Why do I have to sign a contract?
The contract is intended to clarify what you’re getting for your money and what each of us can expect from the other. When everything is clearly laid out ahead of time, there are no surprises. No one likes these kinds of surprises. 🙂 You can preview the contract here.
If I get a critique from you, will I get published?
When I read your materials, my goal is to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement with regard to aspects such as characters, plot, structure, and worldbuilding. This feedback will give you some tools to revise your story and make it the best it can possibly be, while hopefully refining your craft and helping you find your unique voice.
Unfortunately, it does not guarantee that your work will catch the eye of an agent or an editor. No critique, class, workshop, or service can do this. Chances are very good that any person who promises you access and/or publication if you pay them has an agenda other than the improvement of your work.
What you can do to improve your chances of getting published is constantly continue to work on your craft. A professional critique is one way to do this, but there are many others that cost nothing but effort and time.
How do I know you won’t steal my idea?
Honestly? Because I have plenty of my own. I have so many that they spill out of notebooks onto scraps of paper that I cram into a file folder.
Also because it’s deeply unethical, I’m not that kind of person, and the writing community is very small.
However, the nature of storytelling is such that there are recurring themes, settings, and tropes that have run and continue to run through literature. There are countless books about magic, pirates, and World War II. If your book has talking animals, this does not mean that one day I can’t or won’t include talking animals in one of mine.
To put your mind at ease, and because it’s the right thing to do, there is language in the contract that spells out my responsibilities with this regard. If you still have concerns after reading the contract, it will be best for you to receive feedback from an editorial professional who is not a working writer. You can preview the contract here.
Can you give me feedback if my book isn’t done?
Because everyone’s writing process is different, there’s never a right or wrong time to ask for feedback. Some people want to know whether what they have so far is working, while others won’t find feedback helpful until they’ve finished the whole manuscript. Both are fine! If you would like feedback on an unfinished project, your critique will be tailored to give you tools not only to revise what you’ve written, but to help plan subsequent scenes and chapters as well.
The only exception here is a query critique. The right time to worry about a query letter is when your book is polished perfect. If your book is half-written or you’re still revising, it’s best to finish that work before trying to find an agent. If you get an agent’s attention, you want to have your best work ready to send.
Why do you ask for payment up front?
I’m a working writer, and as much as I enjoy helping others by offering feedback, there are only so many hours in a day and I have to be mindful of how I spend them. This means that I can’t afford to invest time in a critique when I’m not paid for it. Thanks for understanding.
My project is urgent. Is there any way to skip to the front of the queue?
I use the queueing system for several reasons. One is to help ensure that I give each critique my full attention while balancing my own writing and my personal life. Another reason is my belief that each writer is paying for my time and expertise, and each person’s project is important.
When you are first in the queue, there may be an opportunity to pay extra for a faster turnaround time, depending on my current workload.
What if I want to cancel my critique?
You are free to cancel your critique at any time, for any reason. To do this, simply email me and let me know. If you have submitted a payment and I have already begun, I will immediately stop work on your materials and return them to you in their current state. You will be entitled to a monetary refund that depends on how much work I’ve put into your critique. Here’s the breakdown:
• No words reviewed: Your total payment minus any Paypal fees
• 1% – 20% of the words reviewed: 80% Refund
• 21% – 40% of the words reviewed: 60% Refund
• 41% – 60% of the words reviewed: 40% Refund
• 61% – 80% of the words reviewed: 20% Refund
• More than 80% reviewed: 0% Refund (the feedback is practically finished)
All percentages will be calculated according to the word count feature in Microsoft Word, rounded up.
All refunds will be sent within five business days of the cancellation.
Do you have a question that isn’t answered here? Email me (editorial at jandersoncoats dot com) and I’ll respond ASAP.