CRAZY BUSY! TEMPORARILY CLOSED!

FOUR MONTHS IN

I started my critique service about four month ago. There were times when I thought I should close it down. I was spending too much time on submitted material, but I didn’t want to raise rates since I wasn’t copy editing. I got some weirdass emails from disturbed people (not clients), and I had to question whether I really wanted to leave myself open to characters who were off their meds. I became selective about my client list, but still felt my time would be better spent working on my own material. But the surprise has been finding that I really enjoy helping people improve their stories. In the past, the rewarding times in my writing career have been limited to book offers and book releases. With a lot of not so rewarding stuff in between. With critiquing, I’m using my skills in a different way, an immediately rewarding way. And in the past few months, I’ve come to realize that I do actually know stuff, and I can pinpoint flaws not obvious to the writer/client. I think that comes from being in the business for so long. Writers are always learning, always growing, so it stands to reason that I’ve accumulated and stored quite a bit of useful information over the years. I’m still trying to find a balance between my own writing and critiquing. I like them both. Except for the crazies.

WHAT TO EXPECT

FIFTY PAGES

Unpublished writers tend to make a lot of the same mistakes, and they make them in the first 50 pages. Published and unpublished people need a story that hits the ground running and has a high concept/big idea/exciting main story arc that will remain strong and present throughout. In these tough times, plot is more important than ever. I'll be reading with attention to concept, structure, and character motivation, hoping to zero in on plot problems before the entire manuscript is written.

I won't be line editing or copy editing. If something jumps out at me I'll leave a comment, but my main focus will be the story. I'll tell you what works and what doesn't work.

Confidentiality: As a writer, I understand the need to protect the work. Your project is between the two of us, and I will not discuss it or you with anyone else, not even my cat. Because let's face it, my cat can't be trusted.

Let me emphasize that I'm offering a very specialized service. My feedback involves spotting structural problems that might require a major overhaul. People who have a polished, finished manuscript tend to be looking for a proofread rather than a critique.

For a multifaceted freelance editor, I recommend Paula Fleming.

ABOUT ANNE

Anne Frasier is a USA Today bestselling author. Her novels have spanned the genres of suspense, mystery, thriller, romantic suspense, and paranormal, and have been printed in both hardcover and paperback and translated into twenty languages. Writing as Theresa Weir she won a RITA for romantic suspense (COOL SHADE), and a year later the Daphne du Maurier for paranormal romance (BAD KARMA). In her more recent Anne Frasier career, her thriller and suspense titles hit the USA Today list (HUSH, SLEEP TIGHT, PLAY DEAD) and were featured in Mystery Guild, Literary Guild, and Book of the Month Club. HUSH was both a RITA and Daphne du Maurier finalist. Frasier served as hardcover judge for the Thriller presented by International Thriller Writers, and was guest of honor at the Diversicon 16 conference held in Minneapolis in 2008. Frasier books have received high praise from print publications such as Publishers Weekly, Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Crimespree, as well as online praise from Spinetingler, Book Loons, Armchair Interviews, Sarah Weinman’s Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind, and Ali Karim’s Shots Magazine. Her books have featured cover quotes from Lisa Gardner, Jane Ann Krentz, Linda Howard, Kay Hooper, and J.A. Konrath. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Crimespace.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

"I can't tell you how great this is for me. You saw the forest for me when I was stuck in the trees! Now, I've found where my first chapter starts, and the rest of the structure has fallen into place. I know I'll be a repeat customer on this and, hopefully, many more novels to come!" L