121 Editorial & Submission Advice

Hi all. As many of you know, I offer freelance editing, advice Q&As and beta reading services for writers in our community and I love being useful in this way.

Quick bio about me. I've led feedback workshops, hosted tutorials and arranged seminars with agents, editors, authors and academics of all kinds since 2010. When not with writers, I worked for every kind of publisher since I began my career in 2004 in Sydney and London since 2006. My thanks to all the members who have asked for my editorial input so far. It is a joy. You can view testimonials below.

I call myself a story editor because I asses the strengths and weaknesses of any piece of fiction at all levels from the heavy-lifting of POV, characterisation and conflict to polishing style suggestions at line level. I can be pedantic but this has to be the superpower of an editor, no?

I'd like to be doing more edits - if you'll allow me - and so I've come up with a selection of options for writers looking for editing support or a beta reader. See everything outlined below. If you don't find what you need below, please email me and we can discuss.

Read & Review Fast Mover: quick read with 121 feedback
I'll read and review a short piece of work (short story or novel excerpt up to 20,000 words) for writers who want a fast but thorough turnaround (within three weeks) and professional critique.
Previously, I limited the sample to 10,000words only but now I'll be offering:
up to 10,000words for £55
up to 15,000words for £80
up to 20,000words for £110
Once I've read and reviewed the piece, I'll come to you to arrange a video call (1.5 hour) to discuss the strengths and weakness of your writing and its feasibility for improvement, publishing or competition. I'll record our meet and send a copy to you for your reference too. Your piece must be 20,000 words or less and I'll ask you to send me your piece in a word document. I may ask you for a blub/synopsis (up to 300 words) to help my understanding of the wider story, structure and context too. If you'd like to work 121 with me in this way please email me lisagoll@gmail.com.

Submission & Publishing Mentoring (£200 - £300)
If you're in the process of submitting your novel or short story to publishers, agents or a competition. I'd be happy to provide a written review report of the strengths and weaknesses of your approach and materials. Ideally, we would meet online to discuss your project, review your materials together and chat through any questions you might have about the submission and publishing processes. During our time, I'll produce a written report about your materials, your approach and recommendations of how you might strengthen everything. Three online meetings (perhaps once a fortnight but frequency is up to you) and my feedback, meetings and written report will be between £200 - £300, depending on your specific needs. If you'd like to work 121 with me in this way please email me lisagoll@gmail.com.

Full Read & Review: Pay-As-You-Go Review, Reporting & Mentoring
Prices based on word count and number of meetings required
Since 2022, I've been working with writers in our group as an editor and beta reader. I tend to meet with each writer to discuss their project, their approach and work out how I might be most useful as an editor. I ask to read your first 5,000 words before we meet to assess the level of editing required and whether the piece is ready for an editor like me. If you'd like to arrange a first meeting to explore working together with me, please email me lisagoll@gmail.com. I charge £45 for the first assessment of your excerpt and our call to discuss how we could work together.

Beyond the first meeting, if we decide to go forward, I will edit your full manuscript in stages. We'll have ongoing meetings where I will read and review up to 30,000 words at a time and meet with you regularly to discuss my findings. Perhaps once a month or every six weeks. I find it is easier to review a novel in segments and discuss with the writer as we progress. It gives the writer an opportunity to make adjustments to the text as I edit and learn to see the problems for themselves further on.

Sure, I could review a novel of 100,000 words all at once but that interests me a lot less than working with a writer to show them how to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses and how to self-edit more effectively. For pricing, I would start at £250 to read and edit your excerpt (of up to 30,000words) prepare my notes and our meeting to discuss my findings but there is some flexibility on that if we work together over a number of months. Most novels will be 3-4 sessions or less.

Publishing/Writing/Agenting Q&A Session
If you have a tonne of questions about writing, publishers or agents but no one else to ask, here I am. I meet with writers regularly to answer their questions. It is not easy to filter the correct information from the sludge of adverts, AI and amateur advice vlogs. I've heard most questions before but if I don't know I will find out (I know where to look or who to ask) and I'll report back. A quick Q&A session of an hour where you can ask me anything will be £45/hr.

Beta Reading: Read the full manuscript for £250
If you'd like me to read your entire novel and meet discuss my topline notes, I will be available at £45/hr but I will be selective about projects. Reading something that is too raw is too challenging so I'll ask for an opening sample (3,000 words) before agreeing to read the whole. If you'd like me to read your whole novel is it £250 for novels under 100,000 words and I'll ask for 8-10 weeks to come back to you. I'm open to shorter works (novellas and short stories, price will vary) but my availability will be tight so email me to discuss timing. If your full novel is longer than 100K but you would like me to read, please ask and we can work out a cost for the additional word count.

Would you like one of these edits? Please RSVP 'going' to this meeting and I will message you (via meetup) to arrange your critique. Alternatively, you can email me right away lisagoll@gmail.com to start sooner.

These options are valid between now and December. Again, if you didn't find what you need above, please do email me and we can discuss your request.

Questions? Post a comment below, send me a DM or email.

Many thanks for reading and best wishes,
Lisa

Reviews from past editing clients:

​"Lisa's input helped shine a light on the routes to improving the chapters. Meticulous and precise, her analysis on perspective, dialogue and characterisation helped me plan my next steps. Without it I'd have taken ten times as long to figure out where the text was creaky. 10/10." - Chris

“Lisa’s editing report has allowed me to spot things that were missing within my manuscript, and make vast improvements to the plot, characters, and settings along the way.” - Nathan

'Lisa's editing report was clear, practical, encouraging and insightful. It has really helped me have a go at another draft when I was feeling I couldn't face ever reading it again! I would really recommend working with her and would certainly seek her advice again.' - Hedda

'Lisa's editing reports have been a great help for me to see clearer what I need to do to bring the best out of my manuscript. They were insightful, meticulously detailed and very useful to gain a professional perspective on how a future reader might find my writing. Everything Lisa suggested was on point, direct and clear, never once did I wonder what she meant by a certain point. Lisa's report gave clear guidance on how to improve my writing to a publishable standard. I'm very happy with her mentoring, I'd recommend her to anyone who is serious about getting work done.' - Nora

'Lisa’s editing reports helped me identify the ongoing issues I’d been having with my manuscript. She brought a keen editing eye and a wealth of knowledge on how to fix the core problem. Her feedback has given me new motivation to tackle the next draft! I would wholeheartedly recommend her mentoring to anyone.' - Melanie

'Lisa’s editing report has helped me view my writing with fresh eyes and identify some key areas to focus on when revising the draft. Her comments were insightful and both specific and big picture, helping to lift the writing to the next level and giving me tools that I will carry forward into my writing for this and other projects.' - Caroline

*This is an information page only* There will no meetup at this day and time.

PHOTO explainer: That's me on a recent trip to Seoul where I had to go and visit a the expats' favourite bookshop because I'm obsessed with the written word.