Editing Services
Have your Picture Book manuscript reviewed by an experienced and award-winning illustrator!
Having an illustrator edit your work is not a typical step in the pre-submission editing process. So why would you hire me? Picture book creation is a unique art form. It relies on the interplay of words and visuals to fully convey the story. And although authors shine when it comes to creating engaging stories, sometimes they need help to ensure their words conjure compelling visuals.
While I don’t think this kind of review is a necessary step for everyone (you may already work with an agent or editor who excels in this department), I do think this could be a valuable tool for many authors. Some skills are tricky to master, like where to put page breaks, how to determine what text will be chosen to illustrate on each spread, what art notes to provide (if any), and what to cut out because it’s telling instead of showing. If you struggle with any of these problems, you can work one-on-one with an illustrator who’s seen a lot of manuscripts and has gone through the process of translating words into pictures many times. I’m a visual thinker. If I can’t envision something to match your words, an agent or editor may also have trouble. And that will make it all too easy for them to pass on your story. Give yourself the best chance to ensure your words leap off the page and grab an agent’s or editor’s attention!
Since I know these stories are your babies, I will sign a non-disclosure agreement for each manuscript I take on. You can expect the review process to take one to two weeks.
What is an illustrator review?
-Identifies where you can show instead of tell.
-Identifies page breaks that will allow the illustrator to create compelling visual page turns (or evaluate if current page breaks work visually).
-Reviews overall visual pacing and flow. Will text produce visuals that might seem like repeats or redundant?
-Checks to make sure text will leave enough room for illustrations. Is there too much text?
-Identifies what text on a page has the strongest visuals associated.
-Offers suggestions for potential art notes (if any are needed).
What an illustrator review is not:
-An editorial assessment (broad feedback of overall strengths and weaknesses of plot, characters and structure)
-A Developmental Review (detailed feedback on major structure, characters, and plot)
-Copy editing or proof-reading (the nuts and bolts and grammar of your story)
I focus on how the text drives the imagery or where it needs some tweaking to draw that imagery out! I won’t suggest specific imagery with your text because that will hopefully be the illustrator’s job when you sign your contract with a publisher!
Who should get an illustrator review?
Pre-published and Experienced Authors!
If you are a brand new picture book writer, this review can help train your brain to start noticing spots where an illustrator can show instead of you telling. It’s one of the hardest things to master when writing picture books. Walking through your text with someone whose brain is wired visually can be enlightening. An illustrator review can also be handy for experienced writers as one more layer of “eyes on” your manuscript to make sure your text evokes strong visuals on every page.
When should you get an illustrator review?
My services would be most helpful when you’ve got a somewhat-polished draft, but you haven’t progressed to copy editing. An illustrator review would work well alongside a developmental review. Then you can incorporate illustrator and editor feedback before you move on to the finishing touches!
How much does it cost?
The all-important question! I’d love to say I have a set fee for reviews, but I don’t think that would be practical. A 2,000-word non-fiction manuscript will take longer to review than a 300-word manuscript. But I do want to be transparent about costs up front! My pricing will be based on word count and will generally fall between $100 and $300 per review. Please click the button below to ask me any questions about pricing or the review process!
