Q: I’ve written the first draft of my memoir. My sister and I have been estranged for years. I know I have the right to tell my story, and yet I don’t feel good about using her real name without her permission. Do you have any ideas for how to approach her about it?
Read MoreA manuscript evaluation is a roadmap to a book’s future. It can sometimes replace a developmental edit, and it provides the author constructive critique on every element of their book, including (as needed) structure, tone, consistency, voice, flow, titles, permissions, and sensitive topics. It also answers the author’s specific questions. I include publishing advice in my manuscript evaluations for authors who want it.
Read MoreYour story has value. If it didn’t, you’d be able to let it go easily. It wouldn’t call to you from inside your dreams. It wouldn’t follow you on your walks. Its fragments wouldn’t bully their way onto scraps of paper around your house . . .
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