|
| Successful non-fiction is, in many respects, similar to successful fiction. Travelogue, biography and memoir all rely on well-developed characters and a clear narrative arc. They have shape, texture and voice. They tell a story.
And if your manuscript is focused on the literature of ideas—business strategies, scientific theses or medical breakthroughs, to name just a few—its success demands the clarity of exposition and example that are the hallmarks of all good writing.
If you’re having difficulty with any of those elements, we have two pieces of good news: you’re not the first person to confront these challenges, and we can help.
Whatever form of non-fiction you’re writing, the Iowa Wordwrights manuscript services are designed to help you move from a first or second draft to a publishable manuscript. |
 |
| |  | Initial Analysis: The Initial Analysis (IA) is the starting point for most of our non-fiction manuscript services. Manuscripts submitted for an IA will be reviewed by one of our experienced editors who will evaluate the book’s strengths and weaknesses, generally looking at narrative structure, dramatic exposition, characterization (both person and place), momentum and writing style.
The report will also assess the manuscript’s commercial and literary potential and recommend which Iowa Wordwrights book doctoring or editing services, if any, would be appropriate in helping move the manuscript toward publication. As with all Iowa Wordwrights manuscript services, the IA includes a follow-up phone consultation with the editor. $2.00 per page. |
| |  | Manuscript Critique and Revision: These are our higher-level analytical services which focus on major developmental issues in your manuscript. |
| | | (i) | Comprehensive Revision Strategy: The Comprehensive Revision Strategy (CRS) is our most in-depth manuscript revision service. It will focus on all areas identified in the Initial Analysis as needing attention or revision.
The editor with whom you work will produce a highly detailed report analyzing shortcomings in the manuscript, providing examples of each such issue, and offering specific recommendations on how to revise the manuscript to ameliorate these elements. Where appropriate, multiple strategies for addressing structural or developmental issues will be suggested.
In general, our clients can expect the CRS to consider, where necessary, the following elements:
| •Narrative arc | •Chapter structure | •Pacing | | •Character development | •Exposition | •Reflective analysis | | •Voice | •Writing style | •Writing mechanics |
A typical CRS runs 40-60 double-spaced pages and, of course, includes follow-up phone consultations with the editor. $2000 and up; firm quotations provided. |
| |  | In-text Editing |
| | | (i) | Copy Editing: Sentence-by-sentence editing for typographical errors, spelling, grammar and punctuation. The editor will also correct instances of unclear or inconsistent language, verify internal cross-references, and ensure conformity to industry-standard style considerations. $5-$8 per page depending on manuscript needs; firm quotations provided. |
| | | (ii) | Line Editing: An editor will go line-by-line through your manuscript to implement revisions to structure, content and style. This is generally our most time-intensive service. It is designed for writers who prefer to have their editor undertake manuscript revisions rather than to do it on their own. The service generally involves substantial rewriting and reorganizing of the manuscript, and it includes copy editing. Cost varies considerably; typically $8-$18 per page; firm quotations provided. |
| | | Research: Non-fiction works on occasion require research on ancillary topics outside the author’s area of expertise. Trained researchers or researchers with knowledge of the subject matter gather facts, photographs and other written or visual information and compile them in a highly usable form. $60 per hour; estimates and caps available. |
| | | Consultations: Follow-up consultations by phone are included in all Iowa Wordwrights manuscript services. Stand-alone consultations on unrelated topics or manuscripts are available by phone or, where available, in person. $0.70 per page reading fee for materials to be discussed plus $75 per hour for consultation time. |
|  One of the secrets of literature that every writer knows is that any life will do. It’s not necessary to go bathe one’s feet in the Ganges and travel around the world and work on a steamer to be a poet...Meaning is in small things.
- Marvin Bell |
|
