Write from the Deep

New to publishing? Here’s how I can help you!

“A writing career is a long, wonderful, difficult, creative, thirsty, passionate, collaborative journey of obedience…”

You’ve been tasked by the Almighty God to do this thing called writing, so now what? Where—how—do you start?

You have questions like…

• What level is my current writing ability? Am I ready for publication?
• Is my book good?
• What does an agent do? Do I even need one?
• Do I need a website? Do I need to blog?
• How do I get my book published?
• What about self publishing?
• What do I need to know about marketing?
• How do I protect my work from being stolen?
• How do I prepare for a writers conference?
• An editor told me my work isn’t ready for publication. Now what?

I know what it’s like to be a newbie writer starting from scratch, looking for answers, living with a tight budget. And now I want to help you! (Affordably!)

Here’s a bit of my experience…

• I’m traditionally published with a large publisher.
• I co-founded a small publishing company, which I helped to run by doing acquisitions, editing, website and newsletter updates, author relations, and marketing.
• I’m also indie publishing, because sometimes that’s the best choice.
• I have a literary agent, but that doesn’t mean I think an agent is right for everyone.
• As the co-creator of Write from the Deep, I built this website and do biweekly podcasts with editor and former agent Karen Ball.
• I’ve taught at writing conferences including the ACFW national conference, the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, the Florida Christian Writers Conference, the Write To Publish conference, Oregon Christian Writers conference, the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, the Write Well Sell Well conference, and the OWFI conference.
• My deepest passion is the Word of God, and bringing His truth, whether in my own books or in the books of other authors, to readers.

Are you ready to start a writing career? Or take your career to the next level?

Here’s how I can help…

Craft Evaluation:

You’ll send me 10 pages of your work (either fiction or nonfiction), and I’ll determine the areas you need to refine to take your work to the next level. We’ll talk about writing technique (arc, voice, clarity, anecdotes, dialogue, structure, POV, character development, etc.), resources, genre, industry expectations, target audience, felt needs, etc., and come up with a plan.

You can tackle that plan on your own, or if you want, we’ll tackle it together through mentoring sessions. These sessions are hour-long video calls with instruction and critique on your progress. You pay for as many or as few sessions as you need to progress through each facet of craft that you wish to improve. Contact me to get started!

Ask Me Anything:

Maybe you just have a question or two about, say, three-act structure, or inciting incidents, or proposals. Do you really even need to write a proposal? Maybe POV is a mystery to you. Or you’re not sure whether your book is (or should be) a memoir, a prescriptive book, or a devotional. Or maybe you’re thinking about switching genres and you want advice.

Or perhaps you have questions about the business side of writing. Questions like when (or whether) you need a domain name, a website, or a pen name. Or you’re wondering about social media, PR, and the hows and whys of newsletters. Perhaps you want to talk about the pros and cons of an LLC and the benefits and drawbacks of traditional publishing vs. indie publishing. Or maybe you just want someone to walk through the steps of publishing your book yourself.

Whatever your questions, these hour-long video calls are about giving you personalized answers. Click here to get started!

Macro (Developmental) Editing:

Have you completed your novel and revised it a time or two, but you know it still needs…something? Or maybe you’ve revised it umpteen times and you need an outside perspective. Or maybe it’s as good as you can make it, but you want MORE. A macro edit could be the right choice for you.

Big-picture (macro) edits are my favorite. I have a geeky side, and I love structure and analysis. But I also have an artistic side (with an art and a music degree to prove it!). I love the way a great story can reach into the hearts and souls of readers and change them.

But good writing rarely does that. It needs to be great writing. That’s not easy to achieve on your own. Why? Because it’s hard to see your work through your reader’s eyes. You’re too close to it. That’s why finding an experienced professional who can evaluate your story with fresh eyes makes all the difference. Someone who’ll take apart your plot, your structure, your characters, your dialogue, your POV choices, your scenes, and give you a detailed roadmap for elevating your work to the next level. Because readers, writers, and editors all want the same thing. We want to see words on a page transformed into a powerful emotional experience.

Click here to learn what I can do for you in a macro edit.

Full Book Evaluation – Fiction or Nonfiction

Maybe you’re not ready for a full-blown macro edit. You’ve written the first (or even second or third!) draft and you want someone to read it over and give you feedback for your next revision. A book evaluation is a good choice for you. It’s best for writers who need someone to help them discover what they don’t yet know. What’s missing in their writing, or what mistakes they’re making that will hinder reader engagement.

Writing a solid story is so much more than just putting characters on a stage and having them interact. Writing a life-changing nonfiction book is more than just putting down your experiences. Make sure you know the trade secrets of an effective manuscript!

Click here to learn what I can do for you in a full book evaluation.

Are You Heading to a Conference?

Let me help you get ready! I offer a one-hour personal strategy session designed to help you make the most of your conference experience.

You’ll learn:

• What to expect at the conference
• What to bring
• How to prepare
• Which sessions are most appropriate for you

Additionally:

• I’ll evaluate your writing level so you’ll know going in what areas you need to work on
• We’ll create a strategy for your appointments based on your writing level
• We’ll also work on your pitch so you’ll have confidence whenever you’re asked: So…what do you write?

Attend your conference knowing you’ve done all you can to prepare!

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ERIN AND GET YOUR CONFERENCE SPECIAL FOR ONLY $30!