Amanda Lewis

I completed a manuscript consultation for a first-time writer. I read his manuscript, offered a memo with revisions, and then chatted with him.

He’s writing in the field of sports psychology. He has competed in sport, and coached athletes, so his examples were from the perspective of both an athlete and a coach. Makes sense.

But his tips and techniques for the reader were scattered, and the same stories popped up in different iterations across chapters. The manuscript needed more organization and consistency.

In our follow-up call, I asked him, “Is your book for athletes or coaches?”

“Definitely athletes,” he said. “I want to give them techniques they can immediately apply to their practice.”

I showed him how, by being clear on his audience, he can organize his material. He’s now revising with athletes in mind, and all the tips and stories will be directed at them.

A manuscript consultation is a great option if you’re a first-time writer. He’s not known as a writer, and he’s planning to self-publish, so budget is important to him.

I always say “writers need to dwell in the realm of the possible,” and that includes available time and budget.

We talked through what revisions he could make on his own, thereby saving money on a full substantive edit, and how a copy editor and proofreader could add a further level of polish to his manuscript.