The Elevator Talk form on this website handles the introductions. Soon after your response reaches us, you’ll receive a reply with relevant observations and suggestions.
If we see an area where paid editorial services could add value, our reply will include the specifics along with a link to an order form.
Thank you for visiting our website! We hope you will return as more pages are added and the Word Wrangling blog is updated.
In a 40-year tech writing career, Editor-in-Chief George Pond created a chest-high stack of training materials and computer manuals for Walt Disney World Co. and Computer Sciences Corporation. He has written and published fiction and nonfiction books and earned a Poynter ACES Editing certificate as a member of the American Copy Editing Society (ACES).
Your novel’s premise is a concept that unfolds from the first page to the last.
By writing down this core idea, you create a map that guides you, the author and traveler, throughout your journey.
Share it with Second Eyes, and we’ll ensure it’s clear so no landmarks along the way are missed.
Your novel’s premise is a concept that unfolds from the first page to the last.
By writing down this core idea, you create a map that guides you, the author and traveler, throughout your journey.
Share it with Second Eyes, and we’ll ensure it’s clear so no landmarks along the way are missed.
Every character you bring into your work has a story – a thread you weave into the tapestry of your novel.
Some threads represent characters briefly onstage, so we will focus on the story arcs of the most significant ones.
Each person has a background and history at each moment. Page one, paragraph one of your novel, occurs at one moment.
Looking backward from that point could be another book, but now it’s more important to keep this plot moving forward. As we keep the backstory lean, we can strategically salt essential details into the pages of your novel.
Do you outline? It kills spontaneity just as a GPS or map guides our vacation journey to a beach.
No one wants to spontaneously get lost in the desert. If your well-ordered mind is a GPS, we bow to that but would be pleased to assist any writer with their planning.
If your outline includes the beginning, ending, and purpose of each scene, you might have enough.
Avoid analysis paralysis! Second Eyes Editorial can verify that each scene seamlessly leads to the next, like a line of falling dominos. We’ll advise you of any less purposeful scenes and suggest if others might fit better.
Second Eyes Editorial would love to see a few thousand words from your first draft. Ideally, let’s start at the beginning.
Creating an Elevator Talk on this website takes just a few minutes. After we review that, we will send a link to a page where you can share an excerpt. You’ll receive feedback that is tailored to your objectives and intended audience.
Ernest Hemingway said, “All writing is rewriting.” He published seven novels and 49 short stories, so clearly, the rewriting didn’t clog his creative flow.
The most productive revisions occur after the first draft is complete. Is that where you are? Second Eyes Editorial can point out what’s working best and will suggest any further revisions.
Congratulations to everyone who has reached the point of marketing a multi-thousand-word creation!
We will advise you of any uncertainty an agent or publisher might have while reading your query letter. We also may suggest further hot-button phrases relevant to the genre and market for your novel.
A synopsis distills the plot and characters into a few short paragraphs, just enough to tease the reader’s interest further. If that reader is an agent or publisher, they may ask for a chapter, twenty pages, or more.
Second Eyes Editorial can help you craft the all-important hook and distill the content to greater potency.
Your elevator pitch must sell, sell, sell – but skillfully, so fellow passengers don’t retreat from the elevator three floors early.
We recommend memorizing specific facts and covering essential points but not delivering a scripted speech. It’s a conversation you may have in an elevator or other venue with an agent, interviewer,
