifer M. Eaton
Sharon took my rough manuscript and pored over it with a fine-toothed comb. She showed me problems in my structure, research holes, and generally gave me a direction for the next step in my journey. While at first it was a painful pruning, Sharon’s help was invaluable for getting my manuscript to where it is today.
Naomi Craig
First Chapter Critique
If you pitch your project to an agent, they’ll ask for between twenty and one hundred pages. You need that first chapter to sing a siren song, hooking them hard. That’s why I recommend a first chapter critique for all beginning writers.
My critique includes in-line commentary, plus a written summary to explain the strengths and weaknesses of the writing and offer suggestions for improvements (along with resources as applicable).
Sharon's feedback was very helpful for opening chapters of a new book. I knew something was missing, and Sharon provided great insight on what I needed to improve.
Lisa Carlisle
I received great feedback. There were issues with my first chapter, and she pointed out my strong points and weak points. Now I have a good idea what I need to work on.
Shannan Thompson
Manuscript Evaluation
As someone who's studied story structure and character creation in depth, my evaluation offers deep and thorough insight about the big picture items in your story.
Through this service I look at your overall plot:
- Are there holes?
- Is it believable?
- Does it happen at the right pace?
- Does it meet genre expectations?
And character development—including motivation, voice and arc—along with analyzing the general flow of the story.
Sharon is knowledgeable and passionate about writing! Her enthusiasm, flexibility, and fresh perspective are key to her mentoring strategy and style. In sharing critiques of each other’s work, I have found her to be thoughtful, constructive, and very helpful in the feedback provided.
Linda McMann
On top of always providing excellent service, Sharon is also a great teacher. Reading through her comments and notes on our newsletter draft has definitely helped me become a better writer.