Manuscript/Proposal Evaluation:

You will need to schedule an appointment before sending material to us; this can be done by contacting us either through this website or by mail.

Your editor will give your manuscript or proposal (three chapters and a synopsis, or a narrative outline) a thorough reading.  The first twenty-five or thirty pages (roughly, the first chapter) will be line edited.  Usually, you will find notations made throughout the entire ms. that can help guide you through revisions.  In all cases, you'll receive a thoughtfully crafted letter, detailing problems found in the ms. along with possible solutions that are based on a clear understanding of what makes good popular fiction, as well as good writing.

Story Consultation:

Many authors come to AV seeking help to plan and plot novels for which they haven't yet written a word. They have learned that it's especially useful to know where they're going with their stories before they begin-lest they write themselves into corners from which there are no elegant escapes. They've also learned that the old adage is often true: When it comes to plotting a book, two heads really may be better than one.

In a phone consultation, your editor will listen to your story idea. Then she'll ask questions you might not think to ask; she'll help you brainstorm solutions to plot problems; she'll help you make sure that your story is focused, that your characters are emotionally logical, and that the conflict builds, climaxes, and resolves properly. In short, she'll help you to think about your idea and transform it into a novel.

Editing:

In giving your manuscript that final polish it needs before being submitted for publication, your editor will make sure your words say exactly what you intended.  The manuscript will be read carefully with an eye toward overall sense and logic.  Awkward phrasing, redundancy, inconsistency, and poor pacing, as well as obvious errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling, will be corrected.