Writing & editorial services
Help that starts where your book is now.
I look for clues to what’s working, uncover what needs attention, and help determine the best path to a stronger book. We’ll agree on scope, deliverables, timelines, and fees before work begins.
01 / Experience & source material
Ghostwriting
You have the story. We develop the manuscript together.
Some people have lived the material but don't have the time, or the wish, to draft a whole book themselves. Ghostwriting is an interview-led collaboration: you bring the experience and source material, and I help clarify the book, organize the material and develop manuscript pages in your voice.
Your experience, voice and source material guide the manuscript we develop. I write the book with care and precision while you carry on with your busy life, and you review and approve the work at every key step as it takes shape.
A good fit for
- People developing memoir or narrative nonfiction from a life, career or significant experience
- Educators, health professionals and leaders who want to bring lived experience to a broader reader
- Authors with a clear reason for the book and meaningful source material
How it usually works
- An initial conversation about the book, its reader and your goals
- Defined interviews and research, with your documents, notes or recordings
- An agreed structure, then drafted manuscript pages in your voice
- Agreed rounds of revision based on your feedback
02 / Writing in progress
Book coaching
You want to write it. I help you find direction and strengthen the pages.
Book coaching is for writers who want to do the writing themselves, with an experienced reader beside them. I help you find the book's direction, give useful feedback on selected pages and build a practical plan for the next stage of writing.
You remain the author and the one drafting. My job is to make the choices clearer and keep the project moving.
A good fit for
- First-time authors working on memoir or narrative nonfiction
- Writers who have started and want structure, feedback and accountability
- Writers who would like guidance while drafting, rather than after
How it usually works
- A conversation about the book you want to write and where it stands
- A workable writing plan, shaped around your time and material
- Regular coaching conversations and feedback on an agreed volume of pages
- Clear next steps after each session
“As a first-time author, I had a lot to learn. Annette stepped in and provided much-needed insight, knowledge, and expertise. She patiently guided my steps and provided encouragement that every new writer needs. I've been very impressed with Annette's professionalism and experience and hope to work with her again.”
03 / An existing manuscript
Developmental editing
You have a draft. I help you see what needs to change and why.
Developmental editing is the big-picture stage of editing. I read the whole manuscript to understand what is working and what needs attention. Rather than polishing sentences, I look at structure, narrative focus and the reader's experience from the first page to the last.
You receive a clear editorial assessment and a revision plan you can act on, with explanations of why each recommendation matters to the reader. I also work with fiction writers, including self-published novelists, at this stage.
A good fit for
- Writers with a substantial or complete draft
- Manuscripts that need structural work before line editing or publication
- Authors who want an honest, practical read before the next revision
How it usually works
- A read of the full manuscript with attention to structure and reader experience
- An editorial letter: overall assessment, strengths and revision priorities
- Manuscript annotations where agreed
- A conversation to talk through the revision plan
“I was referred to Annette by a mutual friend. Her credentials were surpassed only by the assistance I received. I needed a manuscript edited which was one step away from a published book. She kept me apprised of her progress, her feedback improved my efforts and helped the finished product be more user friendly.”
Not sure which fits?
Many projects sit between stages. Tell me what you have so far and what you hope the book will do, and we can work out the most useful place to start.