Services for Writers

At some point along your writing journey, you’ll find you need some a hand. Some professional advice or perspective. Some input on craft. Someone to bounce ideas off, or to review what you’ve been working on. I’m happy to share my experience to help you hone your skills and move your writing projects forward.

We can work together to get your writing project unstuck, take a look at a work in progress, or review a completed manuscript.

If you write in novel or novella length — in memoir, literary fiction, crime fiction, romance, fantasy, or sci-fi — check out the services below.

Get Unstuck Calls

A Get Unstuck Call is a one-hour, focused discussion between you and a professional writer (that would be me, Deryn Collier) on the writing topic or question of your choice.

Get Unstuck Calls are designed to be one-offs. You book a call when you need one. When you need support or encouragement or clarity to get started, or to find your next step. You need to talk things through, to unknot the string with someone who has a deep understanding of writing and publishing.

Get Unstuck Calls are a chance to talk through a specific obstacle you’ve encountered on your writing path. The aim is for you to come away with a list of steps to take that are aligned with your own goals, and the motivation and encouragement to take them.

Get Unstuck Calls are one hour long and $150.00 each.

To book your session, just click the button below to go to my Stripe checkout. Payment gives you a link to my appointment calendar to pick your date and time. There are a wide variety of dates and times available. We can talk on Zoom, or if you’re hearing impaired, we can chat live on a Google doc. (Or, if you are in Nelson, BC, we can meet in person.)

Blue Pencil Sessions

With a Blue Pencil Session, you submit 2500 words of your work in progress, and I will review it in advance of our meeting. I will provide editing notes on your work, and we’ll discuss the piece, and how it fits with your overall writing goals, in a 50-minute call.

A Blue Pencil Session is a great way to test out some of the larger offerings below, such as First 50 pages and Manuscript Evaluation.

Whether it’s a one-off session or something that leads to a larger project, you’ll come away with clarity and motivation around your next steps.

Blue Pencil Sessions are $250.00 each and include a review of 2500 words and a 50-minute call.

To book your session, click the button below to go to my Stripe checkout. Your payment gives you a link to my appointment calendar to pick your date and time for our meeting.

There are a wide variety of dates and times available. We can talk on Zoom, or if you’re hearing impaired, we can chat live on a Google doc. Or, if you are in Nelson, BC, we can meet in person!

First 50 Pages (Plus Optional Outline)

The First Fifty Pages (Plus Outline) service is for those writers with a finished manuscript, or with a good start but are not sure where to go next. I will review the first 50 pages of your manuscript and provide detailed feedback on your work of fiction or memoir.

With the First Fifty Pages, there are two available options:

Option 1: Review of 50 pages only
I will review your first 50 pages and provide detailed editorial notes on those pages only. This will give you a clear picture of how you can improve your craft and help you learn self-editing techniques to apply to the rest of your manuscript. This is a good option for a writer with a fairly polished manuscript, who wants input before submitting to agents and publishers.

Option 2: Review of 50 pages plus your outline
Along with your first 50 pages, you will also provide an outline for the rest of your manuscript (fiction or memoir only.) With this option I will focus on the work’s overall structure, and make overarching suggestions for plot, character, setting, genre, and readability. This is for writers who have a beginning, but aren’t sure where to take it from there.Or, from those writers who have a complete first draft, and want input on structure and plot before proceeding with their more polished drafts.

With both options, the idea is that detailed input at the beginning will allow you to know how better to tackle the rest of the piece. Think of this as an investment in your self-editing skills – I’ll help you get started, and you’ll learn new skills that will help you improve your craft as you revise the manuscript.

First Fifty Pages (With Optional Outline) are $650.00 each and include an editorial memo and a 50-minute follow-up call.

Manuscript Evaluation

My Manuscript Evaluation service is for writers with a completed manuscript, either fiction or memoir. I’ll read the full manuscript and provide overarching suggestions for plot, character, writing style, and structure.

This big-picture review will get you ready to jump into your next draft with energy and motivation! You’ll have a clear picture of what you want to accomplish, and how to get there. 

Manuscript Evaluations are $1300.00 for manuscripts of 100,000 words or less. (If your manuscript is longer, get in touch, and we’ll talk.)

I have space for one evaluation per month. You’ll provide your manuscript before the start of the month; I’ll send my notes after three weeks and we’ll meet and discuss over a 50-minute call at the end of the month. 

To book a manuscript evaluation, please email me to find out the next available date. 

All prices include applicable taxes. Prices are in Canadian dollars for folks in Canada, and US dollars for writers outside of Canada.