Are you stuck with your story?
Have you been working on your novel for a while, but somehow you're stuck? Or maybe you've finished several rounds of edits, but you feel like there is something that just doesn't work? With the help of Novel Troubleshooting, you'll finally have those issues identified and you'll have a clear plan on how to tackle them. Imagine if you were finally happy with your novel manuscript and you could start querying with confidence!
Let's troubleshoot your novel
The problem with getting feedback from readers is that although they might know something doesn't work, they usually can't pinpoint exactly what it is or how to fix it. Your writer friends might be able to help you, but they are busy working on their own novels and even the best critique partner might not be able to give all their attention to you.
As writers, we often become blind to our manuscripts. We spend so much time and effort making them perfect that we might not notice something that is right in front of our eyes. Storytellers also aren't always the best problem-solvers, and sometimes it can take a dedicated troubleshooter help you see WHAT exactly needs fixing and show you HOW to fix it.
I don't want this to happen to you
Everybody's story deserves to be heard but it's the writer's responsibility to make that story readable. A story that doesn't work or a story that you can't confidently stand behind won't end up in the hands of your ideal readers.
Not knowing what DOES work in your writing will also lower your self-esteem as a writer, and if you don't believe in yourself, it's very difficult to finish writing a novel that you can be proud of.
See your manuscript with new eyes
After you've shared your novel manuscript with me, I will give you comprehensive, written feedback on what does and doesn't work, chapter by chapter. If you have specific concerns or problem areas, I will take a look at those as well.
You will get the feedback in writing, and once you've had time to process it, we'll hop on a video call and talk over any questions you may still have. You will have clear steps on what to do next with your writing and you can finish your book with confidence.
How is this different from beta-reading or from hiring an editor?
Because beta-readers are just readers, they might be able to tell you what they didn't like in your novel, but they generally can't tell you how to fix it. Because I'm a writer myself and I've been teaching other writers how to write stories that work, I can tell you what are the underlying problems with anything that doesn't work in your story. Even better, I can also tell you HOW you can fix your issues instead of just pointing them out.
Although Novel Troubleshooting is similar to hiring a developmental editor, I will be doing so much more than just suggesting changes - I will be helping you to develop as a writer and I will share all my best resources with you. Your novel manuscript isn't just another job for me.
What I will and will not be focusing on in Novel Troubleshooting
There are a LOT of things that you can change in your novel during editing, but this service doesn't quite cover all of them!
Novel Troubleshooting is especially for writers who have got stuck writing their story and who don't quite know what's wrong with it. I can help you uncover those issues and give you ACTIONABLE tips on how to fix them.
What I'll be most looking at in your story is the actual story, also known as the plot. Does it make sense? Does it go logically from A to Z or does it leave your readers confused? How can you fix the things that are missing from your gaping plot holes? Naturally, I will also be telling you about everything that DOES work.
I will also be looking at your characters. Are all of them necessary and distinct? Can your readers accept the way they're acting or are they going, well, out of character? How can you make the most of your characters within your story?
Nitty-gritty details like language and grammar will not be looked at during Novel Troubleshooting. Although I can tell you if your story is getting bogged down by unnecessary descriptions or too much telling instead of showing, I will not be looking at your story on a sentence level - we will be focusing on big picture changes unless you specifically need help with something else!
Novel Troubleshooting was a wonderful experience: stress-free, excellent advice and critique, and now I have a lot more confidence in trying to get my novel published when it's ready. I'll use this service again in the future, and highly recommend Katri to anyone considering her to help with their own novel.
— Laura Welch
Is Novel Troubleshooting right for you?
This service IS for you if
- you've written a complete or almost complete manuscript
- you have edited your story a few times already and you're stuck with figuring out what to fix
- you're happy to receive feedback and you understand that any criticism is there to make your story stronger
- you're willing to do the work that writing an amazing book requires
This service is NOT for you if
- you've only just written your first draft or you've only got a few scenes written
- you only want to hear nice things about your writing
- you're looking for a quick fix so you can stop working on your book as soon as possible
PRICING
This service is priced according to the CURRENT word count of your novel manuscript.
50K words or less: $280
50-70K words: $310
70-90K words: $340
90-110K words: $380
You will be taken to the payment options after I've accepted your application for Novel Troubleshooting.
Before we get started
To make sure we're the right fit and you're getting the best help possible with your book, I need to ask you a couple of questions and then manually approve you before you are asked to pay anything :)
Frequently Asked Questions
If I'm not happy with my purchase, can I get a refund?
Please get in contact at any time if you're not satisfied with your purchase. We do our best to ensure all clients are happy and need to determine on a case-by-case basis the eligibility of refunds.
Where will I submit my novel manuscript?
When you purchase Novel Troubleshooting, you will create an account with PayHip and you will be able to access this service through that account. There will be a dedicated page with instructions where you will be sending your story to me and I will be able to reply to you.
What makes YOU the best person to help me with my story?
I've been writing fiction ever since I learned to write, and although I studied English in university instead of creative writing, I've been studying writing fiction extensively in the past few years. I have also been published in Finland, I teach creative writing classes and workshops and I have been writing a blog for authors for two years.